Athens in Attica, 454-431 BC., Tetradrachm, Kroll 8.
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Athens in Attica, 454-431 BC.,
Tetradrachm (ø 23-25 mm / 16,75 g), silver, axes irregular alignment ↑↠(ca. 260°),
Obv.: head of Athena to right, smiling mouth, wearing crested Attic helmet adorned with three olive leaves over the visor and palmette turned upwards on the bowl, big round circular earring [with central boss], big test cut from visor to chin.
Rev.: [AΘE] , owl with "prong" tail standing right, head facing; behind, crescent and olive spray with a berry and two leaves in upper left field, [AΘE] to right, all within incuse square, four big test cuts plus several smaller ones.
Kroll-Walker 8 ; SNG Cop. 31-40 ; Dewing 1591-8 .
These classical types are the single most commonly seen test-cut ancient coins. Like many Athenian tetradrachms, this piece was test cut in ancient times with a hammer and chisel to authenticate it, making sure the interior was silver and not a base metal. This specimen was test cut many times, causing two flan cracks. Near the end of the Peloponnesian War against Sparta, Athens issued silver plated bronze coins. This is a rare example of that "money of necessity" or "siege coinage", an "official fourée." This debasement is mentioned by Aristophanes in his play "The Frogs.""Yea for these, our sterling pieces, all of pure Athenian mould, All of perfect die and metal, all the fairest of the fair, All of workmanship unequalled, proved and valued everywhere Both amongst our own Hellenes and Barbarians far away, These we use not: but the worthless pinchbeck coins of yesterday, Vilest die and basest metal, now we always use instead.? Ancient coins were often chiseled to test the metal. In Athens this testing became official policy. "To deal with [counterfeits], the Athenians passed a law in 375/4 B.C. which provided for a dokimastes or 'tester' to sit near the banking tables in the Agora and in the market of Peiraieus. The judgment of this official as to the authenticity of any disputed piece was final. Any owl which was of silver and correct weight, whether it was struck in Athens or at a foreign mint, had to be accepted in commerce. Counterfeit pieces, on the other hand, were slashed by the dokimastes, withdrawn from circulation and dedicated to the Mother of the Gods. Such counterfeit owls have, in fact, been found near the Metroon, sanctuary of the Mother of the Gods." -- Greek and Roman Coins in the Athenian Agora, American School of Classical Studies at Athens (Princeton, NJ), 1975
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![Athens in Attica, 454-431 BC., Tetradrachm, Kroll 8.
Athens in Attica, 454-431 BC.,
Tetradrachm (ø 23-25 mm / 16,75 g), silver, axes irregular alignment ↑↠(ca. 260°),
Obv.: head of Athena to right, smiling mouth, wearing crested Attic helmet adorned with three olive leaves over the visor and palmette turned upwards on the bowl, big round circular earring [with central boss], big test cut from visor to chin.
Rev.: [AΘE] , owl with "prong" tail standing right, head facing; behind, crescent and olive spray with a berry and two leaves in upper left field, [AΘE] to right, all within incuse square, four big test cuts plus several smaller ones.
Kroll-Walker 8 ; SNG Cop. 31-40 ; Dewing 1591-8 .
These classical types are the single most commonly seen test-cut ancient coins. Like many Athenian tetradrachms, this piece was test cut in ancient times with a hammer and chisel to authenticate it, making sure the interior was silver and not a base metal. This specimen was test cut many times, causing two flan cracks. Near the end of the Peloponnesian War against Sparta, Athens issued silver plated bronze coins. This is a rare example of that "money of necessity" or "siege coinage", an "official fourée." This debasement is mentioned by Aristophanes in his play "The Frogs.""Yea for these, our sterling pieces, all of pure Athenian mould, All of perfect die and metal, all the fairest of the fair, All of workmanship unequalled, proved and valued everywhere Both amongst our own Hellenes and Barbarians far away, These we use not: but the worthless pinchbeck coins of yesterday, Vilest die and basest metal, now we always use instead.? Ancient coins were often chiseled to test the metal. In Athens this testing became official policy. "To deal with [counterfeits], the Athenians passed a law in 375/4 B.C. which provided for a dokimastes or 'tester' to sit near the banking tables in the Agora and in the market of Peiraieus. The judgment of this official as to the authenticity of any disputed piece was final. Any owl which was of silver and correct weight, whether it was struck in Athens or at a foreign mint, had to be accepted in commerce. Counterfeit pieces, on the other hand, were slashed by the dokimastes, withdrawn from circulation and dedicated to the Mother of the Gods. Such counterfeit owls have, in fact, been found near the Metroon, sanctuary of the Mother of the Gods." -- Greek and Roman Coins in the Athenian Agora, American School of Classical Studies at Athens (Princeton, NJ), 1975
Schlüsselwörter: Athens Attica Tetradrachm Athena crested Attic Helmet Olive Leaves Visor Palmette Earring Owl Crescent Spray Berry incuse Square Test Cut](images/image.gif?id=105266845917 "Klicken für Bild in voller Größe
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Athens in Attica, 454-431 BC., Tetradrachm, Kroll 8.
Athens in Attica, 454-431 BC.,
Tetradrachm (ø 23-25 mm / 16,75 g), silver, axes irregular alignment ↑↠(ca. 260°),
Obv.: head of Athena to right, smiling mouth, wearing crested Attic helmet adorned with three olive leaves over the visor and palmette turned upwards on the bowl, big round circular earring [with central boss], big test cut from visor to chin.
Rev.: [AΘE] , owl with \"prong\" tail standing right, head facing; behind, crescent and olive spray with a berry and two leaves in upper left field, [AΘE] to right, all within incuse square, four big test cuts plus several smaller ones.
Kroll-Walker 8 ; SNG Cop. 31-40 ; Dewing 1591-8 .
These classical types are the single most commonly seen test-cut ancient coins. Like many Athenian tetradrachms, this piece was test cut in ancient times with a hammer and chisel to authenticate it, making sure the interior was silver and not a base metal. This specimen was test cut many times, causing two flan cracks. Near the end of the Peloponnesian War against Sparta, Athens issued silver plated bronze coins. This is a rare example of that \"money of necessity\" or \"siege coinage\", an \"official fourée.\" This debasement is mentioned by Aristophanes in his play \"The Frogs.\"\"Yea for these, our sterling pieces, all of pure Athenian mould, All of perfect die and metal, all the fairest of the fair, All of workmanship unequalled, proved and valued everywhere Both amongst our own Hellenes and Barbarians far away, These we use not: but the worthless pinchbeck coins of yesterday, Vilest die and basest metal, now we always use instead.? Ancient coins were often chiseled to test the metal. In Athens this testing became official policy. \"To deal with [counterfeits], the Athenians passed a law in 375/4 B.C. which provided for a dokimastes or 'tester' to sit near the banking tables in the Agora and in the market of Peiraieus. The judgment of this official as to the authenticity of any disputed piece was final. Any owl which was of silver and correct weight, whether it was struck in Athens or at a foreign mint, had to be accepted in commerce. Counterfeit pieces, on the other hand, were slashed by the dokimastes, withdrawn from circulation and dedicated to the Mother of the Gods. Such counterfeit owls have, in fact, been found near the Metroon, sanctuary of the Mother of the Gods.\" -- Greek and Roman Coins in the Athenian Agora, American School of Classical Studies at Athens (Princeton, NJ), 1975
Schlüsselwörter: Athens Attica Tetradrachm Athena crested Attic Helmet Olive Leaves Visor Palmette Earring Owl Crescent Spray Berry incuse Square Test Cut")