216 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



"0/3oXoy (obol, one sixth of a drachma), 

 TpiTTj^opLOP (three fourths of an obol), 

 'Hjxio^oXiov (half- obol), 

 'YeTapTTjjxopiov (quarter-obol), 



" The weight of the Attic drachma, as deduced from the relations 

 of the Attic silver weights, and from numerous comparisons of existing 

 specimens, has been estimated by Hussey at 66.5 grains ; by Boeckh, 

 at 67.4. If we assume 67, which is nearly the average of the two, 

 the weight of the tetrad rachmon, usually estimated at 266 gr., will be 

 268. The tetradrachmon now exhibited has lost, taking the larger 

 estimate, 12.01 gr. ; taking the smaller, 10.01 gr., or a little less than 

 five per cent. The drachma has lost 3.80 gr., or about six per cent. 

 The triobolon has lost 2.80 gr., or nearly nine per cent, and so on ; the 

 smaller the coin, the greater generally being the loss. But in all cases 

 the loss is surprisingly small, the difference between this tetradrachmon 

 and the standard weight being a less percentage than that between 

 some American dollars of different dates. Cardwell states that, of 

 twelve drachmas described in the Hunterian Catalogue, the heaviest 

 weighs 66^ gr., and only one weighs less than 60. Of the tetra- 

 drachma, of which the Catalogue enumerates one hundred and two, 

 seventy range over a difference from the standard weight of not more 

 than 10 gr., assuming the standard weight to be 266 gr., or 12, as- 

 suming it to be 268 gr. Of fourteen tetrad rachma in the British 

 Museum, the heaviest weighs 264 gr. 



"The drachma now exhibited is evidently very old, — probably 

 belonging to the sixth or the early part of the fifth century B. C. On 

 the obverse is the head of Athena (Minerva), in the ^ginetan style ; 

 on the reverse, the owl, with the olive-branch at the left and the legend 

 A e on the right. The following is an exact copy. 



" The figures on the smaller coins are traceable, though some of 

 them are much worn. 



" The tetradrachmon has on the obverse the head of Athena 

 helmeted and crested. On the reverse, the owl standing upon a diota, 

 on which is the letter H, and under it another H. The legend is 



