Athenian Coin: Brass Chain Necklace

This metal 4th century BC coin (copy) features Goddess Athena on one side & her wise Minerva owl attendant on the other—hanging upside down like a bat!

Universally known in ancient times simply as owls, you could buy something at the agora and pay “three owls” for it. The letters Alpha Theta Epsilon spells out as A(TH)E, the first three letters for Athens, the coin’s namesake city. This "owl" is about the size of a quarter, measuring just under 1in across.

An Indian brass bead (4mm) and a square turquoise bead (3mm) are wire-wrapped and connect the coin to the antique brass chain—the pendant hangs 1.5in long.

The brass lobster clasp can either connect to the slightly hammered brass jump ring, reflecting the necklace's length (18.5in), or clasp anywhere on the chain for more of a choker.

Thanks for taking a look and let me know if you have any questions!