Post your Athenians!

That's a very nice idea and a thoughtful gesture. I hope you find the right gift fot your friend!


Attica, Athens, AR tetradrachm, ca. 440s–430s BC. Obv: head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves and palmette. Rev: AΘE; Owl standing right, head facing; to left, olive sprig and crescent; all within incuse square. 24mm, 17.14g. Ref: Kroll 8.


Attica, Athens, AR triobol or hemidrachm, ca. 390–295 BC. Obv: head of Athena with Attic helmet r. Rev: Owl standing facing between olive twigs, retrograde ethnic [A]ΘE around. 12.5mm, 2.06g. Ref: SNG Munich 206–7.


Ariobarzanes I. Philorhomaios, Kingdom of Cappadocia, AR drachm, 66/65 BC, Eusebeia mint. Obv: Diademed head right. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ APIOBAPZANOY ΦIΛOPΩMAIOY, Athena standing left, holding shield, spear and Nike; to left monogram, Λ in exergue (off flan). 17mm, 4.3g. Ref: Simonetta 1977, no. 43.


Mysia, Lampsakos, diobol, ca. 400–300 BC. Obv: Janiform female heads. Rev: Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet, ΛΑΜ around, fly right. 10mm, 1.2g. Ref: SNG France 1190; Baldwin 1924, group B, type I,19.

 

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The type first shown above by Bing and followed up by TIF has been much discussed here over the past few years and worth searching CT if you are interested in it. Bing is right about them not being expensive unless, of course, if you want a good looking and complete one. The ones TIF showed were exceptional (and I suspect not cheap) having good surfaces and most of the significant details on the reverse which, unfortunately, are separated across the flan so rather few coins include them all. If you are not interested in the head or weapon of Perseus or detail in the body or face of Medusa, you might find a good looking Athena obverse reasonably priced. The hard one is the face on Medusa's severed head. I bought the one below because it has a face dispite having other 'problems'.


We should mention that, while Amisos is most common, the types of Mithradates VI were issued from several other mints. The one above is Amastros and the one below Sinope as labeled across the reverse field. I consider it a good coin for a non coin collector gift as long as the person is not bothered by the gore. The decapitation of Medusa is a well known story to many whose only exposure to ancient things are the Percy Jackson movies.


Whatever you decide upon, we hope you will post it here along with the story on how it was received. Many of us have gifted coins that were found completely boring by the person we hoped would like them. Other gifts lead to a lifelong obsession with the hobby. You just never know.

 

If you're looking for a coin with the head of Athena on one side and an owl on the other but you can't spend close to a thousand dollars for a silver one of Athens, there's this bronze one:


Mysia, Pergamon, 200-133 BC.
Bronze Æ 15.7 mm, 3.55 g, 12 h.
Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing crested helmet ornamented with star.
Rev: AΘΗ-ΝΑΣ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ, owl standing facing on palm, with wings spread,TK monogram left and ΠΛ right.
Refs: SNG Copenhagen 388 (same); c.f. SNG von Aulock 1375-6, BMC 197-199, SNG France 1920-2, SNG BN 1913-6 (various monograms).

And the area of Roman provincial coinage has many examples from cities in Moesia Inferior and Thrace:


Macrinus and Diadumenian, AD 217-218.
Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 12.06 g, 26.5 mm, 6 h.
Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, Legate Pontius Furius Pontianus, June/Aug 217-Nov/Dec 217.
Obv: ΑΝΤ Κ ΟΠΕΛ CΕV ΜΑΚΡΕΙΝΟC Κ Μ ΟΠΕ ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟC, Confronted heads of Macrinus right, laureate, and Diadumenian left, bare.
Rev: VΠ ΠΟΝΤΙΑΝΟV ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Athena wearing helmet and aegis, standing left, holding owl and inverted spear; E in right field.
Refs: AMNG I 734v.; Hristova & Jekov 6.24.4.7; Varbanov 1170a; BMC 30v.; Moushmov 537; Wiczay 2148v.



Gordian III, AD 238-244, with Tranquillina.
Roman provincial Ӕ Tetrassarion; 12.97 g, 26.7 mm, 7:00.
Thrace, Anchialus, AD 241-244.
Obv: AVT K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC AVΓ CЄB/ TPANKVΛ/ΛEINA, laureate and draped bust of Gordian right, facing diademed and draped bust of Tranquillina left.
Rev: OVΛΠIANWN AΓXIAΛEWN, Athena standing facing, head right, holding inverted spear and resting on shield.
Refs: Varbanov 748; BMC --; Moushmov --.


Gordian III, with Tranquillina
Roman provincial Ӕ 30 Tetrassarion
Thrace, Anchialus, AD 238-244
Obv: AVT K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC AVΓ CEB TPAN/KVΛΛINA, laureate and draped bust of Gordian right, facing diademed and draped bust of Tranquillina left.
Rev: OVΛΠIANWN AΓXIAΛE/WN, Athena enthroned l., holding patera and scepter; shield at base of throne.
Refs: AMNG II (Strack) 662 var. (obv. legend); Moushmov 2937; Varbanov 750 var. (obv. legend).


Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman Provincial AE 21.7 mm, 7.19 g.
Thrace, Pautalia, AD 147-175.
Obv: ΦΑΥCΤΕΙΝΑ CΕΒΑCΤΗ, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: ΟΥΛΠΙΑC ΠΑΥΤΑΛΙΑC, Athena seated left, holding owl and spear, resting foot on stool, shield at base of chair.
Refs: BMC 10 var; Ruzicka 108; Moushmov 4112.

 

You could go Roman. Minerva was the goddess of wisdom (and much more). She is on the triens:


and cast semis:

 

Thank you everyone again for the input!

Here's one I settled on that was within my budget. I just paid and should receive it in a few days. It's not the most recognizable Athena, since most people are used to seeing her profile, but I really liked the detail shown by both her and Nike. I think it'll be a hit.


Seleucid Kingdom, Antiochos
281-261 BC, AE13
Facing, heleted bust of Athena
Nike standing left "BASILEWS ANTIOXOY"
SC 315a

 

Here's my three coins with Athena

 

For the record, Athens issued bronze coins and some of them had owls as well. These are a thousand times more scarce than the tetradrachms but there is no great demand for them so they are not as expensive.

 

AE Athens


Athens 340-317 BCE BC AE 12 Athena attic helmet R- Double bodied Owl with head facing E olive sprigs kalathos RARE BMC 224

[EDIT] ooops, LOL, I forgot. @dougsmit doesn’t like “Rare”. So this is a “Thousand Times More Scarce”. (I like that term! )

 

The coin arrived today and, in my opinion, looks even better in hand! I feel compelled to admit I need to give this beautiful coin away before I keep it for myself. I guess the best gifts are the ones you want to hold onto.