Islamic Silver Imitating Athenian Owl (poorly)

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by marbury518, Jul 10, 2025 at 5:05 PM.

  1. marbury518

    marbury518 Marbury

    Can I get information on this coin which is similar width to a Tetradrachm?

    Only have one side at the moment and obviously interested in value. Thanks.....Marbury 04.jpg
     
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  3. philologus_1

    philologus_1 Supporter! Supporter

    What does it weigh?

    The inscription lettering is reminiscent of late 1st century BC Indo-Scythian tetradrachms usage of Kharoshthi script. However, the metal and surface looks odd.

    It may be a Himyarite imitation of Athenian tets. About which....

    ...1. Scroll to the very bottom of this excellent web page:
    https://rg.ancients.info/owls/imitations.html

    ...2. Note that on the above web page in regards to the Himyarite Athenian owl imitations, it says this: "These coins appear frequently on the market, and given the documentation of a large number of modern cast fakes in the Bulletin on Counterfeits Vol. 18 No. 1 (1993), it probably makes sense to buy from a safer source."

    ...3. See these two coins:
    https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1222847
    https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3797043
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
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  4. marbury518

    marbury518 Marbury

  5. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    Your coin is a very nice example of a Himyarite silver drachm, or possibly a fractional. The coin's weight will determine that. It is pre-Islamic, dating to the first century BC, and comes from what is Yemen today. The reverse is patterned after the Athenian new style owl coinage of the second to first centuries BC. Here's an example:

    Attica, Athens, new style tetradrachm, 133/2 BC.
    Thompson 380.c
    17.02 grams
    D-Camera Athens new style tetradrachm, 133-2 BC Thompson 380.c 17.02 grams 4-22-23.jpg


    There are imitation tetradrachms that were produced in Arabia. The Athenian tetradrachm was the mainstay coinage that dominated trade in the eastern Mediterranean for nearly four hundred years. They were produced even during the period of dominance by the tetradrachms of Alexander III and his successors.

    Here are some Arabian owls:

    South Arabia, Qataban Kingdom, South Arabia, tetradrachm, imitating Athens, 4th-3rd centuries BC.
    16.9 grams
    D-Camera  Qataban South Arabia tetradrachm, imiation owl, 4-3 cen BC, 16.9 grams Vcoins 7-3-21.jpg


    South Arabia, Qataban Kingdom, didrachm, "k" (South Arabian) on cheek, circa 350-300 BC.
    7.08 grams
    D-Camera South Arabia, Qataban didrachm k (South Arabian) ,350-300 BC CNG image 7.08g 8-25-24.jpg

    Arabia Felix, Sabean drachm, 4th century BC.
    NG ANS 1455 var.
    4.61 grams
    D-Camera Arabia Felix Sabean drachm 4th cen BC 4.61 grams SNG ANS 1455 var. SJ 2-6-22.jpg

    Northern Arabia, Lihyan Kingdom, AE owl, 2nd-1st centuries BC.
    12.70 grams
    D-Camera Lihyan. North Arabia, AE owl 1-2 cen BC 12.70 grams CNG eAuction 528 log 188  12-22-22.jpg
     
  6. GinoLR

    GinoLR Well-Known Member

    It's Arab, but not Islamic.
     
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