★ An unpublished transitional drachm of Lysimachos ★

KINGS OF THRACE. Lysimachos, 305-281 BC. Drachm (Silver, 17 mm, 4.32 g, 12 h), Kolophon, 297/6. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣIMAX[OY Zeus seated left on low throne, holding long scepter in his left hand and eagle standing right with closed wings in his right; to inner left, forepart of lion to left over crecent right; below throne, pentagram. Müller 20 var., Price L28 var. and Thompson 127 var. (all with different legend arrangement). A highly interesting and apparently unpublished variety. Flan fault on the obverse and with the reverse struck slightly off center , otherwise, good very fine.

This is a particularly interesting variety: unlike Thompson 127 and Price L28, where the king's title and name have been placed in a traditional way, the legend arrangement here is already like that of the later Lysimachus types with Alexander on the obverse Athena on the reverse. It is probably a short-living transitional issue that was struck just before the introduction of Lysimachus' new coinage in 297/6.