★ A Superb Starr Group III/IV Transitional ★

Attica, Athens AR Tetradrachm. Circa 475-465 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three olive leaves above visor and spiral palmette on bowl, round earring with central boss and pearl necklace / Owl standing to right with head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square. Late Starr Group III / early Starr Group IV, cf. pl. X, 93 (Group III) and pl. XI, 111; HGC 4, 1594; Svoronos pl. IX. 17.19g, 25mm, 9h.

Good Extremely Fine; well struck on a thick and impressive planchet, with a perfectly centred reverse.

Acquired from Heritage World Coin Auctions (incorrectly sold as Starr Group V).

The transition between Starr Group III and IV is not easy to distinguish, as the gradual evolution of style and form was not necessarily linear, since the rising output of coinage, requiring ever more dies, thus introduced greater possibilities for stylistic variation. The present coin can be assigned to the late Group III or early Group IV on the basis of the more compact flan characteristic of pre-Group IV coins and similarly the graduation in size of the laurel leaves on Athena's helmet; the wings and tail are above the base line of the claws, but the tip of the wings is complete and distinct from the edge of the die. The tip of the spiral palmette on Athena's helmet now points towards the base of the first leaf, and terminates just over Athena's ear; it does not yet point downwards as is characteristic of the main Group IV coinage.