Antiochus VII Sidetes was the last Seleucid king to hold the empire together, and this silver tetradrachm carries his portrait from that final decade of strength. He pushed back the Parthians and campaigned across the east before falling in battle against them in 129 BC. Seleucid power never recovered, so coins struck in his name mark the closing chapter of the greatest kingdom to grow out of Alexander's empire. Collectors seek this issue because it pairs a bold Hellenistic portrait with a genuine turning point in ancient history.

The obverse shows the diademed head of Antiochus VII facing right, his hair rendered in deep, flowing curls that catch the light across the whole portrait. A beaded fillet border frames the design, and the modeling of the cheek, ear, and neck is sharp and fully struck. On the reverse, Athena stands facing left in a crested helmet, holding Nike on her outstretched hand while a shield rests at her side and a spear leans behind her. Greek legends naming the king flank the goddess, with control monograms in the left field, and a laurel wreath encircles the entire composition.

NGC graded this tetradrachm Choice About Uncirculated with a full Strike of 5/5 and a Surface of 3/5, noted as brushed. The devices retain crisp relief from a well-centered strike, and light golden-russet tone settles into the protected areas around the hair and lettering. A perfect strike grade on a large Seleucid silver piece is worth noting, since many surviving tetradrachms of this reign show flat portraits or weak reverse legends. A welcome addition to any collection of Hellenistic silver or Seleucid royal coinage. The coin pictured is the exact coin you will receive.

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