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Coins of Athens, Other Cities of Attica, and Athenian Imitatives

The ancient slang names for the coins of Athens were "owls" and "girls" (but in Greek of course). "Owls" were so popular as a central currency of the ancient world that the "old style" design remained essentially unchanged and somewhat archaic long after other cities began to produce coins of with more refined artistry. The Athens types were so popular, numerous imitatives were struck in the Levant, Egypt and elsewhere (we include those on this page too). Under Roman rule, as a semi-autonomous city, Athens struck "new style" (Hellenic style) tetradrachms. "Owls" are still very popular - for ancient Greek coin collectors, they are perhaps the most popular ancient coin type.

Persian Empire, Gaza, Philistia, c. 353 - 331 B.C., Imitative of Athens Pi-Style

|Persian| |Rule|, |Persian| |Empire,| |Gaza,| |Philistia,| |c.| |353| |-| |331| |B.C.,| |Imitative| |of| |Athens| |Pi-Style||quarter| |shekel|NEW
The Aramaic letter Mem is the symbol of Marnas, deity of Gaza. We are uncertain of the meaning of the additional (unpublished) letters. This type and other similar silver types struck under Persian rule are often described as drachms but we follow Hendin who refers to the local coinage of Philistia, Samaria and Yehud with the names that might have been used at the time they circulated. This type can be dated to about a 20 year period. It imitates the "Pi-Style" tetradrachms first struck at Athens in 353 B.C. and would not have been struck after Alexander the Great's conquest of Gaza in 331 B.C.
GS114665. Silver quarter shekel, Apparently unpublished variant; cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D, Hendin 6010 (RR), HGC 10 542 (R2) (all without Aramaic on rev.), aVF, toned, obv. off center, a little rough, weight 3.989 g, maximum diameter 14.3 mm, die axis 315o, Gaza mint, c. 353 - 331 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye, olive leaves and pi-style floral ornament on crested helmet, large round earring, Aramaic mem on cheek; reverse owl standing right, head facing, olive spray and crescent upper left, AΘE downward on right, all within incuse square, Aramaic shin aleph lower inner left, Aramaic mem outer right (mostly off flan); ex CNG mail bid auction 84 (5 May 2010), lot 737 (part of); ex Dr. Patrick H.C. Tan Collection; extremely rare; $350.00 (€329.00) ON RESERVE


Persian Empire, Gaza, Philistia, c. 353 - 331 B.C., Imitative of Athens Pi-Style

|Persian| |Rule|, |Persian| |Empire,| |Gaza,| |Philistia,| |c.| |353| |-| |331| |B.C.,| |Imitative| |of| |Athens| |Pi-Style||quarter| |shekel|
The Aramaic letter Mem is the symbol of Marnas, deity of Gaza. This type and other similar silver types struck under Persian rule are often described as drachms but we follow Hendin who refers to the local coinage of Philistia, Samaria and Yehud with the names that might have been used at the time they circulated. This type can be dated to about a 20 year period. It imitates the "Pi-Style" tetradrachms first struck at Athens in 353 B.C. and would not have been struck after Alexander the Great's conquest of Gaza in 331 B.C.
GS114664. Silver quarter shekel, cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D, Hendin 6010 (RR), HGC 10 542 (R2), F, rough, toned, oval flan, weight 3.590 g, maximum diameter 15.8 mm, die axis 270o, Gaza mint, c. 353 - 331 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye, olive leaves and pi-style floral ornament on crested helmet, large round earring, mem on cheek; reverse owl standing right, head facing, olive spray and crescent upper left, AΘE downward on right, all within incuse square; ex CNG mail bid auction 84 (5 May 2010), lot 737 (part of); ex Dr. Patrick H.C. Tan Collection; very rare; $250.00 (€235.00)
 


