Damascus (Demetrius III), silver, tetradrachms (97-87 BCE)
From SILVER
97 BCE - 87 BCE Silver 9,040 kg
Description
| ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | Diademed and bearded head of Demetrios to right |
| ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ (Greek).Cult statue of Atargatis standing facing with a barley stalk rising from each shoulder, her right hand extended and holding a flower in her left, in the outer left field, Ν above Δ, all within laurel wreath |
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 III Philopator (Seleucid king, 97/6-88/7 BC), Seleucid Dynasty (312-63 BC) |
Chronology
| FromIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context. | 97 BCE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 87 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 | 15.70 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | tetradrachm
|
StandardStandard.: | Attic |
Image
S1062 Damadcus.jpg [1]
References
| Die study referencePublication of the study: | Hoover - Houghton - Veselý 20081Hoover - Houghton - Veselý 2008, p. 328-333 | ||
| Coin series referenceReference to coin series study: | Sear II2Sear II, n° 7191, SC II3SC II, n° 2451, HGC 94HGC 9, n° 1305 | ||
| 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 | 8 | 32 | 8 | 7.62 | 5, 10, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21, 25 |
| 2 | 5 | 20 | 10 | 9.52 | 2, 3, 16, 22, 24 |
| 3 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 8.57 | 9, 17, 19 |
| 4 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 7.62 | 7, 13 |
| 6 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 5.71 | 23 |
| 7 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 6.67 | 1 |
| 8 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 15.24 | 8, 12 |
| 9 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 8.57 | 4 |
| 13 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 12.38 | 11 |
| 19 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 18.1 | 6 |
| Total | 25 of 25 | 100 | 105 of 105 | 100 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
| Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | 25 | Number of singletons (o1)The number of singleton coins. ᵖ | 8 |
| Number of reverse diesNumber of reverse dies. (r) | 97 | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 105 |
| Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 4.2 | Coins per reverse dieNumber of coins per reverse die. (n/r) | 1.08 |
| Reverse per obverse ratioRatio of obverse dies divided by reverse dies. (r/o) | 3.88 | Percentage of singletons (o1)number of coins (n) divided by the number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 32 % |
| Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to Carter 1983 ᵖ | 28.79 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 575,800 |
| 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) | 32.81 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00018 |
| Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula)Esty 1984 - coverage (% of O) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 92.38% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/2,000. ᵖ | 7,294.2 |
| 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 | 9,040 kg <br /> 9,040 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 18,235.5 |
Remarks
Most likely one single workstation
References
- ^ Hoover, Oliver D. - Houghton, Arthur - Veselý, Petr (2008), "The Silver Mint of Damascus under Demetrius and Antiochus XII (97/6 BC-83/2 BC)," American Journal of Numismatics, 20, p. 305-336, pl. 75-80.
- ^ Sear, David R. (1979), Greek coins and their values. Vol. II, Asia and North Africa, London, xlviii, p. 317-762
- ^ 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
- ^ 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.
