Ancient Stars
Attica, Athens
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Coin Details
| Origin/Country: |
ANCIENT - GREEK CIVIC (7th CENT BC - 1st CENT AD) ATTICA, ATHENS c.440-404 BC |
| Item Description: |
AR Tetradrachm Attica, Athens obv Athena |
| Full Grade: |
NGC AU Strike: 5/5 Surface: 5/5 |
| Owner: |
PAL Collection |
Owner Comments:
From "100 Greatest Ancient Coins" by Harlan Berk - "The Athenian tetradrachm was widely used in transactions throughout the ancient Greek world for over 200 years. Athens had silver mines in Laroium in state ownership, which provided the bullion. The obverse featured the head of Athena, and the reverse the owl of Athena, the iconographic symbol of the Athenian polis, with a sprig of olive and a crescent for the moon. According to Philochorus, it was known as glaux ('little owl') throughout the ancient world and "owl" to present day numismatists. The vast number of owl-tetradrachms available those days financed several key achievements of Athens (eg, reconstructing the Acropolis, building the Parthenon), and the Peloponnesian War."