Damascus (Antiochus VII), silver, tetradrachms (Antiochus VII/standing Athena) (138-129 BCE)
From SILVER
138 BCE - 129 BCE Silver 5,721 kg
Description
| ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | Diademed head of Antiochus VII right |
| ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY EYEPΓETOY (Greek).Athena standing left, resting left hand on grounded shield and extending right beyond royal epithet where she supports Nike left, extending wreath into border, vertical spear behind |
Mint and issuing power
| MintIdentifies the place of manufacture or issue of a numismatic object.: | Damascus | Ancient regionAncient region.: | Syria | Modern countryModern country: Syria | 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: | Antiochus VII Euergetes (Seleucid king, 138-129 BC), Seleucid Dynasty (312-63 BC) |
Chronology
| FromIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context. | 138 BCE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 129 BCE | PeriodTime period of the numismatic object.: Hellenistic 323-30 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 | 16.70 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | tetradrachm
|
StandardStandard.: | Attic |
Image
References
| Die study referencePublication of the study: | "[[Die study reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]1Iossif - Van den Hooven 2025, p. 132-136 | ||
| Coin series referenceReference to coin series study: | "[[Coin series reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]2CSE, n° 837, "[[Coin series reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]3SC I, n° 2096 | ||
| Coin series web referenceCoin series web references: | |||
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 | 2 | 12.5 | 2 | 2 | 5, 11 |
| 2 | 3 | 18.75 | 6 | 6 | 3, 9, 12 |
| 3 | 1 | 6.25 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 1 | 6.25 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | 2 | 12.5 | 10 | 10 | 2, 15 |
| 6 | 2 | 12.5 | 12 | 12 | 1, 7 |
| 7 | 1 | 6.25 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| 8 | 1 | 6.25 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 11 | 1 | 6.25 | 11 | 11 | 14 |
| 12 | 1 | 6.25 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| 25 | 1 | 6.25 | 25 | 25 | 16 |
| Total | 16 of 16 | 100 | 100 of 100 | 100 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
| Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | 16 | Number of singletons (o1)The number of singleton coins. ᵖ | 2 |
| Number of reverse diesNumber of reverse dies. (r) | 89 | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 100 |
| Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 6.25 | Coins per reverse dieNumber of coins per reverse die. (n/r) | 1.12 |
| Reverse per obverse ratioRatio of obverse dies divided by reverse dies. (r/o) | 5.56 | Percentage of singletons (o1)number of coins (n) divided by the number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 12.5 % |
| Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to Carter 1983 ᵖ | 17.13 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 342,600 |
| 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) | 19.05 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00029 |
| Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula)Esty 1984 - coverage (% of O) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 98% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/2,000. ᵖ | 11,675.42 |
| 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 | 5,721 kg <br /> 5,721 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 29,188.56 |
Remarks
Most likely one single workstation Likely military
References
- ^ Iossif, Panagiotis P. - Van den Hooven, Tim (2025), "Antiochos VII in Damascus. The silver coinage of a peripheral Seleucid mint," in Panagiotis P. Iossif and Yannis Stoyas (eds.), Fleur de Coin. Studies offered to François de Callataÿ by his students and friends, Phronesis 1, Athens, p. 128-173.
- ^ Houghton, Arthur (1983), Coins of the Seleucid Empire from the collection of Arthur Houghton, Ancient Coins in North American Collections 4, New York, xiv, 122 p., 2 fold. charts, 77 pls.
- ^ Houghton, Arthur - Lorber, Catharine (2002), Seleucid coins : a comprehensive catalogue. Part 1, Seleucus I through Antiochus III, New York - Lancaster - London, 2 v. (xxxviii, 488 p. + 300 p.), 101 pl.
