John H. Kroll, in his paper on THE CHRONOLOGY OF THIRD-CENTURY BC ATHENIAN SILVER COINAGE, mentions tetradrachms and drachms of this period that include symbols. I believe the two coins posted here are of this type. The first coin is a typical tetradrachm of this period. The flan is oblog, the edges folded and the crude portrait style of Athena and the owl on the reverse are in keeping with other examples. What is unusual are the additional elements added to the reverse, in this case long branches or vines, starting at the base of the E, and moving up to the left and behind the owl, terminating with a leaf just above the left edge of the owl's head and to the front of the upper olive leaf. Kroll dates these coins to the last quarter of the third century BC. This coin weighs 17.20 grams. The second coin is even cruder and somewhat corroded on the obverse. Additionally it is in an older NGC holder which is quite scratched up, so I apologize for the dark photos. I just might break this slab. This coin is similar in style to the first one in many respects: oblong flan, a very crude portrait of Athena (with an elongated head), a crude but mostly complete owl, and legend very similar to the first coin. The additional element added to the reverse, to the lower right of the owl, is more difficult to determine, but there is definitely something added to the die. I think it might be the prow of a ship. This coin weight 16.95 grams. Does anyone else have intermediate owls with reverse symbols? Also, please post any other interesting coins with symbols, Greek or non-Greek. Thank you.
two are possibly from the same period: Tetradrachm, Attica, Athens c. 300-262 BC 20 mm, 16.806 g Sear 2547; Kroll Pi-Style p. 245, fig. 9; SNG München 93; SNG Delepierre 1476 - 1477; Ob.: Head of Athena r., wearing helmet decorated with three olive leaves and a curling palmette. Hair in two even loops across brow and temple. Disc shaped earring. Beaded edge to nape of helmet. Rev.: Athenian owl with olive sprig and crescent moon at left and ΑΘΕ at right and this one has a countermark ει (Aramaic?) possibly from Gaza Tetradrachm, Athens, ca 350 - 297 BC 19 x 24 mm, 17.113 g SNG Copenhagen 64-65; Sear 2547; SNG Delepierre 1482; Ob.: Head of Athena r., wearing helmet decorated with three olive leaves and a curling palmette. Hair in two even loops across brow and temple, pi-style palmette on helmet. Disc shaped earring. Beaded edge to nape of helmet. Rev.: Athenian owl with olive sprig and crescent moon at left and ΑΘΕ at right
I beleive mine are earlier, but the late Classical look with the correct eye. I do not think mine has any devices other than the Sprig and Crescent on the Reverse... Here is a battering of tets... Athens Owl AR Tet 17.4g 20.4mm x 7.5mm Late Classical 393-300 BC, Sear 2537, SNG Cop. 63 edge-crud Athens Owl AR Tet 17.2g 22mm x 6.7mm thick Late Classical 393-300 BC, Sear 2537, SNG Cop. 63 Athens Owl AR Tet 17.3g 22.9mm x 6.8mm thick Late Classical 393-300 BC, Sear 2537, SNG Cop. 63 crud Athens Owl 16.8g 22x6-5mm Late Classical 393-300 BC, Sear 2537, SNG Cop. 63
@Alegandron very nice countermarks on your owls. I thought that Athena's eye started to appear in profile, triangular in shape, on Intermediate Style Owls. Does the triangular shaped eye appear on late Classical owls also?
You know, i attributed these a long time ago. These were my first ancients. I believe someone helped correct them several years ago. If you have more info, or my attributions are in error, please help. I enjoy the bankers marks as they “prove” them in the Ancient times.
The countermarks on the second coin, obverse might be the Aramaic letter for shin Yes, there was a progression, with minor variations here and there, in the development of the profile eye, which parallels the evolution of how the eye in the classical was depicted in art, at least that which as managed to survive to our times. This progression is well demonstrated by the coins you have posted. It continued to change through the heterogeneous tetradrachms of the third century and the new style tetradrachms of the second and first centuries, again with variations in quality and style, not only regarding the eye, but also the owl, lettering and symbols. Pi-Style III Heterogeneous New Style 139-138 BC New Style 125-124 BC
@Alegandron Oh no, please don't get me wrong, I am not saying that your attributions are in error, I am just confused and trying to understand what I have read about owls, e.g.: https://rg.ancients.info/owls/ you probably have read it; they even say that their dating and attribution is one of the great underexplored areas of ancient numismatic scholarship.
Robinjojo, I think your Helios in Quadriga would sit more comfortably c 119/8 and not, of course, to be confused with Facing bust of Helios of around c139/8.
LOL, no worries! I goof up ALL the time! I am by no means a coin expert or numismatist. Rather, I am so focused on the how the coin is a placemarker in HISTORY that I miss a lot of the attribution details pertaining to the coin itself. Absolutely NO offense was taken! LOL, a lot of times excessive details bore me. The guys that were minting coins were not worried about devices and details. Rather the Kings / Imperators, etc. were MORE concerned about getting MONEY put out there so that they can advertise their causes and smash (violently or non-violently) their enemies! That is what coins were all about. I enjoy it when someone points details out to me. It enables me to fix all the "ooops!" that I made. COIN:
