Obv. Head of Athena right.
Rev. AΘE, owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind.
Silver, 16,67 g, 20,8 mm. SNG Cop. 64; HGC 1600. Near Very Fine.
After the successful market debut of the tetradrachms of Alexander the Great, the issue volume of the Athenian tetradrachms dropped drastically. Currently, those minted in the Hellenistic period are rarely offered in trade. The decisive clue as to their dating is provided by the four aphlaston fingers on the helmet, for which the term "style quadridigité" was introduced (Flament 2007: 133). Capturing an aphlaston on the stern of a ship was considered a sign of victory in a sea battle, and the Athenian tetradrachms were to commemorate the decisive victory at Salamis in 480 BC.
