Classic Attica Owl Tetradrachm (and a possible die match?)

While it is not my first owl, it is certainly my best owl!
Ever since I got a budget example of an intermediate owl, I've wanted to add the iconic classic owl minted during the peak of Athens. But it needs to be free of any test cuts and the wear shouldn't take away the eye appeal, but mainly it should cost me less than $1000 (only because there are so much owls out there that I can't even justify paying $500 for such a common coin in fair condition), although I was sure I'll come across one, but not anytime soon.
However last month I saw a coin that ticked all the boxes and before I knew anything, Athena was in my cart and she charged me quarter of a grand, although effectively ending anymore purchases for this year, I regret nothing!

25 mm, 16.3g
Ex Steve McBride, Incitatus coins.
Classical Owl Type B, similar to the one from SNG Munich 52.

This coin looks really good in hand (although a bit of horn silvering above owl's head which thankfully doesn't distract) and I also just love the black patina which gives off that 'circam' effect as @lordmarcovan puts it.
While the description didn't have anymore attributions other than the mass and diameter, I had to look it up. Given there are tons of varieties, I know it would be a hard task, but after searching for a close match, luckily I came across this website, I saw a coin that resembled mine the closest with similar sharp nose and short smirking lips on Athena, and on the reverse, an apparent lack of dot on owl's forehead with exact wing structure, but the most convincing one was the ethnic, with wide spacing and an almost non-existent dot in theta. I also found the same coin on Beastcoins.com
Could mine be a die match? or at least made during the same place/period?

Anyway I now officially have a parliament of owls, HOOT HOOT...

Please post your owls!

 

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wow that's a lovely owl! I don't have any yet, but I would love to get one when I can increase my budget for coins a little. And I like that tiny owl too shown in the group photo.

AncientNumis

 

I just rephotographed my favorite obol with the three pronged tail. I am unlikely to be buying another tetradrachm but am fond of the fractions.

 

That’s a lovely fractional! I’m just wondering if you know the reason behind the dot on the owl’s forehead? Given these were modelled after the species Athene noctua, I don’t see a dot like feature on any of them, but only on coins.

 

AR 17 g, 12h !

AR 16.94 g, 9 h.

my two modest owls, with test-cuts and even a yod countermark...

And also this tiny owl (which is surely not Attic, but a Philistine imitation) :

AE 7-9 mm, 0.93 g, 6 h.

 

The dies of the two owls do have some resemblances to one another, but they really are not matches. I have yet to see a die match for an Athenian owl.

I do have what I believe are obverse die matches for two pharaonic owls, late 5th through mid 4th centuries BC. One was purchased through eBay in 2020 and the other through Roma Numismatics earlier this year.

2020 pharaonic owl:



2021 pharaonic owl:


There's no doubt that the reverse dies are different, but the obverse dies appear to match. There's die rust or something else going on at 3 o'clock on the obverse. I'm still trying to figure out what that is.

 

@robinjojo very interesting countermark on your second 2021 owl

 

Very nice example, but definitely not an obverse die match to the other one. Compare the line on each from the tip of the nose to the hairline.

 

I see what you are referring to. I think the difference is attributable to lighting and the angle of the image. I have both coins, so I should take a side-by-side shot of the obverses, which I will do later.

 

Yes, very interesting countermarks. I love these things, and although my knowledge is limited to what I can find through Google search, I like to use what little I know to interpret the characters and symbols.

Here's my take on the pharaonic owl:

The first countermark looks like two Aramaic characters for Alaph which is X (see second set of characters - "imperial" style).

The second countermark only makes sense to me read left to right, though I know that Aramaic is read from right to left. The first character is an Aramaic Zain followed by an Aramaic He.

 

I was referring to JayAG47's coins, not yours!

 

Well done! Definitely yes, they look like these letters, and since they were used from the 5th c. BC the time matches.

 

I am not sure you can refer to the "Imperial Aramaic alphabet" reproduced on this plate. This script is a library script for writing on papyrus, parchment, ostraca. The alphabet used on coin dies was different, you can look at Philistian or Samarian coins minted during the Persian period. For ex. the 'ayin zayin ethnic for Gaza was written ZO.
About the countermark that resembles a masonic symbol, I am not sure it is two semitic letters. I have seen this cmk quite often... There is one on ANS 2006.12.33, from a hoard allegedly found in North Syria (cf. Anderson and Van Alfen, AJN 20 (2008) 155-198 nr.94) :

There are many others on owls with no provenance, from the market. This cmk can be on Athena's cheek or on the reverse, like here :

(Bruun Rasmussen 764.5628)

An interesting specimen is this one (Roma Num. E-Sale 54.111)

because it is a pi-style, minted after 353 BC, so the countermark can be dated from the 2nd half of the 4th c. BC.

 

Thanks for the information. Yes, I have seen this "XX" countermark on other coins from the 4th century BC and later.

The second countermark is an interpretation on my part based on the table, plus an apparent separation between the first and second characters.

Your knowledge is vastly broader than mine in this field, so I defer to your analysis.

It would be nice if there were a comprehensive study of these countermarks, but because of their daunting and complex natures, it would be a long term task of immense challenges.

 

My owl and by far a bargain.

 

Very nice!

 

Attica, Athens
AR tetradrachm
Obv: Helmeted head of Athena right
Rev: Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig to left, crescent behind, AΘE to right, all within incuse square
Date: 454-404 BC
Ref: SNG Copenhagen 31
Size: 17.19g, 24mm



Attica, Athens
AR drachm
Obv: Helmeted head of Athena right
Rev: Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig to left, crescent behind, AΘE to right, all within incuse square
Date: 454-404 BC
Ref: Sear SG 2527



Attica, Athens
AE15
Obv: Helmeted bust of Athena right
Rev: Two owls facing on thunderbolt, AΘE below, all within olive wreath
Date: 130-90 BC/166-57 BC
Ref: Kroll Agora 99; Svoronos pl. 24.60-68; Kleiner Type 16 (attribution information from Wildwinds.com)

 

I was meaning to ask for your opinion on what you think is going on at 3 o'clock on the obverse side of both coins. It is not granular as would be the case of die rust. Could this be damage to the die?

It seems odd that the strikes for both coins accommodate this area. Could this be accidental or intentional?

Thanks

 

It is surely accidental, I know no example of extra symbol carved on purpose at this place on the obverse die. Die rust would have been granular... except if the damaged part of the die was repolished before using it again. In the 4th c. recarving and repolishing damaged dies is attested in Philistia and Lihyan. Why not in Egypt?
In this article you probably know there are good pictures of the "Adda die", a cubic bronze die from Egypt that was used for minting Buttrey-type owls similar to yours. http://www.numisbel.be/2011_5.pdf