Ancient Athens Coins to Debut at 2026 World’s Fair of Money

A Southern California woman’s fascination with artistic jewelry and other small, finely crafted objects has led her to assemble an outstanding collection of ancient Greek silver coins struck over 2,400 years ago in Athens and other historic, ancient Greek city-states.

Fourteen of the Athenian coins from collector Eva Qin’s Arcadia Collection will be displayed for the first time anywhere at the American Numismatic Association 2026 World’s Fair of Money® in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 25-29.

“The Arcadia Collection is one of the most carefully assembled private collections of ancient Greek classical-period coinage in recent years. This collection is not only about Athenian silver, but we’re only showing this part for the time being. The exhibit, in the ANA’s Museum Showcase area (booth #1430), includes one of the finest known surviving examples of the iconic dekadrachm of Athens,” stated Vera Liu, Marketing and Consignments Manager at Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. (www.CNGcoins.com), who has assisted Qin in building the collection.

The exhibition features fourteen exceptional silver coins spanning the almost complete denomination series of classical Athens, from the tiny seven-millimeter hemiobol to the magnificent dekadrachm. Each coin bears the portrait of Athena, goddess of wisdom, on the obverse and her sacred owl on the reverse. Together, they represent the coinage that helped establish Athens as both an economic and cultural power throughout the ancient Mediterranean.

David S. Michaels, Shows and Consignments Manager at Classical Numismatic Group and a widely recognized ancient coins expert, describes the Arcadia Collection as “an important holding of spectacular coins” and says that the different denominations of the Athenian owls at the time “were the most widely used international trade coins, and helped spread Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean world.”

“The Athenian currency system, known as the Attic standard, quickly spread throughout Greece and was based on a silver drachm containing about 4.3 grams of silver. Two drachms made a didrachm, while four made a tetradrachm, a thick, heavy coin weighing about 17.2 grams. A skilled artisan or a soldier in peacetime could expect to be paid one drachm per day; in wartime, a foot soldier received two drachms per day, and an oarsman aboard a warship was paid one drachm. The massive dekadrachm was valued at 10 drachms,” explained Michaels.

“The dekadrachm was of such great value it would not have been of practical use in everyday transactions,” he noted.

What prompted Qin to begin collecting coins only six years ago in 2020?

“I began because of a lifelong pursuit of beauty. I have always been drawn to jewelry and finely crafted objects d’art. What fascinates me most are objects that bring together aesthetic beauty, exceptional craftsmanship, and a sense of connection to human civilization. For years, I have sought this combination in the things I collect,” Qin said.

She was first introduced to ancient numismatics through coin jewelry.

“The more I learned about these coins, the more fascinated I became. I was astonished to discover that the ancient Greek coins I had previously associated with museum displays only were not merely objects to be admired behind glass but could actually be studied, appreciated, and collected by private individuals,” she stated.

“At first, I was simply captivated by the timeless beauty of the ancient Greek coins. Yet as I continued to learn more, I developed an increasingly profound interest in the history and civilization behind these coins. I gradually realized that ancient Greek coins embodied almost all the qualities I admire and pursue; each one was hammer-struck over two thousand years ago, serving as both a magnificent work of ancient Greek art and a precious artifact bearing the weight of history.”

She continued: “For me, ancient Greek coins represent the perfect intersection of art, craftsmanship, and human civilization. They resonate deeply with both my understanding of beauty and my philosophy of collecting. That, more than anything else, is what inspired me to begin collecting ancient Greek coins.”

Qin plans to exhibit artistic, classical coins of other historic, ancient Greek city-states in her collection at future numismatic conventions.

For additional information about Arcadia Collection, contact Vera Liu by email at vera@cngcoins.com.