Gemini III, January 9th, 2007



                  Lot # 133Estimate: US$225000
                  ATTICA. Athens. Silver decadrachm 



             



            ATTICA. Athens. Ca. 475–465 BC. Silver decadrachm (42.30 gm). Head 
            of Athena right, wearing pendant earring and crested Attic helmet 
            ornamented with three olive leaves above visor and spiral palmette 
            on bowl / A—Č—E, owl with spread wings standing facing, olive sprig 
            to upper left, outline of square die visible. Cf. Seltman 446 
            (obverse) and 452 (reverse). Starr 52–62. Beautifully centered and 
            struck in high relief. With far fewer planchet defects on reverse 
            than are normally encountered on this extremely important issue. One 
            of the most important coins in the entire Greek series. About 
            extremely fine/extremely fine. 

            From a California collection. 

            Prior to 1984, the allure of the Athenian decadrachm lay in the very 
            small number of extant specimens and in the impression that the 
            exceptional denomination must represent a special issue. The 
            specimens that have appeared since that date have increased the 
            total number of obverse dies and have revealed some slight stylistic 
            development. These factors point to a rather substantial original 
            coinage that may not be consistent with a special commemorative 
            issue. Instead it may be more appropriate to regard the decadrachms 
            as an expression of the great wealth and power of imperial Athens in 
            the 470s and 460s BC, when the city led the Delian League against 
            Persia, culminating in a great victory at the Eurymedon (ca. 467 
            BC). Viewed in this way, the Athenian decadrachms invite comparison 
            with other sustained issues of decadrachms which evoke the courtly 
            luxury of Syracuse under the tyranny of Dionysius I, and even those 
            commemorating the Ptolemaic queen Arsinoe Philadelphus, which also 
            emanated from an extravagant court. These comparisons remind us that 
            Cimon, strategos of the Delian League for most of this period, was a 
            wealthy noble and leader of the aristocratic faction at Athens. 
            Apparently he created a cultural milieu at Athens somewhat 
            reminiscent of a court, with lavish entertainments, euergetic 
            donations—and a high-value coinage suitable for personal 
            presentation or splashy donatives. Such displays undoubtedly 
            exacerbated the hostility of the democratic faction and helped 
            inspire his trial on bribery charges in 463. 






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  ... Lot 133 sold for high bid of $325000 [ $373750, or approx 288908.75 EUR, 190612.5 GBP including the 15% buyers fee.] 


Re-used by permission of Harlan J Berk (www.harlanjberk.com) and
                         Freeman & Sear (www.freemanandsear.com)