This silver tetradrachm carries the portrait of Demetrius I, who slipped out of Roman custody and seized the Seleucid throne by force in 162 BC. The dies are dated to year 160 of the Seleucid era, or 153/2 BC, placing this striking in the middle of his brief reign. Demetrius fell in battle against the pretender Alexander Balas in 150 BC, so his coinage covers barely a dozen years, and large silver in his name is far scarcer than the Alexander-type tetradrachms that flooded the region earlier. Coins like this one put a well-documented Hellenistic king in hand at full tetradrachm size.

The obverse shows the diademed head of Demetrius I facing right, with heavy curls of hair spilling past the diadem ties and a strong, fleshy profile that Seleucid engravers rendered with real character. The reverse centers on Tyche enthroned, holding a scepter and cornucopia, seated on a throne supported by a winged tritoness, with the Greek royal legend of Demetrius the Savior running down both sides. The date letters appear in the exergue below, and the devices stand in sharp relief against even, lightly toned fields.

NGC Ancients graded this tetradrachm Choice Very Fine with a Strike of 4/5 and Surface of 3/5. The portrait remains bold with only light circulation wear on the high points, the reverse legends read clearly, and the silver keeps a bright, natural gray surface with pleasing definition on Tyche and her throne. For those seeking a well-struck, fully legible dated tetradrachm of a short-reigning Seleucid king, this coin delivers on both detail and eye appeal. A welcome addition to any collection of Hellenistic silver or Greek royal portrait coinage. The coin pictured is the exact coin you will receive.

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