Coin of The Week - A Tetradrachm of Lysimachos

Its been a long time since I posted a coin. Now that I have a new digital camera, a Canon A540, I thought it would be fitting to feature some coins from my own collection.

This is my Oldest Coin:




It is a Tetdracham (4 drachma) silver coin of Lysimachos from 323-281 BCE.

Lysimachos was one of the successor kings after the death of Alexander, and he ruled Thrace in Greece and parts of northwest Asia minor.

Details of the Coin:
Silver, 16.76grams, Kalchedon mint, in Good VF condition.

Obverse: Head of the deified Alexander The Great (the horn of Zeus on the side of his head in the picture shows his ascension to deity-like status).

Reverse: Athena Seated bearing a spear and shield. DI monogram in left field and grain ear in exergue. Legend: Basileus Lysimachoy - Of King Lysimachus.

This coin is over 2000 years old. Simply holding this heavy coin and staring at the portrait of Alexander the Great takes one back in time to the days of the end of Alexander's empire when his generals divided his empire and its spoils among themselves.