Persian Empire, Gaza, Philistia, c. 353 - 331 B.C., Imitative of Athens Pi-Style

|Persian| |Rule|, |Persian| |Empire,| |Gaza,| |Philistia,| |c.| |353| |-| |331| |B.C.,| |Imitative| |of| |Athens| |Pi-Style||quarter| |shekel|
The Aramaic letter Mem is the symbol of Marnas, deity of Gaza. This type and other similar silver types struck under Persian rule are often described as drachms but we follow Hendin who refers to the local coinage of Philistia, Samaria and Yehud with the names that might have been used at the time they circulated. This type can be dated to about a 20 year period. It imitates the "Pi-Style" tetradrachms first struck at Athens in 353 B.C. and would not have been struck after Alexander the Great's conquest of Gaza in 331 B.C.
GS114666. Silver quarter shekel, cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D, Hendin 6010 (RR), HGC 10 542 (R2), gF, toned, oval flan, a little rough, weight 3.724 g, maximum diameter 14.7 mm, die axis 270o, Gaza mint, c. 353 - 331 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye, olive leaves and pi-style floral ornament on crested helmet, large round earring, mem on cheek; reverse owl standing right, head facing, olive spray and crescent upper left, AΘE downward on right, all within incuse square; ex CNG mail bid auction 84 (5 May 2010), lot 737 (part of); ex Dr. Patrick H.C. Tan Collection; very rare; $200.00 (€188.00)
 


Persian Empire, Gaza, Philistia, c. 353 - 331 B.C., Imitative of Athens Pi-Style

|Persian| |Rule|, |Persian| |Empire,| |Gaza,| |Philistia,| |c.| |353| |-| |331| |B.C.,| |Imitative| |of| |Athens| |Pi-Style||quarter| |shekel|
The Aramaic letter Mem is the symbol of Marnas, deity of Gaza. This type and other similar silver types struck under Persian rule are often described as drachms but we follow Hendin who refers to the local coinage of Philistia, Samaria and Yehud with the names that might have been used at the time they circulated. This type can be dated to about a 20 year period. It imitates the "Pi-Style" tetradrachms first struck at Athens in 353 B.C. and would not have been struck after Alexander the Great's conquest of Gaza in 331 B.C.
GS114667. Silver quarter shekel, cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D, Hendin 6010 (RR), HGC 10 542 (R2), VF, toned, well centered, marks, encrustation, porous, weight 3.900 g, maximum diameter 14.7 mm, die axis 225o, Gaza mint, c. 353 - 331 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye, olive leaves and pi-style floral ornament on crested helmet, large round earring, mem on cheek; reverse owl standing right, head facing, olive spray and crescent upper left, AΘE downward on right, all within incuse square; ex CNG mail bid auction 84 (5 May 2010), lot 737 (part of); ex Dr. Patrick H.C. Tan Collection; very rare; $350.00 (€329.00)
 


Persian Empire, Gaza, Philistia, c. 353 - 331 B.C., Imitative of Athens Pi-Style

|Persian| |Rule|, |Persian| |Empire,| |Gaza,| |Philistia,| |c.| |353| |-| |331| |B.C.,| |Imitative| |of| |Athens| |Pi-Style||quarter| |shekel|
The Aramaic letter Mem is the symbol of Marnas, deity of Gaza. We are uncertain of the meaning of the additional (unpublished) letters. This type and other similar silver types struck under Persian rule are often described as drachms but we follow Hendin who refers to the local coinage of Philistia, Samaria and Yehud with the names that might have been used at the time they circulated. This type can be dated to about a 20 year period. It imitates the "Pi-Style" tetradrachms first struck at Athens in 353 B.C. and would not have been struck after Alexander the Great's conquest of Gaza in 331 B.C.
GS114669. Silver quarter shekel, Apparently unpublished variant; cf. Gitler & Tal V.25D, Hendin 6010 (RR), HGC 10 542 (R2) (all without Aramaic on rev.), gVF, toned, centered on a tight oval flan, porous, weight 4.143 g, maximum diameter 15.4 mm, die axis 270o, Gaza mint, c. 353 - 331 B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye, olive leaves and pi-style floral ornament on crested helmet, large round earring, Aramaic mem on cheek; reverse owl standing right, head facing, olive spray and crescent upper left, AΘE downward on right, all within incuse square, Aramaic shin aleph lower inner left, Aramaic mem outer right (mostly off flan); ex CNG mail bid auction 84 (5 May 2010), lot 737 (part of); ex Dr. Patrick H.C. Tan Collection; extremely rare; $500.00 (€470.00) ON RESERVE


Athens, Attica, Greece, c. 454 - 404 B.C., Old Style Tetradrachm

|Athens|, |Athens,| |Attica,| |Greece,| |c.| |454| |-| |404| |B.C.,| |Old| |Style| |Tetradrachm||tetradrachm|
The old-style tetradrachm of Athens is famous for its almond shaped eye, archaic smile, and charming owl reverse. Around 480 B.C. a wreath of olive leaves and a decorative scroll were added to Athena's helmet. On the reverse, a crescent moon was added.

