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

449–407 BCE · silver

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

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.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineTetradrachm: Head of Athena (obverse); Owl (reverse), 449–407 BCE. Greek, minted at Athens (Attica). Silver; diameter: 2.3 cm (7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.992
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