Syracuse Sicily Demareteion Tetradrachm | Hand-Struck Silver Coin Replica

Why collectors buy this piece

• One of the most celebrated and artistically influential silver coins of the ancient Greek world
• Issued at Syracuse during its rise as a dominant Mediterranean power (5th century BCE)
• Renowned symbol of Sicilian Greek wealth, military strength, and cultural ambition
• Celebrated for its elegant depiction of the nymph Arethusa and dynamic quadriga — hallmarks of Syracusan coin artistry
• Faithfully reproduced using traditional hand-striking methods
• Each coin is intentionally irregular — like ancient originals

Best suited for collectors seeking one of the most iconic and artistically important silver coins of Classical Greek Sicily.

Overview & Craftsmanship

This Demareteion Series Syracuse AR tetradrachm is a hand‑struck sterling silver replica inspired by the iconic ancient Syracuse issues struck in Sicily c. 480–475 BC under Hieron I. Each piece is individually hammered in solid silver using traditional striking methods, producing irregular flans, varied relief, and surface character comparable to ancient originals.

Unlike cast or machine-pressed copies, hand-struck replicas retain the depth, texture, and individuality characteristic of ancient coinage.

Historical & Numismatic Background

• This is the so-called ‘Demareteion, dated 480-479 BC because of a presumed connection with Queen Demarete, wife of Gelon, ruler of Syracuse. Many scholars prefer to date this coin to the 460s BC. The dies of the decadrachms and the related tetradrachms, are by the artist called the Demareteion Master.
• The story of the Demareteion coinage has its source in a passage in Diodorus (XI 26.3), that relates to the events following the defeat of the Carthaginians by the Syracusans after the battle of Himera in 479 BC. In the wake of their defeat, the Carthaginians expected harsh treatment by their foes, but Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse, imposed quite favorable terms upon them, supposedly at the behest of his wife, Demarete. In response, the Carthaginians are said to have presented Demarete with a crown of gold valued (or weighing) at a hundred talents, and from this gift was struck a coin, called the Demareteion, that weighed ten drachms on the Attic standard.
• The identification of the coin in question was one of the great mysteries of numismatics, due to the apparent contradictions in the story: the crown was said to be of gold, but the weight of the coin struck from it was given in Attic drachms, which implied a silver, not gold, coin. We know the metal of the coin must have been silver, as Syracuse apparently had no gold until many years after the event. Among the silver coinage, however, there was a suitable candidate that was known to have been struck relative to the time frame of the battle of Himera, the dekadrachms of Quadriga/Arethusa type.
• The appearance of these impressive coins was unprecedented at the time, and their style of such superior quality, that it is certain that they commemorated a particular, special event. Thus, these dekadrachms came to be known as the ‘Demareteion’ coinage, and their engraver labelled the ‘Demareteion Master.’ These dekadrachms were accompanied by a series of tetradrachms that featured the exact same iconography and style, and are regarded as masterpieces themselves, only on a smaller scale. Unlike the dekadrachms, which, judging from the extant examples, did not circulate, the tetradrachms appear to have had circulated widely, as most examples show wear comparable to the average Syracusan tetradrachms.

Numismatic References:

This replica is inspired by ancient issues documented in standard numismatic references, including:

– Sult 389.2

– Boehringer Series XIIe, 389 (V198/R269)

– HGC 2, 1308

– SNG ANS 120

– Jameson 754

– Kraay & Hirmer 79–80

– Randazzo 524

– Rizzo pl. XXXV, 4

Technical Details & Variations

Type: Syracuse, Sicily tetradrachm replica

Denomination represented: AR Tetradrachm

Authority / Mint: Syracuse, Sicily

Era represented: 480-475 BC

Material: Sterling silver (AR)

Weight: approx. 16-17 gr

Dimensions: approx. 24-26 mm

Manufacturing method: Hand-struck (hammered)

Obverse: Slow quadriga driven right by charioteer, wearing chiton and holding reins in both hands and kentron in left; above, Nike flying right to crown the horses
Legend:
Anepigraphic

Reverse: Head of Arethusa right, wearing olive-wreath, earring and necklace, framed within a circle and surrounded by four dolphins swimming clockwise
Legend:
ΣV – RA – KOΣ – (Ι)ΟN

Due to the traditional hand-striking process, variations in weight, diameter, strike, and surface are expected.

Intended Use

Suitable for:

– collectors of ancient and historical coinage

– academic or educational reference

– museum or exhibition display

– historically accurate reenactment

– high-quality numismatic gifts

Replica Disclaimer

This item is a hand-struck replica inspired by ancient coinage. It is not an original ancient coin.

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