The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of June 10, 2023

Tetradrachm: Head of Athena (obverse); Owl (reverse)

449–440 BC

Part of a set. See all set records

Greek, minted at Athens

(Attica)

Silver

Diameter: 2.3 cm (7/8 in.)

Gift of Dr. Jacob Hirsch 1941.296

Location

not on view

Fun Fact

The images of Athena and her owl unmistakably identify this coin as Athenian.

Description

Incorporating the first three letters of the city name—ΑΘΕ—with then-iconic images of the patron goddess Athena and her owl, the Athenian tetradrachm was among the most widely traded and most recognizable coins of the ancient world. The olive leaves on Athena’s helmet and the small crescent moon behind the owl date this coin after the Persian Wars.

Inscriptions

Inscription

ΑΘΕ

Inscription Translation

ATHE, indicates that this coin is from Athens

Inscription Remark

Reverse

Provenance
?-1941
Dr. Jacob Hirsch, New York, NY, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art
1941-
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Exhibition history

Stamps: Art in Miniature. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 11, 1955-May 12, 2017).

Stories From Storage. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 7-May 16, 2021).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1941.296