Athenian Owl pocket piece

I read that Teddy Roosevelt carried an owl in his pocket, which inspired him to call for the redesign of the US double eagle. My pocket piece has been a Morgan for years, but I’m thinking of carrying an owl instead. Lest anyone worry, the coin will be protected, except when I’m fidgeting with it.

My candidate coin is the Tet in the (lousy) photos, but I have two questions. First, it is currently slabbed. Is there any reason not to crack it out of the slab? Second, with all the crystallization, is the coin a good candidate for my intended usage?

 

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You are right to worry about crystallization. I showed a coin in a flip to someone who pressed it between her fingers and the coin broke. I would keep the coin in a protective holder for a pocket piece.

 

I didn’t know that was possible. Thanks for the heads up. I was thinking this coin might benefit from a little modern wear, but I certainly don’t want it to break or flake. Perhaps I should leave well enough alone.

 

This is so thick it cannot ever break in pieces. Even if it does you will loose 150 bucks. It is more probable to lose it or get pick pocketed than it turning into pieces

 

Be a shame to see a coin like that get damaged in any way.... why not buy a fake and use that?

 

I certainly don’t want to damage a coin. It took 30 years to appreciably wear a US silver coin under normal conditions, and this pocket piece won’t be rubbing against other coins, so wear from handling will be minimal in my lifetime. It will ride in a leather keychain guitar pick holder that holds a coin securely and safely.

I thought this tet a good candidate due to the unattractive surface issues, but now I’m thinking not. I’m also concerned about cracking the slab and damaging the coin. I have a bronze replica owl tet, but it loses the connection with the past I’m looking for. Back to the drawing board.

 

Get a low-grade Alexander the Great tet. It is a common, honking chunk of Greek silver that will have a very interesting tie to the past. Lifetime examples can be had in decent condition (as in better than the posted owl) for less than $100.

 

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ae...3_bc_lifetime_tetradrachm/985785/Default.aspx

This is priced a bit on the high side for the condition, but it is within your budget. @Kentucky got his for $50 or so, I think.

 

I agree with others regarding the fragility of this owl tet. Personally, I like the reticulated look so I'd prefer to not have that wear away . As a pocket piece which would be shown around, the odds of someone dropping it are somewhat high and that might break the coin.

I'd still break it out though. That doesn't require a ton of force. Just turn the slab on its side and sharply tap it at the seam, striking around the junction of the label and holder body. Repeat for the other side. Use a screwdriver to propagate the crack if needed. They generally open like a book when tapped in this manner. Alternatively, and perhaps better in this case, put it in a vise and tighten. Searching this board will yield many photos of crack-out techniques.

I agree with TypeCoin about the best coin for a pocket piece. An Alexander III (or ATG-style) tetradrachm is a fabulous pocket piece and they are equally abundant.

 

I don't see any issues from breaking it out and carrying it in your pocket. I handled many like the one shown (it's the same type as my avatar) and they are more durable than they look. It is not a very collectable piece as is, so why not get some enjoyment out of it. I recommend picking an era you are interested in. While both are popular and historical, an ATG is not not an Athenian and vice versa.

 

My tets were closer to $90, the drachms were less than $50

 

OK, found my Alexander's Ragtime Band photo

 

I hope I’m not derailing this thread too far but where would I find one at that price? I’ve been watching vcoins for a while for a decent Alexander tet for around $100.

 

You aren’t going to find one on VCoins for that price. I think he got it on eBay

 

This is roughly the quality you would expect for a $100 budget. Be wary of fakes and mislabeled drachms.

 

I see. I don’t trust myself enough to spot fakes to go the eBay route.

 

I would be wary too (being new) .. but I am sure if you private messaged some of the more experienced here with an eBay coin you thought of bidding on in that price range (in and around $100) you would get help.
If you post it generally you may get competition. But the experienced collectors would not be interested and they are very supportive. A little patience and you will get what you are after.

 

Funny you should mention that. I actually purchased an Alexander III tet on eBay from a member of this forum for $50 intending to carry it. It looked well worn in the photos, but when it arrived it was better in hand plus it had interesting punch marks and test cuts. I didn’t have such a coin in my collection, so there it went. That’s happened with every pocket piece attempt so far...until this latest owl, which I don’t feel particularly attached to.

 

If you look around long enough, you can find Owls with a test cut for not much money if you wanted a pocket piece. They are not scarce, just expensive for higher grade examples. I find their chunkiness just as fascinating to non-collectors as the design. Alex's aren't as chunky.

 

I'll tell the story again. Traveling by air to Florida this summer, I put an Athenian Owl and an Alexander tet into my carry-on. The TSA agent who opened it was scoping them out, so I told her what they were, and the next thing I know she had several other agents looking at them...