Nomos AG
Auction 16 10 May 2018
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Coele-Syria. Chalkis ad Libanon. Lysanias, tetrarch, 40-36 BC. (Bronze, 19 mm, 5.58 g, 11 h). Laureate head of Lysanias to right; to right, monogram of ΠΤΟ; on neck, countermark: either of a sun with downward rays or a monogram of ΦΙΛιππιΟν within a rectangular indent. Rev. [ΛYΣANI]OU TETPAPΧOU KAI APX[IEPEΩΣ] Athena standing left, holding Nike in her right hand and resting her left on a shield; to right, monogram of ΦY. Herman 12a. RPC I 4470. SNG Copenhagen 415-6. With an attractive, glossy black patina; an unusually fine example. Some striking flatness on both sides, otherwise, about extremely fine.
From a European collection.
The countermark on the obverse of this coin has been identified as just a symbol, but the suggestion by Herman that it refers to Lysanias's murdered brother Philippion has a good deal of merit. He was apparently murdered by his father Ptolemy out of jealousy over the favors of Alexandra, daughter of the Hasmonean king Aristobulus II; after Ptolemy's death in 40, Lysanias arranged for the monogram of his dead brother's name to be placed on his own coinage.
From a European collection.
The countermark on the obverse of this coin has been identified as just a symbol, but the suggestion by Herman that it refers to Lysanias's murdered brother Philippion has a good deal of merit. He was apparently murdered by his father Ptolemy out of jealousy over the favors of Alexandra, daughter of the Hasmonean king Aristobulus II; after Ptolemy's death in 40, Lysanias arranged for the monogram of his dead brother's name to be placed on his own coinage.