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| Davissons, Ltd. > E-Auction 53 | Auction date: 8 July 2026 |
| Lot number: 87 Price realized: 750 USD (Approx. 657 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: ARABIA. Southern. Saba' 4th-3rd centuries B.C. AR nsf or unit. 5.34 gm. 15 mm. Imitating Athens. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet; 'n' in South Arabian (mark of value) on cheek / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent to left, crescent and AΘE to right. Van Alfen, Studies, Group SII.A, 4a (O1/R3 - this coin). CAF 1.1i. SNG ANS 1455. HGC 10, 720 var. (crescent not noted). Very Fine; lightly iridescent toning; well centered on even flan. Choice for issue. The Peter Bartlett Collection. Ex CNG 41 (19 March 1997) lot 789. In ancient times, the Athenian tetradrachm was widely accepted as a trade coin around the Mediterranean and frontier regions to the East, due to its high mintages and the reliable fineness of its silver. Its recurring motif of the head of Athena and the owl were widely imitated by various local authorities. In the 5th and 4th centuries B.C., these included Persia, Baktria, Phoenicia, Judaea, Samaria, Egypt, and Arabia, peaking in the 4th century B.C. when official production of owls declined after the Peloponnesian War ended in 404 B.C. The arrival of Alexander the Great and the spread of his tetradrachms replaced the owls, with the exception of South Arabia, where the obverse evolved from the female form of Athena to the male. Estimate: 300 USD |  |
