It's certainly not the prettiest coin out there and its missing the reverse legend and two big test cuts but for 90£ shipped I'm not complaining. One day I'd love to get a nicer example but the canadian dollar is just terrible right now makes collecting a bit more difficult. Please share any of your Athens owls or any coin you want 24 mm 16.94 g
A lot more than $90 but I am not complaining. I love this coin. Attica, Athens Coin: EF AR Tetradrachm None - Athena Helmeted Right AΦΕ - Owl standing right, head facing, crescent & olive-sprig behind within incuse square Mint: Athens (415 BCish) Wt./Size/Axis: 17.13g / 26mm / -
Good for you @Ajax ! They can be quite pricey, but they are fun to have. Rather than posting an AR Silver Owl (I have 4), I will digress from the crowd and post a couple AE Bronze Owls... Just to be different. They are a little harder to find... ATHENS: Athens 224-198 BC AE 12 Athena 2 Facing Owls RARE Agora 71 SICILY: Sicily Kalakte AE unit 2nd C BCE Head Athena in Helmet - Owl rev RARE From that @John Anthony coin-monger guy...
When I was a beginning collector of ancients (in my early teens) I desperately wanted an Owl, any Owl. Life has been good and now I own three, two Classical and one Hellenistic. Here are pics of two:
The Owl ranks up there with the Alex Tet on the list of coins that everyone should own. I don't have an Owl yet, but I want one.
I assumed it was caused by the way it was preserved, but to be honest, I really have no idea. I'm pretty sure there is nothing wrong (other than looks) with the coin. I got it from HJB who accepted my offer for it probably because of the ugly obverse.
Unless you are ready to pay four digits or more, you need to decide which faults you can accept. Worn and cut but excellent style and centering Full crest but surface problems and flatness on the owl The popular tetradrachm is the easiest of the Athenian coins to find. The below 1/4 obol is easily the worst centering a coin can have and be 'full crest' but how many of you have anything smaller than an obol. (Who cares?) At the last show I asked for either an upgrade to this one or the even more scarce 1/8 obol. As it is this itty bitty scrap cost about the same as the worst tetradrachms on the market but is 1000 times rarer. The reverse is a crescent. Three crescents make a 3/4 obol but is easier to find. My favorite and most scarce owl is this three prong tail obol struck on a nice oval flan. I was happy to get it from NFA back in the day when no one wanted small silver. Sure I would like higher grade but I would insist on a clear tail feather separation.
I'm new to Ancients and one of you guys said I need and Owl. Looks like I'm going to get my chance in 2 months on Heritage. Any advise would be helpful. 20 or more are listed. Most look like the one below. https://coins.ha.com/c/search-results.zx?N=51 790 231&Nty=1&Ntt=owl&ic4=ArchiveTab-071515
You rock, Ajax!! ... congrats on breaking your owl virginity (cool OP addition) Ummm, 90£ = $114 US = $150 Canadian is still a fairly considerate chunk of coin-change, but at least you've scored yourself a cool owl, eh? => welcome, coin-brother!!
Ajax, congrats again ... I'm fairly sure that you'll search for more owl-targets, but it's always sweet to bag your first conquest!
Cute I have no classic Athena owl tets but do have one rather uninspiring New Style tet from a large mixed lot: ATTICA, Athens "New Style" issue, 114/3 BCE Magistrates Diotimos, Magras, and other(s)? AR tetradrachm, 16.7 gm Obv: helmeted head of Athena right Rev: owl standing right, head facing, on amphora; magistrates’ names in fields; A on amphora, ΠE below; all within wreath Ref: Thompson 660 ff A couple of non-Athenian owls: SICILY, Kamarina 420-405 BCE AE tetras, 3.11 gm Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing winged Phrygian helmet; dotted border Rev: KAMA (legend from top to bottom), with owl standing left, lizard in talons; three dots in exergue Ref: Westermark / Jenkins 202, SNG ANS -., Calciati III No. 39 SICILY, Kamarina 420-405 BCE AE tetras, 3.34 gm Obv: Large head of Athena left, wearing crested helmet with wings Rev: Owl standing left, with lizard in talon; KAMA (retrograde) upward in right field; three dots in exergue Ref: Westermark / Jenkins 198 (see FIG. Pl. 35 / 198.24), SNG ANS 1230 Calciati III no. 28/4 (dotted-border type) There are certainly some nice mass emission owl tets in that auction. Heritage seems to attract ancient coin "tourists" from the modern side of collecting and I suspect the slabs carrying the MS label will sell for a hefty premium, probably to collectors who exclusively buy slabbed coins. High quality owl tets are pricey enough without the TPG assessment of grade so i doubt I'll try for one. It's worth keeping an eye on bids though in case I'm wrong I agree that a "classic" owl tet is an iconic coin and belongs in any general collection of ancient coins, but the cost of these things relative to the massive numbers of available specimens is really annoying so I have yet to buy one.
Personally, I drive the dealers crazy with the literal (perhaps the original) pronunciation: Tetra-DRAKHmu