Ancient Greece - 305-281 BCE Thracian Kingdom Lysimachus AV Stater NGC AU

Dramatic specimen from Thracian Kingdom. Gold Stater of Lysimachus, who succeeded Alexander the Great. The obverse presents a right facing diademed head of deified Alexander the Great, with his long curly hair, wearing the horns of Ammon. The horns of Ammon are curling ram horns that symbolized the Egyptian deity Ammon (also spelled Amun or Amon).

The reverse shows Athena Nikephoros, goddess of wisdom, handicraft and warfare, seated facing left wearing a warrior's helmet, resting her arm on a shield with lion's head and holding Nike in right hand crowning royal name. There is a caduceus resting on her leg and monogram under extended arm. Transverse spear behind. There is a 'K' in exergue. The reverse reads BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣIMAXOY.

Hellenistic marble bust of Lysimachus at the Ephesus Archeological Museum, Selçuk, Turkey, from c. 300 BCE. Photo: wikipedia.