418, Lot: 41. Estimate $200. Sold for $425. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of THRACE, Macedonian. Lysimachos. 305-281 BC. AR Drachm (17.5mm, 4.59 g, 12h). Uncertain mint. Struck circa 297-281 BC. Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon / Athena Nikephoros seated left, spear behind; thyrsos to inner left, star on throne. CNG 75, lot 118 = Freeman & Sear 13, lot 702 (same dies); Agora Auctions 5, lot 7 (same dies); otherwise unpublished in the standard references. VF, toned. Very rare.

The most likely mint for this issue is Alexandria Troas, whose early issues under Lysimachos had a similar star under the throne with a secondary control mark in the inner left field. Although drachms are unknown for all of these issues, the style here is more similar to the tetradrachms. Other, though unlikely, mints are Lampsakos and Parion. Lampsakos has drachm issues with a similar star on the throne, but this is the secondary symbol, always occurring with a torch, the primary control, in the inner left field. The thyrsos was a primary control for a number of issues at Parion, but it always is in the outer left field.