My First Owl

Not a very big owl but an owl nonetheless

 

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Very nice, this year was my first owl too.


Attica, Athens (353 - 294 B.C)
AR Tetradrachm
O: Helmeted head of Athena right
R: AΘE Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent to left; all within incuse square.
16.59g
21 mm
Kroll -; HGC 4, 1599

Ex. Numismatik-Naumann, Auction 52, Lot 126

 

Awesome sauce, Deacon Ray!

Your latest hauls have been top notch!

Erin

 

Wonderful coin! I don't recall seeing an owl on an emptied amphora beforea. Very fun. There is a great story to go with the marriage of Cleopatra Thea and Antiochos vii... Though I don't have the time to go into all the details. She almost married her uncle (who ended up marrying her sister). Her dad kills the guy she does marry then has her marry someone else (not Antiochos, but his brother!) then he gets captured by Parthia and she marries younger brother and has a son Antiochos viii. And that's how we get this beautiful coin... I guess I did have time to go into the details.
Pretty wild to think that descendants of Alexander the great's generals were still intermingling and "hooking up" due to the power vacuum he left some 200 years after his death.
Anywho who (little owl pun). Speaking of, here's a little owl of mine:


Attica, Athens. Ca 480-
460 BC. AR Obol (9mm,
0.62g). Helmeted head of
Athena right / Owl
standing right, head
facing, olive sprig behind,
AΘEto right.Kroll 13;
Svoronospl. 8,
42.Former Kairos

 

Athenian 'New Style' owls were very fond of the amphora.

 

@Deacon Ray ... that is WAY cool! Congrats on an owl!

My first ANCIENTS around 30 years ago were OWLS (4)!

Here is one:


Athens Owl 16.8g 22x6-5mm

Here is an AE one from Sicily I like:


Sicily Kalakte AE unit 2nd C BCE Head Athena in Helmet - Owl rev RARE

 

Wow, thanks, Ryro! You've definitely sparked my interest!

 

Cool owl @Deacon Ray !

 

That's hilarious, @chrsmat71 ! They're cute birds but they can be dangerous.

 

Very nice coin Ray.

 

ah, nice owly D Ray!.. i don't any coins with owls yet, but i do have me lil rock owl statuette

 

Nice one, DR. I've always liked these owl-perched-on-an-amphora coins. I'll have to get myself one someday.

My current favorite owl coin features a crazy-eyed specimen stomping a lizard.


SICILY, Kamarina
Rare (with owl spreading wings). AE Tetras. Circa 420-405 BC. 3.39g, 14.8mm. Westermark & Jenkins Period 3, 204; CNS 40; HGC 2, 550. O: Helmeted head of Athena left; olive spray to left. R: [K-A-]MA, Owl standing facing, wings spread, grasping lizard; three pellets (mark of value) in exergue.
Ex Camerata Romeu Collection

 

Nice

 

Heres my Athena with an owl that I bought last year. It surely isn't Attica and not even silver. I just really like this coin and was got at a good price.



Lot 039. Mysia, Pergamum. civic issue under Roman rule. Mid-late 2nd century BC AE 14.

Mysia, Pergamum. civic issue under Roman rule. Mid-late 2nd century BC AE 14 (14.03 mm, 1.53 g, 1 h). Head of Athena right wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with 8-pointed star / ΑΘΗΝΑΣ // ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ, ethnic vertically downward to right and left of owl standing facing 3/4 to right; all within laurel-wreath. SNG Copenhagen 381-2; BMC 185-6. choice VF, beautiful golden patina, well-centered and struck

 

Any owl is good enough !
An owl is an owl is an owl (cc. Gertrude Stein)
Nice capture @Deacon Ray


ATTICA, Athens. Circa 454-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm
Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye
Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, all within incuse square. ΑΘΕ in the right field
24mm, 17.08 g, 8h
Ref : Kroll # 8; HGC # 4,1597

Q

 

Thank you for the kind words, Cucumbor! That's a beautiful Athens Tet! It features all of the qualities that collectors look for. The crest of Athena's helmet is visible. Her entire face/profile is there including her nose. The owl and lettering is all there. It's perfect in my opinion.

 

Deacon Ray,

Do you have a Yehud owl in your wish list? That would be a super sweet owl to get!

Erin

 

I was drawn to this Attica Owl, as it is a small denomination, and like AE's, probably circulated LOCALLY and in the Athenian markets. The smaller denominations seem harder to get. The Tets were more designed for long distance trade.


Athens Attica 454-404 BCE AR HemiDrachm 16mm 2.08g Athena frontal eye - facing Owl wings closed olive branches COP 70 SG 2528