an Athenian Tetradrachm for the New Year

I received in the mail early this week my first coin of 2019 - an Athenian Tetradrachm:

From the January 2nd CNG e-Auction 435, Lot 54 showing their picture above and the lot description below.​

ATTICA, Athens. Circa 454-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 17.18 g, 1h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive sprig and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Kroll 8; HGC 4, 1597. Good VF, underlying luster, compact flan.

I've been looking at these for a while now and all the ones I really, really liked were way beyond my meager budget, but I'm more than pleased with the specimen I selected. Sure, she is lacking a full crest obv (top of helmet) and a bit of olive sprig on the reverse but otherwise has all of the features I wanted which were having Athena in full and not missing any facial features, having the owl complete, being able to read and without any test cuts.

Perhaps if I held out the search a bit longer, or had a bigger budget, I could have scored a slightly nicer coin but now in hand I don't think I'd trade her.

@zumbly posted a very nice one in his top list from last year and I hope he'll post it here and I'd love to see more owls from wherever they may come.

 

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Congrats on your first 2019 purchase, dadams. Nice Athenian Owl. I am looking for one this year as well.

 

A fine example @dadams

 

It is a worthy coin and worth what you paid (and I am a cheapskate so that is saying something). I know I would trade a full crest for having a full nose and good surfaces but not all agree. Maybe that is why there are so many of these available. There is an owl for every opinion. Mine has plenty of faults, each more troubling than the others, to offset the crest.

 

Very nice coin OP!
I just got my first owl last month and they sure are nice in hand. Thick, heavy and with an incredibly high relief.
Here is mine. It was clearly cleaned just before auction but it should darken up over time.
Apologies for the poor pics.

 

Wonderful coin! Be very proud - as I am sure you are!
That is a dream coin for me .. perhaps someday I will own one but for now I certainly enjoy seeing examples here!

Have a great weekend ... I am sure this coin will be very close at hand all weekend.

 

A beauty!

 

Fantastic buy David@PCC, congrats.

 

Beautiful coin! One as nice as this specimen is on my bucket list of purchases. Thanks for sharing

 

Congrats on scoring that excellent example, @dadams. It has some elements that are missing on mine.

 

I really appreciate all the comments and especially Doug's mentioning she is a worthy coin and worth what I paid. I've bought only a couple coins in this price bracket all the time I've been collecting and so it was a stretch to buy the best I could afford. Although I felt reasonably certain I had done a good job in ascertaining coin to value it is reassuring to have the confirmation.

 

It is very nice. Perfect ones by our standards today are hard to find. It is in the production. They knew what they were doing and could have made the dies smaller or the flans larger. See the Corinthians, for example, or Boetians, or... or... or... But they made them the way they did and there it is. Mine is crowded to the front, and not much helmet, but full necklace. I got a full Owl, and, as you say, no test cuts.

Happy as I am with mine, yours is clearly nicer. Congrats.

 

Mine has a little bit of crest. Those with full crests are so expensive. Have to compromise somehow.

 

Just for the first time ever paid for a coin to add to my collection, before this I have only ever searched circulation and added to the collection my grandfather and dad dabbled with. I wanted to thank you all here for giving me the courage by posting about your experiences! Hope it was worth it! I can see this being a slippery slope and I have lots to learn. Thanks again!

 

Your New Style tetradrachm shows the workshop letter E on the amphora that usually wears off early in the game. I am surprised we don't see more of these here on CT. There are many varieties with minor devices and magistrate names. Good start.

 

nice one D..

 

Awesome, I'm still working on one. I keep getting out bid!

 

Awesome coins !!
None of my Athenian's tetras has a crest; haven't given up yet getting one someday.

Not even near your beauties, I just like this one for her cute expression, as if peeking around the corner or listening to a secret

20 mm, 16.80 g;
Attica, Athens c. 300-262 BC
Ref.: Sear 2547; SNG Delepierre 1476 - 1477;
Obv.: Head of Athena r., wearing helmet decorated with three olive leaves and palmette. Hair in two even loops across brow and temple. Disc shaped earring.
Rev.: Athenian owl with olive sprig and crescent moon to the left and the lettering ΑΘΕ

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