Attica "Owl | Athena" NGC ChMS 5x4
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ATTICA, Athens. Ca. 440–404 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 17.19 g, 3h). Mid-Mass Coinage. NGC Choice MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5.
Kroll 8; SNG Copenhagen 31–40; HGC 4, 1597
An iconic product of Classical Athens, this radiant tetradrachm exemplifies one of the most recognizable coin designs of antiquity. On the obverse, the goddess Athena, patroness of the city, is shown in bold archaic style, adorned with earring, necklace, and her distinctive crested Attic helmet, ornamented with laurel leaves and vine scroll. The reverse bears the celebrated Athenian owl—symbol of wisdom, strategy, and divine protection—standing confidently before an olive sprig and crescent moon, all neatly framed within an incuse square. The artistry is further elevated by the coin’s luminous surfaces, reflective luster, and fine “glacial” toning.
These tetradrachms, colloquially known as “owls,” became the dominant trade currency of the Mediterranean world during the height of Athens’ power. Issued between the Persian Wars and the end of the Peloponnesian War, they fueled the expansion of the Athenian empire, funded Pericles’ ambitious building program—including the Parthenon—and underwrote the naval supremacy of the Delian League. The mass of silver needed for their production derived from the rich veins of the Laurion mines, which Athens exploited to finance both war and art, helping cement the city’s role as the cultural and intellectual capital of the Greek world.
Coins of this type circulated far beyond Attica, their distinctive design serving as a trusted standard of value from Egypt to Persia and across the Aegean. Indeed, ancient writers observed that the Athenian owl was so widely accepted that it functioned almost as an international currency—a status rivaled only centuries later by the Roman denarius. This particular example, struck during the mid-mass coinage reforms of the late 5th century, coincides with the climactic years of the Peloponnesian War, when Athens’ fortunes hung in the balance against Sparta.
Remarkably preserved, this tetradrachm captures not only the numismatic artistry of Classical Athens but also the extraordinary historical moment when the city projected its cultural and economic power across the ancient world.
Kroll 8; SNG Copenhagen 31–40; HGC 4, 1597
An iconic product of Classical Athens, this radiant tetradrachm exemplifies one of the most recognizable coin designs of antiquity. On the obverse, the goddess Athena, patroness of the city, is shown in bold archaic style, adorned with earring, necklace, and her distinctive crested Attic helmet, ornamented with laurel leaves and vine scroll. The reverse bears the celebrated Athenian owl—symbol of wisdom, strategy, and divine protection—standing confidently before an olive sprig and crescent moon, all neatly framed within an incuse square. The artistry is further elevated by the coin’s luminous surfaces, reflective luster, and fine “glacial” toning.
These tetradrachms, colloquially known as “owls,” became the dominant trade currency of the Mediterranean world during the height of Athens’ power. Issued between the Persian Wars and the end of the Peloponnesian War, they fueled the expansion of the Athenian empire, funded Pericles’ ambitious building program—including the Parthenon—and underwrote the naval supremacy of the Delian League. The mass of silver needed for their production derived from the rich veins of the Laurion mines, which Athens exploited to finance both war and art, helping cement the city’s role as the cultural and intellectual capital of the Greek world.
Coins of this type circulated far beyond Attica, their distinctive design serving as a trusted standard of value from Egypt to Persia and across the Aegean. Indeed, ancient writers observed that the Athenian owl was so widely accepted that it functioned almost as an international currency—a status rivaled only centuries later by the Roman denarius. This particular example, struck during the mid-mass coinage reforms of the late 5th century, coincides with the climactic years of the Peloponnesian War, when Athens’ fortunes hung in the balance against Sparta.
Remarkably preserved, this tetradrachm captures not only the numismatic artistry of Classical Athens but also the extraordinary historical moment when the city projected its cultural and economic power across the ancient world.
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