$OWL
Athenian owl coin is a famous ancient Greek coin featuring the symbol of wisdom - the owl. These coins have captured the imagination of many, including President Roosevelt who carried one with him. Not only were these coins used as currency in ancient Athens between 510-38 BC, but they were also widely circulated throughout the Greek world and beyond. There is much to say about these coins and the changes that were made over the centuries in which they were produced. The scope of this blog is limited, focusing on most popular period: 450-404 BC. Among others, we will discuss the appearance of the coin, its meaning, how authenticity was checked and its value, both in the past and now.
Athenian "owls," as they were called, were minted in Athens for over four hundred years, beginning in the 510s BCE. The coin type of these coins is called a “tetradrachm”. “Tetra” comes from Greek τετρα meaning four. Hence one tetradrachm is equivalent to four drachmae. The coin weighs approximately 17.2g which makes it heavier than 3 US quarters. Aside from the imagery and relief of the coin, this feature makes them an impressive and heavy coin to behold.Athenians minted these coins prolifically using its own silver mines. Coins were used to finance Parthenon and Acropolis as well as several wars. Moreover, owls became the standard throughout the ancient world, not merely Athens. This popularity caused their design to remain nearly identical for centuries, even though other city-states were experimenting with more intricate designs. As you’ve now seen, these coins