I don't handle greek much, especially Athenian tets... But the obverse color looks wonky, and there is slight reverse granularity. I would proceed with caution.
You can search fakereports for Athenian owls at https://www.forumancientcoins.com/f...Trr262xrCF2GFBdUNSB7icaNJQiBCEdbLsTGNJ71hbF3n
I'm not qualified to answer. I will say that at least it doesn't look like an obvious tourist fake, but the question is, is it a more deceptive fake? I don't know.
The style is correct and there appears to be the high relief you would expect on an Athenian tetradrachm. The weight is low, but that could be due to the damage the coin has suffered. The fields of the coin are unusual. So it's either a cast fake or a badly damaged authentic coin. Not certain which, although I'd lean towards badly damaged and authentic. Having said that I'd not buy this coin, there are lots of better examples around.
Thank you RichardT for your elaborate reply. I had purchased the coin from UK few months back when I flew for some work. The coin was shown to few numist but problem happened after reaching India. There Numist only know the good silver coins normally seen but there were also less silver content coins minted. The side and relief while in hand gives a positive vibe about the coin. The Owl in reverse looks absolutely correct too.
Well if there are experts who have seen your coin and expressed doubts, then it would help if you shared what are the concerns they had about this coin. Also it might be useful to consider the expertise of your UK dealer versus the numismatists you spoke to in India. Do they specialise in ancients? For example it is clear from a glance that the style of this tetradrachm is correct. If the numismatists in India think it's a product from modern dies, you can more or less ignore their opinion immediately. Good luck.
The owl's weight is below Attic standard of 17.4 grams, but this is also a coin that was imitated extensively in the eastern Mediterranean, Arabia, Bactria and India mainly in the 4th century BCE, but extending beyond that period for some kingdoms. So it is possible that this coin was struck using a lower weight standard. Numerous locally made owls have come to light, and still appear to this day as hoards and individual coins are unearthed, such as the one below, which might have its origin in Persia or Mesopotamia: Persia, tetradrachm after Athens, circa 4th century BCE. Possibly unpublished. 16.92 grams Here's one more imitation owl issued by the Satrap Mazakes, who served first under Darius III of Persia and then Alexander III following his conquest of Persia in 330 BCE. Mesopotamia, Mazakes Satrap, tetradrachm, circa 331-323/2 BCE. Le Rider, Alexander, pp. 214-9; Van Alfen, Owls, Group IVd, 87. 16.41 grams Getting back to the OP owl, with enlargement I see signs of what appears to be crystallization, a grainy crisscross pattern on parts of the obverse, which has also been improperly cleaned. The style of the portrait is based on an Athenian classical owl. The style of the palmette, on the helmet near the ear is a local one stylistically, as is the overall style of the portrait. I also see what seems to be a countermark on the cheek of some sort, a circle with a flared outer pattern. The reverse is patterned after that of an Athenian classic owl, with rotation of the A. As with the obverse the style is crude compared to a typical Athenian owl of the late 5th century BCE. So, I think the OP owl is an imitation of local minting somewhere in the vast region of the eastern Mediterranean, probably of the 4th century BCE. However, there is the outside chance that it is a modern fantasy coin made to look ancient. I doubt the latter, however, due to the coin's pretty bad surface condition. Also the time and expense to create such as coin wouldn't be very cost effective, but I guess anything is possible these days. If there is a seam along the edge or filing, that would be a red light for me for casting. Transfer dies could also have been used, but again cost is a factor that would likely rule this option out. Also, my experience with transfer die owls is that they are too perfect, having detail that lacks sharpness and imperfections of the seed coin, particularly flan splits, are weak and often filled in.
