★ Exceedingly Rare Demetrios I Tetradrachm ★

Seleukid Empire, Demetrios I Soter, with Laodike IV, AR Tetradrachm. Seleukia on the Tigris, 161-150 BC. Jugate busts of Demetrios, diademed, and Laodike, draped and wearing stephane, right within fillet border / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟY ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ, Tyche seated left on backless throne supported by wreath-bearing Nike, holding short sceptre and cornucopiae; PH monogram and palm branch to outer left, all within [dotted border]. SC 1689.1. 15.87g, 30mm, 1h.

Near Very Fine; granular surface, pleasant light tone. Exceedingly Rare; one of very few specimens known.

From the collection of an antiquarian, Bavaria c. 1960s-1990s.

Houghton and Lorber suggest the introduction of the wreath-bearing Nike as support for the throne on which Tyche is seated, instead of the usual winged tritoness, may have been an official innovation to the iconography that quickly dropped out of use again, as opposed to simply being a die-engraver's fancy.