Damascus (Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (128-125 BCE)
From SILVER
128 BCE - 125 BCE Silver 5,831 kg
Description
| ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | Diademed, bearded head of Demetrios II to right |
| ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΝΙΚΑΤΟΡΟΣ (Greek).Zeus seated left, holding Nike in his right hand and long scepter with his left, to outer left, monogram, monogram beneath throne, in exergue, EΠP |
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: | Demetrius II Nicator (Seleucid king, 145-140 and 129-125 BC), Seleucid Dynasty (312-63 BC) |
Chronology
| FromIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context. | 128 BCE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 125 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 | 16.50 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | tetradrachm
|
StandardStandard.: | Attic |
Image
S413 Damascus Demetrius II tetradrachm.jpg [1]
References
| Die study referencePublication of the study: | Schwei 20161Schwei 2016, p. 93-103, n° 1-141 | ||
| Coin series referenceReference to coin series study: | HGC 92HGC 9, n° 1116, SC II3SC II, n° 2179-2182 | ||
| 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 | 3 | 17.65 | 3 | 2.24 | 8, 9, 13 |
| 2 | 4 | 23.53 | 8 | 5.97 | 6, 15, 16, 17 |
| 3 | 2 | 11.76 | 6 | 4.48 | 2, 3 |
| 6 | 1 | 5.88 | 6 | 4.48 | 12 |
| 9 | 1 | 5.88 | 9 | 6.72 | 5 |
| 10 | 2 | 11.76 | 20 | 14.93 | 1, 10 |
| 12 | 1 | 5.88 | 12 | 8.96 | 4 |
| 19 | 1 | 5.88 | 19 | 14.18 | 7 |
| 24 | 1 | 5.88 | 24 | 17.91 | 11 |
| 27 | 1 | 5.88 | 27 | 20.15 | 14 |
| Total | 17 of 17 | 99.98 | 134 of 134 | 100.02 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
| Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | 17 | Number of singletons (o1)The number of singleton coins. ᵖ | 3 |
| Number of reverse diesNumber of reverse dies. (r) | 75 | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 134 |
| Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 7.88 | Coins per reverse dieNumber of coins per reverse die. (n/r) | 1.79 |
| Reverse per obverse ratioRatio of obverse dies divided by reverse dies. (r/o) | 4.41 | Percentage of singletons (o1)number of coins (n) divided by the number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 17.65 % |
| Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to Carter 1983 ᵖ | 17.67 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 353,400 |
| 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) | 19.47 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00038 |
| Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula)Esty 1984 - coverage (% of O) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 97.76% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/2,000. ᵖ | 15,166.95 |
| 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 | 5,831 kg <br /> 5,831 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 37,917.37 |
Remarks
Most likely more than 2 workstations
References
- ^ Schwei, David (2016), "The Reactions of Mint Workers to the Tumultuous Second Reign of Demetrius II Nicator", American Journal of Numismatic, 28, p. 80-90, n° 1-167.
- ^ Hoover, Oliver D. (2009), Handbook of ancient Syrian coins : royal and civic issues, fourth to first centuries BC, The Handbook of Greek Coinage 9, Lancaster, lxix, 332 p.
- ^ Houghton, Arthur - Lorber, Catharine C. - Hoover, Oliver D. (2008), Seleucid coins : a comprehensive catalogue. Part 2, Seleucus IV through Antiochus XIII, 2 v., New York - Lancaster - London, (xxx), 120 p. of plates : ill., maps, tables
