Watch List notes:

Attica, Athens. Tetradrachm; Attica, Athens; 475-470 BC, Tetradrachm, 17.06g. Starr-Group 1. Obv: Archaic head of helmeted Athena r. Rx: Owl standing r., head front, ATE to r., to l. crescent and drooping olive branch with two leaves and two olives. Starr Group I (same obverse die as no. 10). Ex Gemini XI, 12 January 2014, lot 122.Coming from Starr's Group I, the very rare first group of Athenian tetradrachms that show the crescent moon on the reverse, possibly commemorating the victory of the Battle at Marathon. These are normally poorly struck. This coin is very sharp and in good metal. Starr only located twelve examples of this issue, and probably less than three new ones have appeared since his book was printed in 1970. These coins, having the crescent moon, were the first issue after the massive group of coins that were struck to pay for the Persian war. It does have the drooping leaves and olive of the late Persian war coins, but as mentioned, it is the first coin with the crescent moon. Further evidence of coins coming into the market has shown that Starr Group 1 is a good deal earlier than Starr Groups 2-5 since it seems, rather than being issued over a period of 30 years, groups 2-5 were probably issued towards the end of the Starr Group period of 449 for only about two years, with Starr Group 1 being much earlier and thus more important. EF

Estimate: $21000