I just won this coin at auction and I find it beneficial to post it immediately to further confirm my belief it is genuine. After due diligence, I find no reason to believe it isn't real and It seems I paid about 'average' retail for it after the final flurry of bids came closer and closer to my maximum. Hopefully, all will agree that this (about fine+) Tet is what I believe it to be. Athens, Attica AR Tetradrachm: 156-155 BC; Magistrates: Makion, Erykleides and Aristos Helmeted Athena right; Owl standing right on amphora head facing, in right field the Dioscuri holding scepter and patera A O E, MIK ION, EYP YKAE, API ET; 16,46 grams, 29 mm Thompson 477 b-c
Thanks for the reassurance guys!! After purchasing and returning two fakes over the last several months, I'm getting a bit anxious whenever I buy anything LOL
I see nothing wrong with the coin. I see no reason to call the missing letters at the bottom ME (because there is a coin on acsearch with those letters???) or the amphora letter an A (these wear off by the time a coin hits VF) so I'd shorten your description to reflect reality. I only have two new style tets and neither has the amphora letter. There are many types and styles of these.
Heh... a nice Halloween scare from JA to with your nice Halloween score. Shall we call it a Boo and a Whoo?
These "New" style Tets are really beautiful in my estimation. Mine may not be considered beautiful by most, but it's still a beauty in my eyes. ATHENS ATTICA AR Tetradrachm OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Athena right REVERSE: Owl standing right, head facing, on overturned amphora; to left, eagle standing right on thunderbolt; Gamma on amphora, ΗΡΑ in exergue; all within laurel wreath Struck at Athens Epigene-, Sosandros and Eume(nes)-, magistrates 127/26 BC 16.8g, 30mm Thompson 477a
Bing, That reverse is gorgeous ...and overall I believe yours is 'prettier' than mine.. Of course, that irresistible owl makes it all go....
Note that Bing's great reverse shares two of the three magistrates with my second coin. These coins split the names into two lines each keeping both halves on the same side. Some, including my first, split a name or two with first half on the left and remainder at the right. These are cool coins but nice ones tend to be way too expensive. I was told once that all of these have 12H die axis (like UK coins) to the point that you should be suspicious of coins not made with that orientation. How true is this, I have not tested.
Mine is 12H die axis but I have no idea about other coins and their orientation. Mine was purchased from HJB about three years ago.