obv. Diademed head of deified Alexander the Great right, with the horn of Ammon, within dotted circle rev. Athena Nikephoros enthroned left, holding Nikè in right hand and resting her left arm on shield, transverse spear resting against her right side, BAΣIΛEΩΣ to right, ΛYΣIMAXOY to left, racetorch with fillets inner left, maeander pattern in exergue
This outstanding silver tetradrachm is of the Thracian king Lysimachos, who had served as one of Alexander the Great′s closest generals. Following the death of Alexander in 323 BC his vast empire was divided among his family and most loyal generals, the so called diadochi. Lysimachos was one of the more successful diadochi, largely keeping out of the wars between the other successors and adding Macedon and areas of Asia Minor to his territories. Perhaps one of his most notable achievements though is the legacy left by his beautiful coinage. Lysimachos took the bold and innovative step of showing the image of the now deified Alexander on his silver drachms, tetradrachms and gold staters. The intended message is clear through association to the now godlike Alexander, Lysimachos′ legitimacy to rule is unquestionable !
The silver denominations (tetradrachms and drachms) featured not the head of Lysimachos but rather Alexander in deified form – an homage to a fallen leader. On the obverse, Alexander is depicted adorned with a ram′s horn, alluding to the Egyptian deity Amun, whom the Greeks–and later the Romans–incorporated into their mythos attributed to Zeus and Jupiter, respectively. On the reverse is a seated Athena who holds a crowning figure of Nike, all while resting her elbow upon a shield and with a spear cradled behind her. Just like Alexander′s massive output at countless mints, the determination of the striking locale relies heavily upon the various control marks, symbols, and/or monograms, placed around the reverse.
Coinage at Magnesia seems to have been more or less continuous from 301 to 282 BC., when the city fell to Seleukos. In 287 BC the Magnesians apparently supported Demetrios Poliorketes but Lysimachos did not close the royal mint after the rebellious city had been recaptured in 286 BC. A few of the thirty-three obverse dies known for tetradrachms are of the late style associated with the period between 286 and 281 BC.
Müller - (cf. 444) | Thompson 110 | SNG.Copenhagen - (cf. 1108) SNG.Delepierre- (cf. 845) | Weber - | McClean- RR Very attractive example of a wonderful style. Very strong portrait of Alexander the Great. Very rare. vf/xf
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