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Greek Coins :
Athenian Coins : Attic Silver Tetradrachm
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Attic Silver Tetradrachm - C.2246
Origin: City of Athens
Circa: 449
BC
to 413
BC
Collection: Numismatics
Medium: Silver
$4,000.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
Obverse: Helmeted Head of the Goddess Athena
Reverse: Owl Standing Right with Olive Sprig and
Crescent Moon Above
Athenian coinage first consisted of coins now
known by the German term
Wappenmünzen or "heraldic coins,"
because they depicted a wide range of types
once thought to be emblems of powerful
Athenian families. These coins, which were not
issued in large numbers and which rarely
circulated outside Attica, were replaced toward
the end of the sixth century B.C. by a new type of
coinage, consisting primarily of tetradrachms,
which became the most authoritative coinage of
Classical Greece. In contrast to the constantly
changing types of the Wappenmünzen,
the new coins consistently depicted Athena, the
patron goddess of Athens, on the obverse and
her attribute the owl, a sprig of olive, and a
crescent moon on the reverse. Popularly known
as "owls," they were also clearly marked as
Athenian, probably because they, unlike the
Wappenmünzen, were intended for wide
circulation. The owls were soon issued in very
large numbers, thanks to the exploitation of
Athens' rich silver mines at Laurion. By the time
this tetradrachm was issued, almost a century
had elapsed since the first owls were produced,
yet the style of the types had changed very little,
probably so that the consistent, unchanging
nature of the issues ensured continued
acceptance in foreign markets. This owl comes
from the High Classical period, yet the head of
Athena, with its frontal eye, patterned hair, and
"archaic" smile, is archaistic. These very features
render fifth-century owls somewhat difficult to
date, but slight changes over time allow them to
be dated stylistically.
How many hands have touched a coin in your
pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the
coin traversed on its journey into our
possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull
out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who might have touched the coin before us, or
where the coin will venture to after it leaves our
hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of
the state that struck them, of a specific time and
location, whether contemporary currencies or
artifacts of long forgotten empires. This
stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise
of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail
that is often lacking in contemporary machine-
made currencies. This magnificent coin is a
memorial to the ancient glories of Athens passed
down from the hands of civilization to
civilization, from generation to generation.
- (C.2246)
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