New Acquisition - New Questions

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Bing, Feb 25, 2020.

  1. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Recently I purchased a coin from FSR coin shop. It's a type I have drooled over for many years, but never pulled the proverbial trigger. With what seems like a release of a hoard of these coins, prices have come down some, but not a lot. Anyway, the coin:
    ATTICA ATHENS 3.png

    I've read many a post here on CT and elsewhere about these coins, but at my advanced age I do not recall the information enough to fully attribute this coin. For example, I know there are Starr Groups, but in which group this coin lands I have no idea. When I look through my books and on-line resources, I can't even identify the time frame in which this coin was struck.

    In other words, for those of you in the know, I need help. I can't even catalog the coin properly without input from ya'll. So please indulge my ignorance.

    BTW, the coin is marvelous in-hand. The heft of the coin is substantial at 17.74g with a diameter at 27mm at it's widest cross section.

    Please help me out, and post any Athenian coin, owl or otherwise. Thanks in advance
     
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  3. dadams

    dadams Well-Known Member

    Wow Bing!! That sure is a nice one - you’ve done well. They really are great coins to hold.
    -d
     
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  4. hotwheelsearl

    hotwheelsearl Well-Known Member

    From my limited knowledge, the artistic style (smaller eyes) a appears to be a bit later than the extremely popular Archaic head.

    I believe Athenian owls had at least three phases: Archaic, post-Archaic, and New Style (probably not the official names).

    This seems to be post-archaic, but that's all I can offer
     
  5. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Looks very much like this one in Sear, which points to Starr pl. XXII & XXIII.

    20200225_212940.jpg
     
  6. oldfinecollector

    oldfinecollector Well-Known Member

    Beautiful coin , they find a big hoar of 4500 Athena coins and a dealer bought all , price are a bit lower but not so low as beautiful ones good grade still remain pricey.
     
  7. Kavax

    Kavax Well-Known Member

  8. pprp

    pprp Well-Known Member

    Great coin. I will have a look in Flament and let you know of the number of the die match, I pretty sure I have seen this die again. You should probably verify the weight, 17.74 is well above the normal range, the vast majority of owl tets of this period are between 17.0-17.3g.
     
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  9. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    James, Congratulations on your score :D! You are now part of the Numismatic Owl Fraternity. pprp is right about the weight, it seems suspiciously high o_O. Pictured below is the one I scored last year :D.
    Athens, 454-404 BC, AR Tet. 25 mm 17.22 gm, 3h (2).jpg
    Athens, 454 - 404 BC, AR tetradrachm: 17.22 gm, 25 mm, 3 h. SNG Copenhagen 31.
     
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  10. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    I just double checked the weight. I don't know how I wrote down 17.74 when it actuality weighs 17.24g.

    I appreciate all the information above. Anything additional would be fantastic .
     
  11. oldfinecollector

    oldfinecollector Well-Known Member

    Sometime we need a strong Italian coffee. Don’t worry all auction house do sometime this type of mistake if still they weight all coins are sometimes when they are in rush they tend to make copy paste errors.
     
  12. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

    Congrats Bing, great Owl. As in the old days I checked my tet and it seems OK :)

    P1220734.JPG
     
  13. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Wow, a super nice buy, Bing. Congrats.

    [​IMG]
    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

    [​IMG]
    MYSIA.,Pergamon (200 - 133 B.C.)
    Æ16
    O: Helmeted head of Athena right.
    R: AΘΗ-ΝΑΣ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ, owl standing facing on palm, with wings spread, A monogram left and AP right.
    3.6g
    16mm
    SNG von Aulock 1375-6 var; SNG Copenhagen 388 var
     
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  14. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    I have two other Athenian owls, but they were relatively easy to classify.
    ATTICA ATHENS a.jpg
    ATTICA ATHENS
    AR Tetradrachm
    OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Athena right, in crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves over visor & a spiral palmette on the bowl; eye in profile
    REVERSE: AQE, owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig & crescent behind
    Struck at Athens 350-300 BC
    16.9g, 22mm
    Sg2537
    Athens Attica B.jpg
    ATHENS ATTICA
    AR Tetradrachm
    OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Athena right
    REVERSE: Owl standing right, head facing, on overturned amphora; to left, eagle standing right on thunderbolt; Gamma on amphora, ΗΡΑ in exergue; all within laurel wreath
    Struck at Athens Epigene-, Sosandros and Eume(nes)-, magistrates. September-October 126/25 or 125/24 BC
    16.8g, 30mm
    Thompson 477a
    ex. HJB
     
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  15. JulesUK

    JulesUK Well-Known Member

    That second Owl has scary, staring eyes!
     
  16. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    That's a beauty, J. W., congratulations!
     
  17. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

  18. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    @Bing, in connection with the recent NYINC, Coins Weekly published a special issue which contains an article about the history of the Athenian Owl coins, together with a brief catalog at the end showing the primary types. They made the whole issue available as a free download at https://muenzenwoche.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/MWSpezial13_NYINC_ebook.pdf. The article begins at p. 12 of the pdf, and the catalog is at pp. 30-31. Perhaps you'll find it informative.
     
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  19. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    And here's a lengthy article that closely analyzes, and attempts to date, the different varieties within the "Classical Owl" and other types: https://rg.ancients.info/owls/ .
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2020
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  20. pprp

    pprp Well-Known Member

    Ok I think it looks like Flament Group III.16 illustrated in plate XXX, number 3.
    IMG_20200226_200147~2.jpg
     
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  21. tartanhill

    tartanhill Well-Known Member


    Thank you DonnaML. Very informative. You've helped with my understanding of the owls that I own.
     
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