Posthumous Lysimachi Issued at Byzantion

Sale: CNG 82, Lot: 326. Estimate $750.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 16 September 2009.  Sold For $750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THRACE, Byzantion. Circa 260 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.11 g, 5h). With the name and types of Lysimachos. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros seated left, left arm resting on shield decorated with a star, spear behind; monograms to outer left and in exergue. Thompson 249 (Pella mint); Marinescu issue 1, 1 (O1/R1); Meydancikkale 2730 (same rev. die; Uncertain mint). Good VF, minor metal flaw on obverse. Very rare issue.

Lysimachos type coinage was so popular, and became so commonly accepted, that cities in the region of Lysimachos’ empire continued to produce coinage in the Thracian king’s name long after his death. These posthumous coins, struck over some 200 years, are not issues of Lysimachos, but rather the civic coinage of individual cities or the imperial coinage of later kings, such as Mithradates VI of Pontos who issued an extensive gold and silver coinage in Lysimachos’ name. Accordingly, beginning with this catalog, CNG will list the posthumous Lysimachi under their respective cities or other issuing authorities; only the lifetime issues will be listed under Lysimachos. The one exception will be posthumous issues from uncertain mints, which will continue to be listed under Lysimachos.