Watch List notes:

ATTICA. Athens. Circa 510-500 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 23 mm, 17.30 g, 4 h). Head of Athena to right, wearing an Attic helmet, ornamented with a curled tendril on the bowl behind Athena's ear, and a large circular earring. Rev. ΑΘΕ (the theta in the form of a wheel with four spokes) Tall and thin owl standing to right, with a facing head and long legs; behind, at the upper right, small and delicate olive sprig with two leaves and a fruit; all within incuse square. Cf. Seltman Group L, obverse A 224 and reverse P 274. Very rare. Of true Archaic style with a fine head of Athena and a most attractive owl. Struck from a worn and rusty obverse die, with a break under Athena's neck, otherwise, about extremely fine.



This piece, with its wheel-shaped theta, is one of the earliest Athenian owls, struck soon after the first pieces with their variant olive sprigs.