Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, hemidrachms (Heracles/Zeus - ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ) (293-280 BCE)
From SILVER
293 BCE - 280 BCE Silver 254 kg
Description
| Obverse: | Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress. |
| Reverse: | ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ (Greek).Zeus seated left on low throne, holding long scepter in his left hand and eagle standing right with closed wings in his right, to left, monogram and anchor above forepart of a horse grazing left, below throne, monogram |
Mint and issuing power
| Mint: | Ecbatana | Ancient region: | Media | Modern country: Iran | Authority: | Seleucid Dynasty (312-63 BC), Seleucus I Nicator (satrap in 321-305 BC and Seleucid king in 305-281 BC) |
Chronology
| From | 293 BCE | to | 280 BCE | Period: Hellenistic 323-30 BC 
|
Physical description
| Metal: | Silver
|
Median weight in grams | 2.10 | Denomination: | hemidrachm
|
Standard: | Attic |
Image
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References
| Die study reference: | "[[Die study reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]1Boillet 2009, p. 79-81, n° 254-258 | ||
| Coin series reference: | "[[Coin series reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]2SC I, n° 213-214 | ||
| Coin series web reference: | |||
Obverse dies distribution
| Frequency ᵖ | Number of obverses ᵖ (o) | % (o) | Number of coins (n) | % (n) | Die name |
| 1 | 3 | 100 | 3 | 60 | 1, 2, 3 |
| Total | 3 of 3 | 100 | 3 of 5 | 60 |
Reverse dies distribution
| Frequency ᵖ | Number of reverse dies (r) | % (r) | Number of coins (n) | % (n) | Die name |
| 1 | 2 | 50 | 2 | 40 | 9, 11 |
| 3 | 1 | 25 | 3 | 60 | 10 |
| Total | 3 of 4 | 75 | 5 of 5 | 100 |
Quantification
| Number of obverses ᵖ (o) | 3 | Number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 2 |
| Number of reverse dies (r) | 4 | Number of coins (n) | 5 |
| Coins per obverse die (n/o) | 1.67 | Coins per reverse die (n/r) | 1.25 |
| Reverse per obverse ratio (r/o) | 1.33 | Percentage of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 66.67 % |
| Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula) ᵖ | 6.05 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per die ᵖ | 121,000 |
| Original number of dies (O) (Esty 2011 formula) ᵖ (O) | 7.5 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per die ᵖ | 0.00004 |
| Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 60% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000 ᵖ | 1,652.89 |
| Weight of silver (in kg) if 20,000 coins per die (O = Carter formula) ᵖ | 254 kg <br /> 254 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000 ᵖ | 4,132.23 |
Remarks
Most likely one single workstation Likely military
References
- ^ Boillet, Pierre-Yves (2009), Ecbatane et la Médie d’Alexandre aux Arsacides (c. 331 a.C. - c. 224 p.C.). Histoire monétaire et économique, unpublished doctoral dissertation, Bordeaux University.
- ^ 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.
