CNG 91, Lot: 98. Estimate $750. Sold for $650. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of THRACE. Lysimachos. 305-281 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 17.05 g, 12h). Lampsakos mint. Struck 297/6-282/1 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon; A below / Athena Nikephoros seated left, left arm resting on shield, spear behind; two monograms to inner left. Thompson –; Müller 315; SNG Berry 408 (same obv. die; Byzantion). Good VF, toned. High relief.

This issue was known to Newell, who thought that it might be a lifetime issue from Byzantion, but had no proof other than style (cf. his manuscript at the ANS, chapter XXIII, pp. 1-10). Seyrig, however, doubted that any lifetime issues of Lysimachos were struck from Byzantion (cf. Seyrig, Monnaies, p. 184). Although Thompson’s publication of Lysimachos’ lifetime issues was based on Newell’s manuscript, she decided not to include any coins that could not be attributed to a city with relative certainty. Thus, this issue is not in her work. In his dissertation on the Lysimachi of Byzantion, Marinescu cast strong doubt on Newell’s attribution, and instead suggested Lampsakos due to a strong stylistic link between the obverses of some coins of this issue and coins of Thompson 49 and 50 (cf. Marinescu pl. 75, g-h; Rauch 42, lot 2956; and Coin Galleries, 16 November 1983, lot 183). The present coin shares this stylistic link to the issues Marinescu cites. The style of these obverses are quite distinct, and unlike those of other contemporary mints. Undoubtedly, the attribution to Lampsakos is correct.