• Finest Quality Ancient Greek, Roman & Byzantine Coins
  • Renaissance & 17th Century Dutch Medals
  • Auctions & Private Treaty Sales

Nomos 2

18 May 2010
Widder Hotel, Zürich
overview
Estimate: 1000 CHF
Hammer Price:  Unsold
Lot 77

ATTICA, Athens. Circa 455-449 BC. Obol (Silver, 0.70 g 10). Helmeted head of Athena to right, with three olive leaves over the visor and tendril on the bowl. Rev. ΑΘΕ Owl standing to right, with head facing and triple-pointed tail feathers; to left, long curved olive leaf and fruit. Jameson 1192. Starr Group V. Cf. Svoronos pl. 8, 33. Rare and attractively toned. Good very fine.


The Athenian obols of the second quarter of the 5th century are actually surprisingly rare and hard to find: far greater numbers were produced before the Persian invasion and then later in the century. The Athenians were obsessed by silver coins and were very much against the introduction of base metal replacements. They insisted on issuing silver fractions that were so tiny as to be almost unusable (such as the well-nigh ridiculous hemitartemorion, or 1/8 obol, which weighed c. 0.08 g!). The use of plated coins during the emergency situation at the end of the Peloponnesian War (Aristophanes called them “Red-Heads” because the silver surface soon wore through) also left a bad memory, and true Athenian bronzes only began to be produced in the 330s.

Online bidding closes: 18 May 2010, 09:00:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 28 Mar 2024, 18:16:16 CET Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:Unsold

Pre-Bidding closes on 18 Mai 2010 at 9:00 CEST. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

An error has occurred. This application may no longer respond until reloaded. Reload 🗙
Reconnecting, please wait...