NOT TODAY, EBAY (17)
By:
November 29, 2024
One in a series of posts via which Josh Glenn will share recent examples of stuff that he was tempted to purchase from eBay… but, heroically, didn’t.
ATTICA, Athens “OWL” NGC AU 5/5 4/5 440-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm 24mm 17.19g – 107
US $1,095.00
In 2021, while researching an owl-centric installment for the BESTIARY series, here at HILOBROW, for the first time I became aware of the Athenian tetradrachm — a coin known throughout the ancient world as the γλαύξ (little owl). Stamped with the head of Athena (patron deity of the city-state) on its obverse, the coin’s reverse featured a depiction of Athena’s owl.
My research made me want to possess one of these coins. Which are surprisingly affordable, given that they are artifacts dating to the fifth-century BC. That’s because Athens produced a vast quantity of tetradrachms — mostly struck between 454- 404 BC, around the time of the Peloponnesian War. In addition to funding this conflict, the silver was used to fund the ambitious Periklean building campaigns on the Akropolis.
The particular coin shown here — “Head of Athena right, with frontal eye, wearing earring, necklace, and crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves over visor and a spiral palmette on the bowl / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent to left, AΘE to right; all within incuse square” — is thought to date to some time between 440–404 BC. Nearly 2,500 years ago. Amazing!
Maybe some day.
MORE FURSHLUGGINER THEORIES BY JOSH GLENN: SCHEMATIZING | IN CAHOOTS | JOSH’S MIDJOURNEY | POPSZTÁR SAMIZDAT | VIRUS VIGILANTE | TAKING THE MICKEY | WE ARE IRON MAN | AND WE LIVED BENEATH THE WAVES | IS IT A CHAMBER POT? | I’D LIKE TO FORCE THE WORLD TO SING | THE ARGONAUT FOLLY | THE PERFECT FLANEUR | THE TWENTIETH DAY OF JANUARY | THE REAL THING | THE YHWH VIRUS | THE SWEETEST HANGOVER | THE ORIGINAL STOOGE | BACK TO UTOPIA | FAKE AUTHENTICITY | CAMP, KITSCH & CHEESE | THE UNCLE HYPOTHESIS | MEET THE SEMIONAUTS | THE ABDUCTIVE METHOD | ORIGIN OF THE POGO | THE BLACK IRON PRISON | BLUE KRISHMA | BIG MAL LIVES | SCHMOOZITSU | YOU DOWN WITH VCP? | CALVIN PEEING MEME | DANIEL CLOWES: AGAINST GROOVY | DEBATING IN A VACUUM | PLUPERFECT PDA | SHOCKING BLOCKING.