id:			120477
accession number:	1941.296
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1941.296
updated:		2023-03-20 14:14:05.584000

Tetradrachm: Head of Athena (obverse); Owl (reverse), 449–440 BC. Greek, minted at Athens (Attica). Silver; diameter: 2.3 cm (7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Dr. Jacob Hirsch 1941.296

title:				Tetradrachm: Head of Athena (obverse); Owl (reverse)
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			449–440 BC
creation date earliest:		-449
creation date latest:		-440
current location:		
creditline:			Gift of Dr. Jacob Hirsch
copyright:			

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culture:	Greek, minted at Athens (Attica)
technique:	silver
department:	Greek and Roman Art
collection:	GR - Greek
type:		Coins
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Diameter: 2.3 cm (7/8 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

	inscription:	ΑΘΕ
	translation:	
	remark:		

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Stamps: Art in Miniature
	opening date:   1955-03-11T05:00:00
	<i>Stamps: Art in Miniature</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 11, 1955-May 12, 2017).

	title:		Stories From Storage
	opening date:   2021-02-07T05:00:00
	<i>Stories From Storage</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 7-May 16, 2021).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

	Dr. Jacob Hirsch, New York, NY, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art
	date: ?-1941
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
	date: 1941-
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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fun fact:
The images of Athena and her owl unmistakably identify this coin as Athenian.

digital description:
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.

wall description:

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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1941.296/1941.296_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1941.296/1941.296_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1941.296/1941.296_full.tif