Lot 1044
Thracian Kingdom. Lysimachos. Silver Tetradrachm (16.43 g). Byzantion, under Mithradates VI of Pontos, 120-63 BC. Diademed head of deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣIMAΧOY, Athena seated left, holding Nike and resting elbow on shield at side, spear leaning against her far shoulder; in inner left field, monogram; on throne, BY; in exergue, trident. (cf. De Callataÿ grp. 3, p. 124; SNG Copenhagen 1139). Boldly struck and perfectly centered on a wonderful broad flan. Unusually expressive dies. Light toning. Extremely fine. Estimate $3,000UP
Ex Goldberg 36 (30 May 2006), lot 3520.
When Alexander the Great's successor, Lysimachos, introduced his gold and silver coinage featuring the deified head of Alexander and Athena Nikephoros in 297/6 BC he had struck upon a typology of enduring popularity. It became extremely popular among the Thracian and Celtic peoples who supplied mercenary troops to many of the Hellenistic kingdoms. In fact the types became so well-recognized by these mercenaries that they came to demand them from their paymasters long after Lysimachos was dead. This particular posthumous-Lysimachos tetradrachm was struck by the important city of Byzantion, probably in support of the expansion of the Pontic empire of Mithradates VI Eupator (ca. 116-63 BC) in the Black Sea and perhaps even during his first confrontation with the Romans in the First Mithradatic War (89-85 BC).
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| Realized $2,832 |
