Kings of Thrace, Lysimachus 323 – 281 and posthumous issues.
Stater, Alexandria Troas (?) 305–281, AV 8.51 g. Diademed head of deified Alexander the Great r., wearing horn of Ammon. Rev. BAΣIΛE[ΩΣ] / ΛYΣIMAXOY Athena Nicephoros seated l., holding Nike and leaning l. arm on rim of shield ornamented with a lion's head; in l. field, ram's head. SNG Copenhagen –. SNG Lockett –. Müller –. M. Thompson, –. M.-M. Bendenoun, Coins of the Ancient World, A Portrait of the JDL Collection, Tradart, Genève, 2009, 11 (this coin). In exceptional state of preservation, undoubtedly one of the finest gold staters in existence bearing a portrait of masterly style. Virtually as struck and almost Fdc Ex Tkalec 1992, 82 and NAC 74, 2013, JDL, 284 sales.

Graded MS* Strike 5/5 Surface 4/5, NGC certification number 6030740-001.

Most, if not all, coins in the name of Lysimachus produced before the Battle of Ipsus in 301 B.C. were struck by the Macedonian King Cassander. Those issues were limited, consisting of small bronzes and small silver coins (tetrobols or 1/5th tetradrachms) which resurrected types of Philip II. With the defeat of Antigonus Monopthalmus and Demetrius Poliorcetes at Ipsus, vast territories were divided among the three victors: Cassander, Seleucus, and Lysimachus. The latter received the western partof Asia Minor and retained his traditional realm of Thrace. A number of cities within Lysimachus' newly acquired territories already had established, active mints, which provided him with the opportunity to issue coins on a large scale. Thompson identified twenty mints in her study of the lifetime coinage of Lysimachus, and others may have existed. Lysimachus first produced coins with the familiar types of Alexander III. Initially they had both the types and inscriptions of Alexander, but eventually they had the types of Alexander and the inscriptions of Lysimachus. The final evolution was his introduction of innovative types that reinforced Lysimachus' connection to Alexander, yet were unique to this king. His standard precious metal coins show on their obverse a portrait of the deified Alexander, wearing a diadem and the horn of Zeus-Ammon, and on their reverse Athena enthroned, holding Nike, who crowns Lysimachus' name. Though it seems obvious why he portrayed Alexander, the explanation for Athena is not so clear. Price suggested that Athena and Nike were borrowed from the gold staters of Alexander, which had a portrait of Athena on their obverse and a standing Nike on their reverse. He also reasoned that Nike crowning Lysimachus' name was a reference to the triumph at Ipsus. This rare, lifetime issue is struck from a particularly artistic set of dies. The skillfully idealised portrait of Alexander has mature features and somewhat gaunt cheeks that seem to be diagnostic of an engraver responsible for some extraordinary issues attributed to Alexandria Troas by Margaret Thompson (The Mints of Lysimachus, pl. 20, 139-144). Though the symbol, a ram's head, is not documented for staters of this mint, it does occur on one issue of tetradrachms (Thompson 151).