During the period 449 - 413 B.C. huge quantities of tetradrachms were minted to finance grandiose building projects such as the Parthenon and to cover the costs of the Peloponnesian War.
SL97987. Silver tetradrachm, SNG Cop 31, SNG Munchen 49, Kroll 8, Dewing 1611, Gulbenkian 519, HGC 4 1597, SGCV I 2526, NGC Ch MS (Choice Mint State), strike 5/5, surface 5/5 (6156171-006), weight 17.198 g, maximum diameter 26.0 mm, die axis 90o, Athens mint, c. 440 - 404 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, almond shaped eye, crested helmet with olive leaves and floral scroll, wire necklace, round earring, hair in parallel curves; reverse owl standing right, head facing, erect in posture, olive sprig and crescent left, AΘΕ downward on right, all within incuse square; ex Classical Numismatic Group, NGC| Lookup; SOLD


Athens, Attica, Greece, c. 454 - 449 B.C., Very Early "Old Style" Tetradrachm

|Athens|, |Athens,| |Attica,| |Greece,| |c.| |454| |-| |449| |B.C.,| |Very| |Early| |"Old| |Style"| |Tetradrachm||tetradrachm|
On this coin and all classic "old style" tetradrachms struck c. 454 - 404 B.C., the owl's tail feathers are represented by a single prong. On Athens' earlier issues, the owl's tail is composed of three separate feathers. Other than the single prong tail, this coin closely resembles the preceding issues of Starr Group V, in particular the palmette and olive leaves on Athena's helmet, and the narrow, deep incuse of the reverse. It is very likely this coin was among the earliest of the classical "old style" tetradrachms of the c. 545 - 404 B.C. issues.
SH87206. Silver tetradrachm, some characteristics of Starr Group V, but a single prong tail; cf. Svoronos Athens pl. 10, 16 - 18; Starr pl. XXII, 1 - 3; SNG Munchen 46, Choice aEF, bold high relief, flow lines, light toning, bumps and marks, tight flan, edge cracks, weight 17.143 g, maximum diameter 24.2 mm, die axis 0o, Athens mint, c. 454 - 449 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, almond shaped eye, crested helmet with olive leaves and floral palmette scroll, wire necklace, round earring, hair in parallel curves; reverse robust owl standing right, head facing, tail of one long prong, olive sprig and crescent left, AΘΕ downward on right, all within incuse square; rare style variant; SOLD


Athens, Attica, Greece, c. 465 - 454 B.C., Transitional Early "Old Style" Tetradrachm

|Athens|, |Athens,| |Attica,| |Greece,| |c.| |465| |-| |454| |B.C.,| |Transitional| |Early| |"Old| |Style"| |Tetradrachm||tetradrachm|
This rare transitional early "old style" type features the most attractive owls of the entire Athenian tetradrachm series.
SH86209. Silver tetradrachm, Starr Group V.B, Series 2, 180; Svoronos Athens pl. 10, 9; HGC 4 1596 (R2); SNG Cop -, Choice VF, well centered and struck with high relief dies, superb owl, tight flan cutting off most of crest as usual for the type, bumps and marks, uneven hoard toning, weight 17.143 g, maximum diameter 23.3 mm, die axis 180o, Athens mint, c. 465 - 454 B.C.; obverse head of Athena right, almond shaped eye, crested helmet with olive leaves and floral scroll, wire necklace, round earring, hair in parallel curves; reverse robust owl standing right, head facing, tail composed of three short feathers, olive sprig and crescent left, AΘΕ downward on right, all within incuse square; rare; SOLD


Abdera, Thrace, 386 - 375 B.C.

|Abdera|, |Abdera,| |Thrace,| |386| |-| |375| |B.C.||tetrobol|
In 408 B.C., Abdera was brought under the dominion of Athens. Sacked by Thracian tribes in 376 B.C., the town survived due to the Athenian support.
SH19465. Silver tetrobol, May Abdera 456, SNG Cop 338, aEF, weight 2.793 g, maximum diameter 14.41 mm, die axis 180o, Abdera (Greece) mint, magistrate Athinis, 386 - 375 B.C.; obverse griffin leaping/flying left; reverse A-ΘH/N-HΣ, stag standing left within incuse square; rare; SOLD










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