Lysimachus Tetradrachm

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by kazuma78, Jul 2, 2020.

  1. kazuma78

    kazuma78 Supporter! Supporter

    I picked up this Lysimachus Tetradrachm about a month or so ago and got it in the mail a little over a week ago. I posted it on someone else's thread but thought it probably deserves its own thread since it is the largest ancient I own, especially by diameter.
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    Kingdom of Thrace, Lysimachus, 323-281
    Tetradrachm, Lampsacus circa 297-281, AR 33 mm, 17.04 g. Diademed head of deified Alexander r., with the horn of Ammon. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ – ΛYΣIMAXOY Athena enthroned l., holding Nike and spear in r. hand and resting l. elbow on shield decorated with medusa; in outer l. field, herm and in inner l. field, monogram. Thompson 50. SNG France 2553.
    A superb portrait of fine style struck in high relief. Light tone and about extremely fine

    Ex Auctiones VII, 1977, 109.
     
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  3. Magnus Maximus

    Magnus Maximus Dulce et Decorum est....

    Why yes, that coin is superb! Very nice win.
     
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  4. TheRed

    TheRed Well-Known Member

    Congrats on the awesome tet of Lysimachus @kazuma78 that is a gorgeous example. The tetradrachms issued in his name are some of the most attractive of all Hellenistic coins in my opinion. As of now I only have a couple drachms from him, one day I'll add a tetradrachm to go with them.
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  5. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Well done @kazuma78 ... wonderful coin. Super detail, and wow on the relief.

    I have a Lysimachos Tet to share...

    upload_2020-7-2_20-17-18.png
    FORVM Ancients attribution:
    Kingdom of Thrace,
    Lysimachos, 305 - 281 B.C.,
    Portrait of Alexander the Great
    Silver tetradrachm, 14.309g, maximum diameter 28.7mm, die axis 180o
    Ephesus(?) mint, c. 294 - 281 B.C.;
    Obv: diademed head of Alexander the Great wearing the horn of Ammon
    Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ (king) ΛYΣIMAXOY (Lysimachos), Athena enthroned left resting arm on shield, transverse spear resting against right side, Athena holds Nike crowning name with wreath, ΣΠE(?) monogram under her hand
    ex: Roma Numismatics e-auction 5 (23 Feb 2014), lot 353;
    extremely rare
    Ref: Apparently unpublished; Müller -, Thompson -, SNG Cop -, SNG Tübingen -, Armenak Hoard
    Comment: VF, high-relief unusual style portrait, toned, tiny flan crack, light marks
    This coin was previously attributed as Thompson 166, but that type has a bee under Athena's arm and a similar, but not identical, monogram in the exergue. We were unable to find another example of this type.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2020
  6. Nathan B.

    Nathan B. Well-Known Member

    WOW! That is so beautiful, and I hadn't realized how large and high relief they were. I love the reverse design, and I also like how it inspired the old British portrait of Lady Britannia.
     
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  7. kazuma78

    kazuma78 Supporter! Supporter

    Thanks guys! Nice Tet @Alegandron. @TheRed you can find the tets reasonably if you look around enough. Some of them are more cartoonish and others are more realistic. I wanted one more lifelike which is what drew me to this one. They are fantastic coins in general.
     
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  8. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    I agree that Lisymachos had some beautiful designs. I have a few of his fractionals because of the nice designs:

    upload_2020-7-2_20-31-24.png
    Thrace Lysimachus AE 14 306 BC Apollo forepart of Lion


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    Thrace - Lysimachos 305-281 BCE AE14 Lysimacheia mint 2.7g Young Male Helmeted - Forepart Lion SNG Cop 1159 var


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    Thrace - Lysimachos 305-281 BCE AE20 Sysimachia mint 4.64g 19.5mm Athena - Lion SNG Cop 1153 Muller 76
     
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  9. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Like TheRed, both of mine are drachms. I have no tetradrachm.
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  10. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    That gorgon boss on the reverse though...
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    SPECTACULAR coin.
    Doesn't just deserve its own thread... deserves its own place in masterpieces!
    Here's mine for consumption, ya filthy animals:
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  11. kazuma78

    kazuma78 Supporter! Supporter

    Are you talking on the shield? My wife said she liked it on this coin because she could tell what it was instead of just looking like a nipple lol!
     
  12. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    I am thinking that my Tet is a fat Olive Oyl with a nipple-boss shield. Now that you and @Ryro broke this discussion open...
     
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  13. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    That's a wonderful example. Congrats!

    I've been under the impression that it was a lion's head that was the decoration on the shield. I've not studied many of these closely to know if there were different varieties, but on the OP coin, I would have said lion's head.
     
  14. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

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  15. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Here is my coins id
    Lysimachos Pella,305-281 BC.
    Tetradrachm AR 27mm., 15,95g. Head of the deified Alexander the Great to right, wearing diadem with fluttering ends and with the horn of Ammon around his ear / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΛΥΣΙΜΑΧΟΥ, Athena, wearing robes and helmet, seated to left on throne, holding Nike on her right hand and resting her left elbow on large round shield adorned with a gorgoneion; to left monogram. very fine. Thompson 253; Müller 471.

    Can totally see what you're seeing, but look at more examples like the OP coin and you see.
    Here's a Macedonian shield to show that gorgon facing
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  16. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Trust our resident shield guy to know his stuff. :) Looking at the OP coin again, I can also buy that it's a gorgoneion. Making a quick check on acsearch, I see both descriptions used: "shield decorated with lion's head" and "shield decorated with Medusa's head", sometimes by the same AH!
     
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  17. non_cents

    non_cents Well-Known Member

    Very nice coin! I too picked up a lysimachos tet. The deified Alexander the Great is one of my favorite obverse designs for ancient greek coins. The amount of relief on yours is amazing, too.
    lysimachos tet.png
     
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  18. kazuma78

    kazuma78 Supporter! Supporter

    Very nice coin! I like the style of Alexander on yours alot too!
     
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  19. Only a Poor Old Man

    Only a Poor Old Man Well-Known Member

    Great coin. Great detail, strike, and very well centered. What more can you ask for?

    However I am not sure about the medusa assessment on the shield. It looks like a lion to me.

    Here is mine. It is well centered but with a weaker strike and more wear. I could afford it though and was good value overall.

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  20. kazuma78

    kazuma78 Supporter! Supporter

    Great coin! I like the portrait on yours too. I also thought it was a lion on the shield. But looking at the top I can see what looks like snakes. Either way, it looks nice.
     
  21. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    That's a very nice Tet @kazuma78 Congratulations.

    Here are a couple I got a few years back, the pattern on the shield is much clearer on the second coin, perhaps because Athena looks a bit more laid-back and has let her shield slip a bit :D:D:D

    Definitely looks like a Lion to me

    Alexander Kingdom of Thrace 288-281 BC Lysimachos.jpg

    Alexander Kingdom of Thrace 297-281 BC Lysimachos.jpg
     
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