CNG 112, Lot: 172. Estimate $1500. Sold for $2300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ATTICA, Athens. Circa 454-404 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 17.10 g, 6h). Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive sprig and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Kroll 8; HGC 4, 1597. Toned, minor edge split. EF. Well centered and struck.

The certain elements of the style of this tetradrachm, particularly the palmette on Athena’s helmet and the stance of the owl, suggest that this coin was among the earliest issues in the ubiquitous “frontal eye”/classical tetradrachms of the mid-late 5th century at Athens, as these features more closely resemble those found on the later groups of early-mid 5th century issues analyzed by Chester Starr.