Athens silver tetradrachm, 449-435 BC; 17.4 gm, Sear 2526; Choice EF!
Obv: Head of Athena facing right, wearing a crested helmet with three olive leaves and a floral scroll.
Rev: Owl standing right, facing head-on; olive branch and crescent behind the owl, letters Alpha Theta Epsilon in front, standing for Athens; all within an incuse square.
Both sides are particularly well centered, with very high relief. The metal is clean with no porosity whatsoever. While both sides exhibit outstanding detail, the reverse side is really remarkable and the scan just doesn't do it justice. The phenomenal level of detail on the head and breast feathers can only be fully appreciated by viewing the coin from various angles which obviously a scan can't show you, and it really stands out under magnification with good lighting.
This is from the second of the four Athena/Owl series, and is the most popular version for collectors. This type of coin became the hallmark of the city of Athens and was retained for more than 400 years. If you've always dreamed of owning a choice specimen of this highly sought-after collector's favorite, you need look no further.
