Athenian coins depicted an owl on the obverse side. For this reason, they were called “owls”. Athens’s protector deity was the goddess Athena. The Parthenon was her temple and the owl her sacred symbol.
What did the ancient Greeks put on their coins?
A blank disk of gold, silver, or electrum (a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver) was put between the two moulds and struck hard with a hammer, stamping the design on both sides of the coin. To start with the weight of coins might differ from one city state to another.
What did the first ever coin look like?
The first coins The world’s first coins appeared around 600 B.C., jingling around in the pockets of the Lydians, a kingdom tied to ancient Greece and located in modern-day Turkey. They featured the stylized head of a lion and were made of electrum, an alloy of gold and silver.
What were Athenian coins made of?
The coins were made of pure metal so they were not just a currency with symbolic value, but also bullion and thus a means of exporting the metal itself. Silver was probably the single most important Athenian export.
What was the picture on an ancient Greek coin called?
Ancient Greek Coins Facts If you were from Corinth, then you would have a coin which had the picture of Pegasus, which was a flying horse. Now the small coins used to be called obolus. if someone had the job of unloading the boats or of digging ditches then, they would probably get around 2 oboloi a day.
Why are ancient Greek coins so valuable to collectors?
Today ancient Greek coins are also numismatic coins. This means that they are worth more than the value of their precious metal and are therefore valuable collectibles. Their added value is mainly a result of their ancient history and rarity. In this article, we will explore 15 distinctive ancient Greek coins of the Classical period.
How tall is the Owl on an ancient Greek coin?
The Greeks did not consider birds to be divine, but many became the symbolic animals of various gods. The species depicted on the reverse of the Owl tetradrachms has been identified as Athene noctua, the Little Owl. They are found in the Mediterranean region and stand only six to eight inches tall, weighing between 2.5 and 4.5 ounces.
Which is the oldest coin in the world?
The Lydian Lion is widely considered the oldest coin in the world. These coins predate ancient Greek coinage and were created in the ancient Kingdom of Lydia, which was located in modern-day western Turkey.
