ATTICA. Athens. Ca. 440-404 BC. AR tetradrachm (24mm, 17.09 gm, 9h). VF, test cuts. Mid-mass coinage issue. Head of Athena right, wearing earring, necklace, and crested Attic helmet ornamented with three laurel leaves and vine scroll / AΘE, owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig with two leaves and one berry, and crescent moon behind, all within incuse square. Kroll 8. SNG Copenhagen 31-40. HGC 4, 1597. Considered one of the most famous coins of all time, Athenian owl tetradrachms, like this coin, were minted at the peak of Athenian strength and wealth. During this time, Athens was a member of the Delian League. And being the strongest city-state within that league, they exerted their will to persuade the other members to move the league treasury from Delos to Athens' to be stored in the Acropolis. While in control of minting coins for the league, Athenians standardized their coinage's purity, weight, and iconography; this allowed for ease of payment for goods and services across a large area of ancient Greece. We know about this standardization and its reach because it was immortalized in fragments from carved tablets found in various league cities. The imagery of these tetradrachms paid homage to the goddess of the city's namesake, with a lovely portrait of the warrior goddess on the obverse, wearing both a military helmet and bold jewelry. The reverse of the coin carries further attributes of Athena, with the image of a delightful owl, signifying her wisdom, and an olive branch, the gift she offered the Athenians. After the mint was moved, there was an influx of wealth brought into Athens, allowing them to build several famous structures upon the Acropolis, including the Parthenon, Temple of Nike, Erechtheion, and other structures that have become lost to time. HID09801242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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