Catalog
Silver 5 Asses Owl series I: facing right
| Issuer | Populonia |
|---|---|
| Year | 301 BC - 206 BC |
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| Composition | Silver |
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| Obverse description | Facing owl depicted in three-quarter view, turned to the right, rendered in high relief within an incuse circle. The bird's large, prominent round eyes are clearly articulated, and the feathering of the wings and body is carefully detailed in the archaic Etruscan tradition. The numeral 'V', denoting the value of 5 Asses, appears in the left field before the owl. The composition is bold and centrally placed, consistent with the characteristic iconography of Populonian silver coinage. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | V (Translation: 5) |
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| Additional information |
Populonia was the only Etruscan city-state known to have struck its own coinage directly, rather than relying on imported or mercenary-minted issues. The mint operated at a time when Rome was consolidating control over the Italian peninsula, and Populonian silver circulated in an environment of intense political and military pressure. The "var." notations against both Vecchi and EC references suggest this piece deviates from catalogued dies — not unusual given the small, workshop-scale production at Populonia, where die consistency was never a priority.