Athens coin prices

There seem to be a lot of coins from ancient Athens. More than most other Greek locations. So why are they so expensive? I've got some really nice Greeks for a third of what a coin of the same quality from Athens cost, and I don't know why. Any ideas?

 

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Demand. People love the designs on them. Even my mom loves therm and she isn't into coins.

 

Mat is right, many non collectors find the coins appealing, and there is enough of them to shell out for these coins. Athens tets are the old ancient standard and they have a place in many peoples ancient collections. Plus Athens tets are among the most recognizable of all the ancient coins. So although there is a huge supply of these(minted in the millions and circulated for centuries) the demand still supersedes the supply.

I have other coins that a far rarer but were bought for a fraction of the price of an Athens Tet.

 

I really do want to get one, and will. I'd like to wait till I can buy a nice one for about 1,000$. But patience isn't really my strong suit.

 

There are many different periods for the Athena/owl coins. The early ones (before 450 BC or so) are really expensive. Coins from the heyday of Athens before the Peloponnesian war are common but most popular so it may take your $1000 to get a halfway nice one. 4th century and later coins can get dumpy and sell below $500 even in better condition. The problem is most people want that almond eye of the Classical coins and dealers know they can sell them. My answer was to accept test cuts. Most people won't.
5th century


later 4th century?

 

I feel a bit hypocritical as I just recently said that I wasn't interested in buying one of these tetradrachms, but I was attending an auction and saw this going for considerably less than I anticipated - about $1700 - so I bought it. A test cut would be a deal breaker for me, but I think this is overall fairly nicely centered and the light cabinet toning adds to the appeal. It's certainly nowhere near the finest known, but for a common coin, it's sufficiently nice for my tastes.

 

The only thing wrong with that coin, IMHO, is the loss of the E in the legend. The obverse centering is premium showing quite a bit of the helmet crest (a little more would have doubled the price of the coin). I don't like the shadow on the top of the owl's head so would suggest a new photo but the coin is a real looker!

 

I know no one wants to hear it but another option for owl fans on a budget would be a smaller denomination. This obol (1/24th of a tetradrachm) is not the highest grade but it is from an early period and has good centering. A matching tetradrachm in this grade would be $10k. Check this nicer one:
http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=540222
The price is not a typo. It did go for over ten times the estimate because a couple people really wanted it.

 

Wow Doug, that is an absolutely gorgeous Owl (yah, shame about the "E", but it's still certainly the Beauty Queen at most hometown Sock-hops!!)

Sadly, all I have to post is my infamous Imitative Owl (with that dirty ol' test cut ... *sigh* ... dirty owl)

=> hooo-hooo- hoot-woot!!

 

Well, heck, I might as well show mine as well:

 

Sorry => ummm, once again Doug => that is a super-fine, gorgeous owl ya got there!!! (beautiful toning ... awesome coin)

Oh, and great photo => but that's not "your" photo (by now, we all know your photos!!)

... sheeesh, did you actually get a pro to take your coin's photo!! (man, you really do like that new coin, eh?)

 

Steve- the "nice" Athena is AncientJoe's, not Doug's.

 

Ooops => you're right

geeesh, and why didn't I realize that?!!!

=> again, the dude wrecks the party every time by tossin'-in his Anthrax-coins!!

=> yup, nobody else is left standing!!





Jokes, Ancient Joe ... great coin (once again!!)

 

Steve, you can correct your error just by sending me a nice tet. If it's ok you can forget the $1700 classical and go straight for the $400,000 archaic.

 

ahahaha ... we'll talk again after my vacation (if I have enough, I'll see what I can do)

 

Thanks! I'm still working on improving my photography abilities and will be reshooting this once my new lights arrive in a couple days.

 

This is probably the best deal I ever got. I paid $150 shipped.
I enjoy my poverty piece very much.
If I were put in a position where I needed to sell all my coins, This would be the only retainer.
View attachment 275144

 

Nice!

 

I would say the supply of Athens is not the largest of ancient coins by far. I would have to go with Alexander coins as the most common ancient greek coin.

For Athens, I agree its all about demand. Demand is much higher than normal. Put the same demand on Elagabalus denari and see their prices of this common coin shoot to the moon, let alone truly scarce coins. Same can be said of widow's mites. These miserable little things probably would sell 10 for a dollar if it weren't for the biblical reference.

 

I agree with the concept but I suspect you could get more than ten of the lower grade ones they sell to Biblical coin fans for a whole dollar. Without the Bible, Tribute Pennies would be in the price range of Vespasian or Domitian at best. Without Suetonius, Tiberius might even drop to Commodus level. It makes no matter since demand is demand wherever it originates.