Lot 4167

Description

Thrace, Kingdom of, Lysimachos, (323-281 B.C.), silver tetradrachm, (16.91 g), Ainos mint, issued shortly after 282/1 B.C., obv. head of Alexander to right, with diadem and horn of Ammon, within dotted circle, rev. Athena enthroned to left, supporting Nike, spear behind, on outer left a bucranium, and in left a cult statue of Hermes Perpheraios set on throne, to right **BASILEWS*, to left **LUSIMAXOU*, (cf.S.6814, Muller 121, cf.Thompson 257, Armenak -, SNG Berry 405 [same obverse die], HGC 3, 1750r, Meydancikkale 2689 [Pl.79]). Well centred, full flan and lightly toned, good very fine/very fine and very rare, with only a few examples of this mint in Coin Archives.

Ex CNG Sale 69 June 8, 2005, (lot 251) with ticket.
Only four examples of this type (including this coin) in Coin Archives two from CNG, from 2002 and 2005 (realised $2500US and $3250US) and 2015 from Baldwin's (it realised $3250US).
The current understanding of this issue places it with a local Dynast, Skostokos as the issuer. A CNG comment on this type and mint follows:
While previous scholars viewed Skostokos as a dynast who took control of parts of Thrace following Lysimachos' death, Fischer-Bossert's die study demonstrates that Skostokos was most likely a local dynast of the environs around Ainos, who ruled under Lysimachos, and was permitted to strike Lysimachi beginning late in the king's reign. Current scholarship suggests he ruled from circa 285/4-273/2 BC (see, e.g., E. Paunov, "Introduction to the Numismatics of Thrace" in J. Valeva, et al., A Companion to Ancient Thrace, p. 280, fig. 18.4). Skostokos apparently continued to strike Lysimachi in the chaotic period following the latter's death, before Seleukid authority could be established in Thrace (Courtesy of CNG for this note).