ATTICA, Athens. Circa 440s-430s BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 23mm, 17.19 g 3). Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet adorned with three olive leaves and palmette, round earring and pearl necklace. Rev. ΑΘΕ Owl standing right, head facing; behind, olive spray and crescent moon; all within incuse square. Agora 8b. Dewing 1596 ff. Svoronos pl. 13, 21 ff. A nicely struck and pretty example. Extremely fine.

During the second half of the 5th century Athens produced a truly enormous quantity of silver tetradrachms thanks to its mines in Laurion and the constant stream of tribute it received from the cities of the Delian League. Tens of millions of tetradrachms were struck: they served as an international currency prior to the time of Alexander and were used not only to pay for goods and services, but as a trade good in themselves. Their purity was famous and they were often restruck into local coins, as in Sicily, or melted down to serve as the raw material for other coins or objects: the number of these coins that survive is but an infinitesimal fraction of what once existed. They are certainly the most well-known and immediately recognizable of all ancient Greek coins: the present piece is particularly nice and attractive example.