A centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, home of Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum, it is widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, largely because of its cultural and political impact on the European continent, and in particular the Romans.
Athenian coins were struck on the "Attic" standard, with a drachm equaling 4.3 grams of silver. Over time, Athens' plentiful supply of silver from the mines at Laurion and its increasing dominance in trade made this the pre-eminent standard. These coins, known as "owls" because of their central design feature, were also minted to an extremely tight standard of purity and weight.
Modern location: Athens, Greece
Reverse: owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent left; AΘE
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 17.3 g
Reverse: Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent behind; all within incuse square
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 17.12 g
Reverse: ΑΘΕ / Owl standing right, head facing, to the left an olive sprig and crescent
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 16.63 g
Reverse: Athena Parthenos facing, head left, holding Nike with wreath. Left hand resting on shield set on ground holding spear; AΘHNA_IΩN
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 6.4 g
Reverse: mirror image of acropolis of Athens from northwest - Panathenaic way lead upward to the Propylaia at summit, large statue of Athena Promachos standing right, Erechtheion to right; in center of rock, niche representing the Cave of Pan with his statue
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 5.4 g
Reverse: owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent left; AΘE
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.9 g
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Reverse: Owl standing to right with head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square
Die Orientation: 7 H
Weight: 17.24 g
Reverse: owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent left; AΘE
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 17.2 g
Reverse: Owl standing on overturned amphora with legend to the left and to the right. H on amphora. ME below
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 16.67 g
“New Style". Magistrates Polemon, Alketes and Timon.
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Reverse: Owl standing right, head facing, AOE to right in incuse square
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 17.21 g
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Reverse: AΘE / Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent to left; all within incuse square
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 17.05 g
Intermediate Style Owl
Reverse: AΘE / Owl standing right, head facing; to left, olive sprig and crescent; all within incuse square
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 17.17 g
Reverse: Owl standing right, head facing, olive twig and crescent behind, A-Θ-E before
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 16.51 g
Reverse: Owl standing to right with head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square
Die Orientation: 7 H
Weight: 17.21 g
Near Mint State; lustrous metal with beautiful light cabinet tone. Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., E-Live Auction 1, 25 July 2018, lot 78.
Reverse: A-Θ-E - Owl standing right, head facing, olive twig and crescent behind, A-Θ-E before. Test cut on the owl and bankers mark in front.
Die Orientation: 3 H
Weight: 15.8 g
Reverse: Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent moon behind, all in square incuse.
Die Orientation: 8 H
Weight: 17.18 g
Provenance: Heritage Auctions - Weekly Auction 232128 (15 July 2021), lot 130; Ex Stack's Bowers and Ponterio, NYINC Sale 173 (8 January 2013), lot 160; Demarete Collection (Elvira Clain-Stefanelli).
Reverse: Owl standing right, head facing, on amphora; magistrates’ names in fields; to left, Asklepios standing left, holding serpent-entwined scepter; Θ on amphora, HP below; all within wreath.
Die Orientation: 12 H
Weight: 16.46 g
Provenance: Triton XXV Session 5 (25 January 2022), lot 75.
Reverse: owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent left; AΘE - Phoenician contermark bēth yōdh
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 16.5 g
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Reverse: ANTONIVS/AVG • IMP • III in two lines.
Die Orientation: 5 H
Weight: 3.84 g
"The carefully concealed letter "P" behind the ear of Antony's portrait represents the only known example of an artist's signature on a Roman Republican coin. The letter went unnoticed by numismatists for centuries before it was recognized in the early decades of the twentieth century."