Ancients: Classical Stlye Athenian Tetradrachm

Nice Tet, S-drachm ...

Well man, I certainly like it more than your nose-less examples (congrats on this new fine addition)

 

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Thanks! I don't see what's the big deal when the nose is off the flan! People usually hate that but honestly I don't really mind it.

 

I have always wanted one of these to go with my obol:

 

I was lucky to get this from Barry Murphy many years ago.

Athens. Circa 506-480 BC. AR Tetradrachm (17.04 gm).
Archaic helmeted head of Athena right / Owl standing facing within incuse square. Seltman Group M; Svoronos pl. 5. VF. Scarce Archaic tetradrachm.

This one has nice metal. The purity of the silver amazes me. I've read they are 98% - 99% pure. The ore from the mines was very pure. There's a place on the side that was rubbed and it shines like new jewelry. But you can't tell from the original picture. I need to get new pics done.





For those not familar with these and are wondering why it looks so funny, that was just the style at that time. Here is a kouros head dated to 540 BC:






The following link is a fun page. And it shows the "archaic smile" on the statues that is also on earlier Athenian tetradrachms.

Archaic Art


And of course Wikipedia has a page on them:

Wikipedia Kouros

 

This is something we encounter in a very practical sense as collectors. The 99% pure silver is very soft. It scratches easily. It dents if hit. Modern bullion collectors slab their ASE's for good reason. Most ancient Greek silver is good by our standards but there is a major practical difference between 99% and Sterling or US coin silver most of us know. The tenacious archaic owl is an amazingly well preserved coin.

 

Okay, Well I clearly don't have a transitional piece. Those are expensive, however, I recall that 8 or so years ago I believe Harlan Burke ?? made these very popular by listing a transitional piece or maybe it was an archaic type for $44,000. I believe more have been found and the price has come down somewhat.

This is my classical piece which is from the mass minting era. While not a full crest by any means, it does have a bit of crest showing. A full crest Classical coin in this condition would be more than I'm willing to pay.


(photo by Stacks)

If anyone could help me with the dating of this, I'd appreciate it.

 

(9 million = WOW)

This one of mine is certainly from the post 449 B.C. era of large emissions. It would be nice to learn if it can be more precisely dated.

 

You have a really amazing piece there. One of the best condition Archaic Owl that I've seen.

 

This is a Type C in my opinion. Dated between 431-393 BC. The eye isnt symmetrical. Right there is a dead give away why it is a Type C. Very nice piece!

 

Yours is a Type C for the exact same reason as I classified Gallienus as Being a Type C directly above this reply. Also a very nice coin!

 

Thanks Doug. A compliment from you means a lot!

Gallienus, your's doesn't need a full crest. That is a beauty as it is. And I love the toning.


And silver drachm, I've wanted a transitional example for a while. And when I saw yours I was envious. Great pick up. I love that smile!

 

Thanks but actually my example that I showed above is a Classical Style not Transitional. I do have Transitionals that I posted on this thread:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/athenian-transitional-tetradrachms.249067/#post-1951037

 

Wrong transition. There were Archaic coins and Classical with a transition between them quite different from the transition to the late styles that followed the Classicals. AJ's coin is from the first transition and is the one I would really like to have (as well as a true Archaic like tenacious'). Not all that long ago, many collectors did not consider owls after 400 BC all that collectible and showed strong preferences for the earlier ones which explains how some nice ones of these sell for 10x an equivalent grade Classical.

 

Very nice!