Attica, Athens Tetradrachm c. 454-404 BC

ATTICA – ATHENS – Silver Tetradrachm (circa 430 BC)

Locality: Athens, Attica, Ancient Greece
Dating: Circa 430 BC
Denomination: Tetradrachm
Metal: Silver (Ag)
Weight: 17.23 g

Description

Obverse: Head of Athena facing right, wearing an Attic crested helmet, adorned with three olive leaves and a palmette. The goddess wears a necklace and an earring. Obverse anepigraphic.

Reverse: Owl standing to the right, head facing forward, accompanied in the upper left field by an olive branch and a crescent moon. To the right, the Greek legend ΑΘΕ, abbreviation of Athens. The whole is arranged in a hollow square.

Condition

Very fine specimen showing a particularly well-executed strike and a remarkable level of detail. Athena’s portrait retains excellent definition, especially in the helmet ornaments, the hair, and the jewelry. On the reverse, the owl features finely detailed plumage and well-defined reliefs.

Beautiful gray patina with silvery nuances. Light marks and small planchet irregularities visible, characteristic of strikes of these types.