Abdera, silver, drachms (griffin/various types) (386/5-365/60 BCE)
From SILVER
385 BCE - 360 BCE Silver 3,079 kg
Description
ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | ΕΠΙ + monetary name. (Greek).Griffin Griffin dashing to the left, both front legs raised in front of him, sitting on a line. |
ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | ABΔHPITEΩN (Greek).Head of Apollo with laurel wreath right, the whole in line square. |
Mint and issuing power
MintIdentifies the place of manufacture or issue of a numismatic object.: | Abdera | Ancient regionAncient region.: | Thrace | Modern countryModern country: Greece | AuthorityIdentifies the issuing power. The authority can be "pretended" when the name or the portrait of X is on the coin but he/she was not the issuing power. It can also be "uncertain" when there is no mention of X on the coin but he/she was the issuing power according to the historical sources: |
Chronology
FromIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context. | 385 BCE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 360 BCE | PeriodTime period of the numismatic object.: Classical 480-323 BC ![]() |
Physical description
MetalThe physical material (usually metal) from which an object is made.: | Silver ![]() |
Median weightMedian of the weights of numismatic objects (in grams). in grams | 2.75 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | drachma ![]() |
StandardStandard.: |
Image

AC109 Abdera.jpeg [1]
References
Die study referencePublication of the study: | May 19661May 1966 | ||
Coin series referenceReference to coin series study: | RQEMAC2RQEMAC, n° 109, HGC 3.23HGC 3.2, n° 1221-1223 |
Obverse dies distribution
FrequencyFrequency of specimen in distribution. ᵖ | Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | % (o) | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | % (n) | Die nameName(s) of the die(s). |
1 | 16 | 35.56 | 16 | 11.19 | 283, 284, 285, 286, 288, 289, 297, 299, 304, 321, 322, 326, 327, 332, 335, 337 |
2 | 11 | 24.44 | 22 | 15.38 | 287, 293, 300, 305, 316, 318, 320, 325, 329, 338, 339 |
3 | 3 | 6.67 | 9 | 6.29 | 319, 324, 328 |
4 | 6 | 13.33 | 24 | 16.78 | 282, 296, 330, 333, 334, 336 |
5 | 3 | 6.67 | 15 | 10.49 | 290, 298, 340 |
6 | 1 | 2.22 | 6 | 4.2 | 331 |
7 | 1 | 2.22 | 7 | 4.9 | 317 |
8 | 1 | 2.22 | 8 | 5.59 | 286 |
11 | 2 | 4.44 | 22 | 15.38 | 295, 303 |
14 | 1 | 2.22 | 14 | 9.79 | 294 |
Total | 45 of 45 | 99.99 | 143 of 143 | 99.99 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | 45 | Number of singletons (o1)The number of singleton coins. ᵖ | 16 |
Number of reverse diesNumber of reverse dies. (r) | NC"NC" is not a number. | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 143 |
Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 3.18 | Coins per reverse dieNumber of coins per reverse die. (n/r) | |
Reverse per obverse ratioRatio of obverse dies divided by reverse dies. (r/o) | Percentage of singletons (o1)number of coins (n) divided by the number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 35.56 % | |
Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to Carter 1983 ᵖ | 55.99 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 1,119,800 |
Original number of dies (O) (Esty 2011 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to the singleton formula in Esty 2011 ᵖ (O) | 65.66 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00013 |
Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula)Esty 1984 - coverage (% of O) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 88.81% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/2,000. ᵖ | 5,108.06 |
Weight of silver (in kg) if 20,000 coins per die (O = Carter formula)Carter 1983 * Median weight * 20000 (*10 if gold or electrum) ᵖ | 3,079 kg <br /> 3,079 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 12,770.14 |
Remarks
Most likely one single workstation
References
- ^ May, John M F. (1966), The coinage of Abdera (540-345 B.C.), RNS Spec. Publ. 3, London, 268 p., 24 pl.
- ^ Callataÿ, François de (2003), Recueil quantitatif des émissions monétaires archaïques et classiques, Numismatique Romaine, Wetteren, VII + 267 p.
- ^ Hoover, Oliver D. (2017), Handbook of Coins of Macedon and Its Neighbors. 3. Part 2: Thrace, Skythia, and Taurike, Sixth to First Centuries BC, Lancaster-London, xix, 232 p.