Electrotype Replica of Tetradrachm: Head of Athena (obverse); Owl (reverse) (1838–1916): Art, History and Details

Electrotype Replica of Tetradrachm: Head of Athena (obverse); Owl (reverse) (1838–1916) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

With a green tint betraying its copper content, this coin is an electrotype replica created more than a century ago. It precisely replicates the form of a 2nd-century BC original. Retaining the basic scheme of Athena and owl from earlier Athenian coinage, these “New Style” tetradrachms—as scholars call them—give the goddess a more naturalistic appearance and add an amphora, olive wreath, and magistrate names to the reverse.

Object facts

• Title: Electrotype Replica of Tetradrachm: Head of Athena (obverse); Owl (reverse)
• Date: 1838–1916
• Culture: Greece (?)
• Type: Coins
• Technique: Silver-plated copper alloy (?)
• Dimensions: Diameter: 3 cm (1 3/16 in.)
• Collection: GR - Greek
• Department: Greek and Roman Art
• Accession number: 1916.977

A detail from the museum

This silver-plated replica weighs about 12 grams, nearly 30% less than a pure silver tetradrachm.

Collection credit

Gift of J. H. Wade

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.