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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;robinjojo, post: 5726920, member: 110226&quot;]Welcome to Cointalk, Zayne.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Wow, that&#039;s a really cool find!&nbsp; I&#039;m not really knowledgeable with US coinage, but the important thing is that your coin is very special to you.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Of course, hang on to it, and enjoy it.&nbsp; Perhaps it will serve as a starting point in discovering the world of coin collecting, and appreciating the history and art behind their creations.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s something you might find interesting:&nbsp; Did you know that Athens, 2,500 years ago had a source of silver that was so rich that the Athenians produced the most widely circulated coin of its time?&nbsp; That is the Athenian tetradrachm.&nbsp; A tetradrachm is equal to four drachms (tetra is Greek for four).&nbsp; Each drachm weighs 4.33 grams, so a tetradrachm normally weighs around 17.3 grams.&nbsp; That is how coins were valued back then, by weight.</p><p><br /></p><p>One the first side, the obverse, we have Athena, the patron goddess of Athens, wearing her helmet and in profile looking right with her almond-shaped eye.&nbsp; She is the goddess of wisdom, craft and war.&nbsp; She also has a slight smile, known as the Attic smile.&nbsp; Attica is the area encompassing Athens.</p><p><br /></p><p>On the second side, the reverse, there is the small Attic owl, the owl of Athena, who goes with her wherever she goes.&nbsp; Next to the owl are the Greek letters AOE, which translates to &quot;of the Athenians&quot;. To the left is a crescent moon.&nbsp; Some experts think this moon refers to the historic victory of Athens over the invading fleet of the Persians at Salamis in September 480 BC, during a crescent moon.&nbsp; Next to the crescent moon is an olive and leaves, symbolizing an important crop for Athens and the Greeks.</p><p><br /></p><p>17.23 grams</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1242902[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Historians often refer to Athens as the &quot;Cradle of Democracy&quot;.&nbsp; It was the Athenians who formalized the idea of one man, one vote.&nbsp; Their democracy, though was not perfect - they had slaves, women could not vote, and only native born men of property had that right.</p><p><br /></p><p>So, I hope you find this little presentation interesting and increases your curiosity for this wonderful pastime.&nbsp; Remember, enjoy what you collect, collect within your means, and explore the wonderful tapestry of history and civilization that each coin has to offer.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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