CNG 94, Lot: 276. Estimate $3000. Sold for $4750. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of MACEDON. Demetrios I Poliorketes. 306-283 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 17.18 g, 12h). Ephesos mint. Struck circa 301-295 BC. Nike, blowing trumpet and holding stylis, standing left on prow of galley left / Poseidon Pelagaios standing left, preparing to throw trident; monogram to left, star to right. Newell 51 (dies XLVI/88 [unlisted combination]); SNG Fitzwilliam 2288 (same rev. die). Near EF, dark toning. Well struck.

The new die combination that this coin presents is interesting, but perhaps more important is a feature on the reverse, one that is not clear on the Fitzwilliam piece that Newell saw for this die. On this well-struck example, it is clear that the reverse die was originally engraved with another control mark, an A, below the star – thus the die was first used to strike Newell 52 tetradrachms. This revelation shows that Newell 51 could not precede Newell 52; they were either concurrent issues, or issue 52 preceded issue 51.