RQEM ad. 26 - Edessa (Macedon) (Gordian III), bronze, dupondii (241-242 CE)
From SILVER
241 CE - 242 CE Bronze
Description
ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | Several legends: 1) Αὐτ(οκράτωρ) Κ(αίσαρ) M(ᾶρκος) ᾽Ατώνι.ος Γορδιανός ; 2) Σα.β.ίνι.α Τρανκυλλείνα (Greek).Several types: 1) Bust of Gordian III right, wearing laurel wreath (and radiate crown), armour and drapery. Border of dots, 2) Bust of Tranquillina right, wearing diadem and drapery. |
ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | Several legends: 1) ᾽Εδεσσαίων ; 2) ᾽Εδεσσέων (Greek).Personified Rome seated on shield and armour left, wearing Attic helmet and chiton, sword in the belt, holding Nike stephanephoros in right hand. Behind her, personified Edessa, facing, wearing mural crown, peplos and chiton, holding spear and crowning Rome. Border of dots. |
Mint and issuing power
MintIdentifies the place of manufacture or issue of a numismatic object.: | Edessa | Ancient regionAncient region.: | Macedon | 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: | Gordian III (Roman emperor, 238-244 AD), Roman Empire, Tranquillina (Roman empress, 241-244 AD) |
Chronology
FromIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context. | 241 CE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 242 CE | PeriodTime period of the numismatic object.: Roman from 30 BC ![]() |
Physical description
MetalThe physical material (usually metal) from which an object is made.: | Bronze ![]() |
Median weightMedian of the weights of numismatic objects (in grams). in grams | 8.50 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | dupondius ![]() |
StandardStandard.: |
Image

RQEM_ad_26.png "Paris, BnF, Fonds général 713 (https" has not been listed as valid URI scheme.[Paris, BnF, Fonds général 713 (https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8590467b)]
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 | 5 | 21.74 | 5 | 3.42 | 2 (Gor.), 3 (Gor.), 5 (Gor.), 15 (Gor.), 4 (Tran.) |
2 | 3 | 13.04 | 6 | 4.11 | 16 (Gor.), 17 (Gor.), 20 (Gor.) |
3 | 2 | 8.7 | 6 | 4.11 | 6 (Gor.), 2 (Tran.) |
5 | 2 | 8.7 | 10 | 6.85 | 13 (Gor.), 18 (Gor.) |
6 | 1 | 4.35 | 6 | 4.11 | 4 (Gor.) |
8 | 4 | 17.39 | 32 | 21.92 | 7 (Gor.), 8 (Gor.), 10 (Gor.), 3 (Tran.) |
9 | 1 | 4.35 | 9 | 6.16 | 14 (Gor.) |
10 | 1 | 4.35 | 10 | 6.85 | 1 (Gor.) |
12 | 1 | 4.35 | 12 | 8.22 | 9 (Gor.) |
14 | 1 | 4.35 | 14 | 9.59 | 11 (Gor.) |
18 | 2 | 8.7 | 36 | 24.66 | 12 (Gor.), 19 (Gor.) |
Total | 23 of 23 | 100.02 | 146 of 146 | 100 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | 23 | Number of singletons (o1)The number of singleton coins. ᵖ | 5 |
Number of reverse diesNumber of reverse dies. (r) | 53 | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 146 |
Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 6.35 | Coins per reverse dieNumber of coins per reverse die. (n/r) | 2.75 |
Reverse per obverse ratioRatio of obverse dies divided by reverse dies. (r/o) | 2.3 | Percentage of singletons (o1)number of coins (n) divided by the number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 21.74 % |
Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to Carter 1983 ᵖ | 24.57 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 491,400 |
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) | 27.3 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00030 |
Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula)Esty 1984 - coverage (% of O) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 96.58% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/2,000. ᵖ | 11,884.41 |
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 | n.a. | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 29,711.03 |
Remarks
The coinage of Gordian is divided in 2 iconographic groups: the coins with the portrait of the emperor (subdivided in 2 groups) and those with the portrait of Tranquillina (subdivided in 2 groups). Metrology p. 189-209.
References
- ^ E. Papaefthymiou, Edessa de Macédoine. Etude historique et numismatique, Athens, 2002