ATTICA. Athens. Circa 510-500/490 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 22 mm, 16.95 g, 3 h). Head of Athena to right, wearing an Attic helmet, with a crest mounted on a holder made from triangles and pellets, a visor and a spiral ornament on the bowl behind her ear, a disc earring and with the hair over her forehead shown in tight curls. Rev. ΑΘΕ Owl standing to right, head facing; in upper field to left, olive sprig with two leaves and a berry; all within incuse square. Asyut 321-327 var. Cf. Seltman 382 ff. Svoronos, Trésor pl. 4, cf. 34. A beautiful, sharply struck coin with a refined head of Athena. Nearly extremely fine.

The engraver who produced the obverse die for this coin was unusually gifted - while the head shares many of the Archaic characteristics of the usual Athenian issues of this period, there is an unexpected delicacy about it. The nose and eye are prominent, but the mouth lacks the exaggerated lips so often found. The use of elaborate curls over Athena's forehead, rather than the usual pattern of dots, is also quite special.