Most well known were the silver mines of Laurium at a close distance from Athens. [5] The Athenian tetradrachm was stamped with the head of Athena on the obverse, and on the reverse the image of the owl of Athena, the iconographic symbol of the Athenian polis, with a sprig of olive and a crescent for the moon. According to Philochorus, it was known as glaux (, little owl)[6] throughout the ancient world[7] and "owl" in present-day English language numismatics. [8] The design was kept essentially unchanged for over two centuries, by which time it had become stylistically archaic. To differentiate their currency from the rival coinage of Aegina using the Aeginetic stater of about 12.3 grams, Athens minted its tetradrachm based on the "Attic" standard of 4.3 grams per drachma.
The vast number of "owls-tetradrachms" available those days mainly from the silver mines of Laurium financed the several achievements of Athens, such as the reconstruction of the Acropolis and building the Parthenon, as well as many wars, including the Peloponnesian War. The new style of Athenian owlso-called due to the iconic image of Athenas owl on the reverseoriginated in a Greece newly conquered by the Romans. While retaining a profile of the Greek goddess Athena on the obverse and an owl (one of her symbols) on the reverse, several elaborate additions had been made to the older style of Tetradrachm coinages design. The most noticeable change in the new Tetradrachm is the fact that Athena now wears a helmet with three crests, emphasizing the fact that she was the goddess of war as well as wisdom.
A mythological creature, which can be either Pegasus or a griffin, is to be found on the side of the helmet. A visor sits across her forehead, above which are portrayed horses heads in a frontal view. An earring dangles from her ear.The item "Athens Greece Athena Owl Tetradrachm Coin 165-42 BC NEW STYLE XF DIOSKOUROI" is in sale since Monday, October 12, 2020. This item is in the category "Coins & Paper Money\Coins\ Ancient\Greek (450 BC-100 AD)".
The seller is "redoubt_numismatics" and is located in San Antonio, Texas. This item can be shipped worldwide.