A tiny owl snack!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by JayAg47, Jun 21, 2021.

  1. JayAg47

    JayAg47 Well-Known Member

    I haven't bought coins for nearly two months as I'm saving up, but I got really bad itch in the meantime so I splurged a whopping sum of 23 dollars on this teeny tiny Attica Owl from the German seller Andre Chicos!
    Seller's image (I for my life couldn't get a focus on the coin for a photo).
    IMG-1282.jpg
    Weighing at 0.22g my guess would be it is a hemiobol, although it should weigh around 0.3g I'm sure the test cut even on this tiny coin (could be a jewelry hole o_O) along with the wear took a significant bite out of the silver weight.
    I'm always happy to add the first owl to my collection, also a type that would've been actually used in daily transactions in the local Athenian markets!
    And this thing is tiny!
    IMG-1278.jpg
     
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    When you said "tiny," you weren't kidding, @JayAg47! What a fun coin!
     
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  4. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Yeah, that's small and I wouldn't consider a snack, more like a bread crumb.

    This was my owl snack.

    [​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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  5. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I agree that this started out as a hemiobol but the missing chunk and overall erosion of the surfaces has reduced its weight significantly. Perhaps your post will remind me of my intention to photograph a series of these coins on a modern coin for scale. Will I do it? I have been losing 'weight' recently but all of it is 'between the ears'. I should do it now but it will lose out to other non-coin projects --- like breakfast. This hemiobol is a more average 0.35g.
    g41240bb2400.jpg


    The question: Since this is a very 'International' group, what US coin should I use? My first coin based tiny treasure was on a Lincoln cent reverse. A fell set of Athenian fractions would be crowded there. Would a US quarter dollar be as recognizable to those of you who spend Euros or Pounds (or many other things)? I know that my familiarity with a UK fraction is not good. The one below was a lot more work since the two halves were shot separately and merged in postprocessing with a seam between that made some steps wavy. It would be easier to drop four different obverses on one side of a coin and the same four reverses on the other.
    [​IMG]
     
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  6. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Cool, @JayAg47 ! I always enjoy the smaller, fractional denomination coins... like you said, they were for everyday use.

    Here is my smallest owl:

    upload_2021-6-21_8-28-12.png
    Tyre
    5th-4th BCE
    AR 1/16-Shekel
    10mm 0.47g
    Hippocamp left over waves -
    Owl with Crook & Flail behind
    Sear Greek 5916.BMC Tyre 43
    Ex: @Valentinian
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2021
  7. Orielensis

    Orielensis Well-Known Member

    That's definitely tiny! Mine is not as small but still dwarfish compared to the well-known tetradrachms:

    Griechen – Attica, Athen, Hemidrachme, Athena:Eule.png
    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.
     
  8. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    Cute little owls. :)
     
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  9. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    My only Athenian owl is also the micro version
    upload_2021-6-21_18-22-51.png


    Attica. Athens circa 454-404 BC.
    Hemiobol AR
    6 mm., 0,27 g.
    Obv. Helmeted head of Athena right. Rev. AΘΕ ; Owl right head facing, wings folded, olive-leaf and berry behind, all within an incuse square. Sear SG 2531

    The problem with the centering, especially on the obverse, made it affordable and I don't complain.

    I only have one other owl, I am happy with the contrast and the overall details, especially the fully readable legend

    upload_2021-6-21_18-24-30.png


    SELEUKID KINGS of SYRIA. Cleopatra Thea & Antiochos VIII. (126/5-121/0 BC) AE20 Antioch, Dated SE 190 = 123/2
    Radiate and diademed head of Antiochos VIII right
    Rev: Owl standing right on fallen amphora, head facing; IE to inner right; below, PP (date, first P retrograde) and palm.
    Legend: BAΣΙΛIΣΣHΣ KΛEOΠATPAΣ KAI BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY
    SC 2263.2f.
    6,66 gr, 20mm
     
  10. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    Probably the most recognizable American coin would be the Kennedy half-dollar
     
  11. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    The Washington quarter is also easily recognized. I don't collect US coins but everybody knows this coin.
     
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  12. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    A few small owls:
    20190326_142402_82CF0D07-796F-4178-8202-63BC829710C8-406-000000B6BC87F6BF.png 20190326_103332_07ACE17A-F632-45AD-B39C-3ABAE2B08D3D-406-00000078A62F22F8.png 20190326_142623_B2515525-F784-42CF-8471-8C24296DDAE8-406-000000B7876D0A76.png 20190326_145256_845F33EC-ACDE-49DF-8B40-3CEEAD6C5476-406-000000BDA655FC07.png
     
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