A beautiful and rare bronze minted for Demetrios Poliorketes in Salamina, Cyprus, circa 300-295 BC.
The minting of Macedonia after the death of Alexander III the Great retained its distinct character, but periodically included minting production also outside Macedonia proper, if only Cyprus, conquered by the excellent admiral and talented commander Demetrios Antigonida. As for Demetrios Poliorketes (the Besieging City) himself, son of Antigonus Monophthalmos (the One-eyed One), it is worth mentioning that although he received the royal title as early as 306 for the recapture of Cyprus from Ptolemy, he became ruler of Macedonia only after the defeat and death of his father at Ipsos in 301 B.C. For Demetrios himself, the cut-off date is r. 288, when he began preparations for a major campaign in the East - there, however, finally defeated in 285 by Seleukos, he became his captive and ended his life in exile in Apamea in 283 B.C.Obverse: head of Athena in Corinthian helmet to the right;
Reverse: [B(AΣIΛEΩΣ) - A(ΝΤΙΓΟΝΟΥ)] [reads "Basileos Antigonu", i.e. Gen. "King Antigonos" sc. coin] above the bow of the ship to the right, with the mint monogram below it.
Bronze, Diameter: 14/13 mm, Weight: 4, 14 g.
