Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 133. Estimate $1500.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $900. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of THRACE. Lysimachos. 305-281 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.11 g, 5h). Pella mint(?). Struck circa 286/5-282 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣIMAXOY, Athena Nikephoros seated left, left arm resting on shield decorated with a star, spear behind; monograms to outer left and in exergue. Thompson 249; Müller -; Meydancikkale 2730 (same rev. die; Uncertain mint). Good VF, minor metal flaw on obverse. Very rare issue.

On the reverse of Lysimachos’ coins, Athena’s shield is typically decorated with the facing head of a lion. However, the shield on this particular coin is decorated with a star, which does not appear to be a standard practice at any of his mints, although it does appear as a variety in other known issues (see Pozzi 1172 for an example from Ainos mint). Thompson does not plate an example of this type, so it is unknown whether her type 249 coins also have this unusual feature. It is worth noting that the portrait style of this coin diverges somewhat from the style typically found on the coins of Pella. These two aspects suggest that this issue may belong to another mint.