449–440 BC
Part of a set. See all set records
Silver
Diameter: 2.3 cm (7/8 in.)
Weight: 17.2 g (0.607 oz.)
Die axis: 7
Gift of Dr. Jacob Hirsch 1941.296.b
The images of Athena on the obverse and her owl here unmistakably identify this coin as Athenian.
Incorporating the first three letters of the city name—ΑΘΕ—with then-iconic images of the patron goddess Athena and her owl, the Athenian tetradrachm was among the most widely traded and most recognizable coins of the ancient world. The olive leaves on Athena’s helmet and the small crescent moon behind the owl date three of these coins after the Persian Wars.
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