Greek Silver & Bronze Coins

Lot 3240    Session 11 (9.30am Thursday 26 March)    Greek Silver & Bronze Coins

Estimate $2,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

THRACE, Kingdom of, Lysimachos, (305-281 B.C.), silver tetradrachm, (17.04 g), Amphipolis mint, issued 288/7-282/1 B.C., obv. head of Alexander to right, with diadem and horn of Ammon, within dotted circle, rev. Athena Nikephoros enthroned to left, supporting Nike, transverse spear behind, **PUW* monogram to left, **DH* monogram in exergue, to right **BASILEWS*, to left **LUSIMACOU*, (cf.S.6814, Thompson 202 var., Meydancikkale -, Armenak -, M.-). Lightly toned, nearly extremely fine and very rare, variety apparently unpublished.

Ex CNG Mail Bid Auction Sale 81, May 20, 2009 (lot 242). In 288 BC, Lysimachos and Pyrrhos of Epiros launched a successful joint invasion of Macedon, which was then held by Demetrios I Poliorketes, and they divided the country between themselves. Lysimachos controlled the eastern half, containing the strategically important mint of Amphipolis, which soon became his principal mint for tetradrachms. The output of the mint was huge, with many new issues still being discovered today. It remained under his control until his death in 281 BC.