Greece, Attica, Athens, ca. 449 BCE. AR tetradrachm (16.8 g) Obverse: Head of Athena r., wearing Attic helmet decorated with olive leaves and palmette. Reverse: Owl standing r.; in l. field, olive sprig and crescent. All within incuse square. Svoronos pl. XII, 6. SNG Copenhagen 36. Size: 0.95" W (2.4 cm)

One of the most famous coins from the height of Athens' glory. The owl is a symbol of Athena, and often shown accompanying her; Athena, of course, was the goddess of the city, and so the owl became a symbol of Athens and its government. The olive tree, as well, relates to Athens. Athena and Poseidon were said to have quarreled over the city of Athens and Athena planted an olive tree on the Acropolis to show that it belonged to her. Herodotus records that, although the Persians burnt all of the Acropolis, the remains of the olive tree sprouted a new branch the very next day.

Provenance: private Healy collection, Studio City, California, USA, acquired over the last twenty years

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#124252

About VF with some porosity.