Demetrios I Soter — Drachm, Cornucopia, Antioch

Struck at Antioch, the Seleucid royal capital, in 152–151 BC, in the closing years of the reign of Demetrios I Soter (162–150 BC). Seleucid silver of this period is dated on the coin itself, so the piece can be placed in a single year rather than across a reign: the letters ΑΞΡ in the lower reverse field are the Seleucid era year 161, running from autumn 152 into 151 BC.

The reverse legend reads BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ, "of King Demetrios, Saviour", set in two columns flanking a cornucopia, with a control monogram in the outer right field and the date below it. The horn of plenty stands for the abundance the king's rule was meant to bring, a quieter reverse than the enthroned gods of the larger Seleucid silver. Legend, monogram and date letters are all legible here and the reverse is sharply struck across the field. The obverse carries the diademed head right with the fleshy features the catalogue describes, the diadem and hair crisply cut, the field before the face flat.

Attribution: SC 1642.3Mint: AntiochWeight: 3.7 gDiameter: 18.1 mmCatalogued in the NumisLens cabinet — NL-SD4DA-0TVWZ

Combined shipping is available — buy more than one coin and pay a single shipping charge.Attribution is believed to be correct, but ancient coin attributions can vary and the catalogue reference may be subject to revision.