Nomos 15

KINGS OF MACEDON. Demetrios I Poliorketes, 306-283 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 29 mm, 17.17 g, 10 h), Pella, c. 290-289. Diademed head of Demetrios to right, wearing bull's horn above his forehead and aegis around his neck. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ Poseidon, nude, standing to left, his right foot on a rock, holding a trident with his left hand and resting his right on his right thigh; in outer fields to left and right, monogram. Newell 84 (obv. die LXX). A variety of great rarity, with perhaps the finest of all the numismatic portraits of Demetrios the Besieger. Nicely toned and struck on an oval flan. Good very fine.

From the Molard Collection, Switzerland.

This is an absolutely lovely coin of great beauty and rarity. Of special interest is the appearance of the aegis around Demetrios's neck, which must be inspired by its use on coin portraits of Ptolemy I: they first appeared in that manner at the end of the 4th century. In addition, the oval shape of the flan gives the coin the appearance of a cameo, thus emphasizing its value as a work of art. Why this type of portrait was not continued is unknown (it seems to be known from only three dies, of which this is by far the best), but the decision against it must have been taken by Demetrios himself (perhaps he did not like to be seen as copying Ptolemy I's issues; or even to be influenced by them?).