A Greek Silver Tetradrachm of Athens, Classical Period, ca. 440-404 BCE
GC2402
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The obverse of this coin shows the head of the goddess Athena in right profile. Athena, daughter of Zeus, represented both Wisdom and Warfare to the early Greeks and was the patron goddess of Athens. She wears a crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves above the visor and a spiral palmette on the bowl. Her hair sweeps across her forehead in two loops of parallel strands and is visible beneath the helmet's neck guard. She has an archaic smile and a frontal almond-shaped eye, an anachronistic style preferred for this coin type.
On the reverse, an owl stands to the right, with its head slightly tilted to the front. The owl symbolizes intelligence, wisdom, vigilance, and strength in Greek mythology. The coin depicts the owl's wing and three tail feathers in high detail. A two-leafed olive sprig is in the top left corner, and a crescent, possibly representing a waning moon, is just above the owl's wing. The inscription "AOE" in the bottom right is an abbreviation of "ATHENAION," which means "of the Athenians." The owl is struck in high relief and is framed on all four sides by the shape of the die.
Background: The Athenian Owl Silver Tetradrachm, often called the first International Trade Coin and ranked #10 in the 100 Greatest Ancient Coins, played a crucial role in major financial transactions in ancient times. These heavy silver coins, two to three times thicker than today's coinage, were not used in daily commerce but were instrumental in financing wars, paying for armies, and funding the construction of significant ancient world structures such as the Parthenon in Greece and the restoration of the Acropolis. They were also used to finance the festival of Dionysus, demanded as a tribute, and for payment of taxes to foreign rulers. Their rarity and value in the Ancient World was unparalleled, and they continue to be among the most esteemed and respected of all ancient coinage today.
Medium: Silver (AR) Gold
Dimensions: 23.3 gross dwt
Condition: The coin is intact and in very fine condition overall. It has been mounted in an 18K yellow gold frame to be worn as a pendant and strung as a necklace with a 14K yellow gold chain. An exceptional example.
Provenance: Private collection of Patricia C. Ebbecke (1930 - 2023), Maryland and then by descent.
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