Attica Athens Tetradrachm

I bought Starr years ago but was very disappointed that it only covered coins I could not afford and stopped before the popular Classical owls. Now that the coins it covers start at over $5000, I'm not sure it is worth having for most of us. I have not seen the book for years (in an attic box, I assume). I have enjoyed Svoronos greatly over the years but I don't ever see it offered. Perhaps I should trade it for a coin that is in Starr? I would think that there might be a market for a beginner level book on owls.

It could be worse.


or even worse yet, they might have found what they were looking for. This fourree shows why the cuts were deep. The smaller cut behind the owl barely broke through the silver plating requiring the crossbody cut to be certain that the coin was bad.


Some fake owls were made with test cuts under the plating probably on the theory that people would accept that cut as evidence that the coin was good when in fact both the coin and the test were equally bogus.

 

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I agree that Starr is disappointing for those who just want one owl which is likely 449 BC or later and so not thoroughly covered in that book which specializes in early owls. However, the question was asked about all the owl types with the suggestion one of each might be bought to complete a set. In that case, before spending thousands to get an early owl, it would be valuable to buy a $25 book to see what early owls are like and to make an informed decision about whether they could all be lumped into just one type for that hypothetical set. I think a collector is likely to find that a set of Athenian owls is not that simple to describe.

 

I posted this fun owl-set at CT recently: Tetradrachm (New Style), Tetradrachm, Drachm, Obol, & Hemiobol.

 

What do you guys think of the book Common Greek Coins V1 by Alfred Watson Hands?

 

I have not seen it. I do find it listed as a reprint of a 1907 original so I would expect it to be available online a lot cheaper than the reprint offered since it is in Public Domain. Generally I would not suggest a book over 100 years old as a first reference. However when it is available FREE, I see no harm in reading it and comparing what you read to more recent works:
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dannyjones/Greek Coin Books/Common Greek coins. Vol 1 - Hands.pdf

 

Thanks for the link. Im trying to find a beginners book

 

The links show a source but I suggest you shop around for books. Some sellers charge too much. Buy used, read until they fall apart. These are not "...and their values" books. If that is what you want, others will guide you.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...hrd_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&sr=&qid=

http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Greek-Coins-History/dp/1852640146/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Below is the book I have. I have not seen the one above and do not know how the two compare. You pick, more recent and 200 pages or older and 300 by the same author.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...?ie=UTF8&condition=used&sr=8-8&qid=1403223297

Note the price. Buy with something else to keep postage from being more than the book.
http://www.amazon.com/Book-Greek-Coins-Charles-Seltman/dp/B0000CIE59/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1403223557&sr=8-2&keywords=seltman coins

I like the others better but this is probably worth the price if you find it cheap.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...ie=UTF8&condition=used&sr=8-29&qid=1403223830

 

Wow thanks! I'll be sure to check them out

 

I think I'm going to order the book from the first link that you provided

 

Here is one of my transitionals.

Athens, AR Tetradrachm, ca 393 - 370 BC

Obv:– Head of Athena right with eye seen in true profile, wearing crested helmet ornamented with three olive leaves and floral scroll
Rev:– owl standing right, head facing, to right ATE in large lettering, to left olive sprig and crescent
Minted in Athens c. B.C. 393 - 370.
Reference:– Flamen p. 126, 1 (Pi I); Svoronos Athens plate 19, 17; SNG Cop -
16.699g, 24.31mm, 270o

The following information was provide by the dealer with the coin:-

"Transitional style tetradrachms include all of the wide spectrum of variants with the eye in profile issued after the classic "old style" almond eye tetradrachms but before the broad thinner flan "new style" tetradrachms. Recent research has classified variations of the transitional style - Pi Type, Quadridigité Style, Heterogeneous Style and sub-groups of the styles, and proposed chronologies for the different styles and groups.

This coin is the earliest transitional type, the first Pi style type, essentially identical to the "old style" with the exception of the eye in profile. The "Pi" designation is based on the P shape of the floral spiral and palmette ornamentation on the helmet bowl. The coin can be classified as Pi style, group 1. The floral ornament on examples this early do not yet resemble Pi."



I have since developed a taste for ancient imitatives of the type.

 

I just received Collecting Greek Coins by Paul Rynearson and it is a great reference for some ancient Greek coins. Does anyone else know names of other books that focus more on Athenian Tetradrachm? This book briefly talks about them but doesn't go that much into detail about them.

 

Hi, I've collected owls for many years and have successfully cleaned several coins. I might be able to provide some advice to you on this coin if you are interested. Does this site have private messages? It's probably too tedious to post in a forum string...

 

Welcome, elgeedublu!

Many of us are very interested in seeing other people's cleaning techniques. Please post yours here, in its own thread, or search for similar cleaning threads and post it there.

 

Welcome elgeedublu. I'll be interested to see if your techniques are any different.

 

Welcome elgee!! ... it is always awesome to have new views on this old hobby!!

=> personally, I like to use a slightly more aggressive cleaning technique (but occasionally others frown upon my unique method) ...

 

Mine from today

 

Nice coin Zo, this was the coin that brought me to Ancients..awesome...

 

A very interesting coin on an unusual flan! I'd love to see an angle photo of the obverse edge at the upper right but that can never be.

 

Hi; thanks. Well, I don't know if it is anything new, but I created a new thread, "Cleaning Ancient Silver Coins." Maybe it will be of some use to someone. I think it might help with iamtiberius' owl.........

 

Believe it or not, but I just saw this reply. Decided to take heed to your instructions. Results:
Before


After


Great advice. Nearly got everything except for some of the "gunk" in between the hair lines.
Please don't mind the lighting, i'm in a hotel room and am making do with what I have; also, the lemon juice may have super cleaned and added some shine to surface like elgeedeblu mentioned.