Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3048 11 August 2016
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Ancients
ATTICA. Athens. Ca. 475-465 BC. AR drachm (17mm, 4.29 gm, 10h). Pre-Mass Coinage issue, 467-465 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with floral scroll and three laurel leaves / ΑΘΕ, owl standing right, head facing, olive spring to left, crescent moon to right, all within incuse square. Svoronos pl. 9, 30. Starr Group IIC, pl. IX, 89. A beautiful example of this most attractive Athens owl issue. NGC AU★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Ex Nomos AG Auction 2 (18 May 2010,) lot 76 (realized SF 15,000).The early phase of Athenian coinage can been seen to have reached its artistic peak in the era 470-454 BC, just before the "mass coinage" issues of the succeeding generation. Both the head of Athena on this lovely drachm and the lively owl on the reverse display essential features of late Arcaic / early Classical art, with the "Archaic Smile" on Athena's visage especially pleasing. Drachms in this series (Starr Groups II-V) were never struck in large numbers and tended to remain in circulation for many decades; this example, displaying only the lightest handling and retaining all detail and impeccable surfaces, is thus among the finest known of the type.
Estimate: 16000-20000 USD
ATTICA. Athens. Ca. 475-465 BC. AR drachm (17mm, 4.29 gm, 10h). Pre-Mass Coinage issue, 467-465 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with floral scroll and three laurel leaves / ΑΘΕ, owl standing right, head facing, olive spring to left, crescent moon to right, all within incuse square. Svoronos pl. 9, 30. Starr Group IIC, pl. IX, 89. A beautiful example of this most attractive Athens owl issue. NGC AU★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Ex Nomos AG Auction 2 (18 May 2010,) lot 76 (realized SF 15,000).The early phase of Athenian coinage can been seen to have reached its artistic peak in the era 470-454 BC, just before the "mass coinage" issues of the succeeding generation. Both the head of Athena on this lovely drachm and the lively owl on the reverse display essential features of late Arcaic / early Classical art, with the "Archaic Smile" on Athena's visage especially pleasing. Drachms in this series (Starr Groups II-V) were never struck in large numbers and tended to remain in circulation for many decades; this example, displaying only the lightest handling and retaining all detail and impeccable surfaces, is thus among the finest known of the type.
Estimate: 16000-20000 USD