Nomos 22

ATTICA. Athens. Circa 490-480 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 22 mm, 17.12 g, 4 h). Head of Athena to right, wearing Attic helmet with crest and a spiral ornament on the bowl behind her ear. Rev. ΑΘΕ Heavy-bodied owl standing to right, head facing; in upper field to left, olive sprig with two leaves and a berry on a long, central stem; all within incuse square. Cf. BMC 3, Seltman 61 (A43/P48), and Svoronos, Trésor pl. 2, 29. Remarkably clear, well-centered and very boldly struck; with an unusual positioning of the alpha at the level of the owl's neckline rather than at the level of the owl's eyes. Minor marks and some flatness, otherwise, about extremely fine.

Coins like this, because of the ostensible crudity of the Athena head, were long thought to be the earliest of all the Athenian owl issues; some were dated as early as the time of Solon. In fact, hoard evidence proves that not only did the owls as a whole only begin in the 520s, but that 'early' coins like this were actually struck in the 480s; in the years just before and around the time of the battle of Marathon. Some have suggested that the need for coined silver was so desperate that even blacksmiths were pressed into service to make the dies; others even believe that the exceedingly crude examples were issued by the Persians. This piece, however, shows an unusually high degree of skill in its engraving, as well as the odd way the legend is positioned: perhaps the dies were made by a rustic artist from the countryside, but one with ambitions.