Sulla’s Occupation of Athens

469671.

Sold For $5750

ATTICA, Athens. Circa 165-42 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 16.71 g, 12h). New Style coinage. Roman occupation under Sulla. Struck 86-84 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Owl standing right, head facing, on amphora; monograms flanking, A on amphora; all within wreath. Thompson Group I, 1277 (same obv. die); Svoronos, Monnaies, pl. 78, 11 (same obv. die); HGC 4, 1777. Choice EF, darkly toned. Excellent metal.

Ex Stack’s (9 November 1946), lot 197.

After his conquest of Athens, Sulla struck silver tetradrachms and drachms there to finance his further campaigns. He used the well-established New Style design, but replaced the city’s ethnic and magistrate names with a pair of monograms. The meaning of these monograms is uncertain. Although the number of known dies indicates a large issue, these coins are quite scarce today.