Important Discovery Coin

439, Lot: 130. Estimate $300. Sold for $1200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SELEUKID EMPIRE. Demetrios II Nikator. First reign, 146-138 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26.5mm, 16.67 g, 12h). Antioch on the Persian Gulf mint. Diademed head of Alexander I right within fillet border / Apollo Delphios, testing arrow and resting hand on grounded bow, seated left on omphalos; ΔP monogram to outer left, HP monogram to outer right. SC 1993 var. (unlisted issue); Mørkholm, Seleucid, dies A4/P4, but now re-engraved with the name of Demetrios; HGC 9, 956. VF, lightly toned, some minor roughness (typical for mint). Unique.

This coin is likely the very first issue of Demetrios at this mint. Previously, this obverse die with the portrait of Alexander was known to have been reused by Demetrios, but only with two new dies engraved for him. This is the first instance in which an obverse and reverse die of Alexander was reused, but with the name of Demetrios re-engraved over that of Alexander.