Heritage World Coin Auctions
CICF Signature Sale 3046 14-15 April 2016
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Ancients
ATTICA. Athens. Ca. 500-480 BC. AR tetradrachm (24mm, 17.24 gm, 11h). Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet with bowl unadorned, hair arranged in parallel pin curls along forehead / Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig to left; A-ΘE to right; all within incuse square. HGC 4, 1590. Seltman Group Gii. Svoronos pl. 2, 5. Obverse die somewhat worn but nicely centered; reverse owl remarkably sharp, deeply struck in sound metal. NGC XF 5/5 - 4/5.Coinciding with the fall of the Peisistratid tyranny and the introduction of democracy in ca. 511 BC, the Athenian "owl" tetradrachms were introduced and became and archetype that would last nearly half a millennium. The earliest "owls" display remarkably crude workmanship and poor production standards, surprising given Athens' position as the foremost Greek city in terms of artistic achievement. This present example is actually an outstanding example of this early phase of production, with a well-centered head of Athena and a bold owl, well-struck owl.
Estimate: 3000-4000 USD
ATTICA. Athens. Ca. 500-480 BC. AR tetradrachm (24mm, 17.24 gm, 11h). Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet with bowl unadorned, hair arranged in parallel pin curls along forehead / Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig to left; A-ΘE to right; all within incuse square. HGC 4, 1590. Seltman Group Gii. Svoronos pl. 2, 5. Obverse die somewhat worn but nicely centered; reverse owl remarkably sharp, deeply struck in sound metal. NGC XF 5/5 - 4/5.Coinciding with the fall of the Peisistratid tyranny and the introduction of democracy in ca. 511 BC, the Athenian "owl" tetradrachms were introduced and became and archetype that would last nearly half a millennium. The earliest "owls" display remarkably crude workmanship and poor production standards, surprising given Athens' position as the foremost Greek city in terms of artistic achievement. This present example is actually an outstanding example of this early phase of production, with a well-centered head of Athena and a bold owl, well-struck owl.
Estimate: 3000-4000 USD