S 1691 - Parthia (uncertain mint) (Pacorus II), silver, drachms (78-120 CE)
From SILVER
78 CE - 120 CE Silver 24,834 kg
Description
ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | Bare-headed bust of king l. with long pointed beard, wearing diadem with large loop behind and earring |
ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | (Greek).Archer seated r. on throne holding bow, below bow a large A monogram topped by horizontal stroke and with pellet below, Greek legend in straight lines around. |
Mint and issuing power
MintIdentifies the place of manufacture or issue of a numismatic object.: | Parthia (uncertain mint) | Ancient regionAncient region.: | Parthia | Modern countryModern country: Iran | 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: | Parthian Empire |
Chronology
FromIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context. | 78 CE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 120 CE | PeriodTime period of the numismatic object.: Roman from 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 | 3.60 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | drachma ![]() |
StandardStandard.: |
Image

S1691 Pacorus drachm.jpg [1]
References
Die study referencePublication of the study: | Sellwood 19981Sellwood 1998 | ||
Coin series referenceReference to coin series study: | Sellwood 19802Sellwood 1980, n° 78 |
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 | 82 | 69.49 | 82 | 50.62 | |
2 | 29 | 24.58 | 58 | 35.8 | |
3 | 6 | 5.08 | 18 | 11.11 | |
4 | 1 | 0.85 | 4 | 2.47 | |
Total | 118 of 118 | 100 | 162 of 162 | 100 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | 118 | Number of singletons (o1)The number of singleton coins. ᵖ | 82 |
Number of reverse diesNumber of reverse dies. (r) | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 162 | |
Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 1.37 | Coins per reverse dieNumber of coins per reverse die. (n/r) | |
Reverse per obverse ratioRatio of obverse dies divided by reverse dies. (r/o) | Percentage of singletons (o1)number of coins (n) divided by the number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 69.49 % | |
Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to Carter 1983 ᵖ | 344.92 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 6,898,400 |
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) | 434.45 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00002 |
Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula)Esty 1984 - coverage (% of O) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 49.38% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/2,000. ᵖ | 939.35 |
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 | 24,834 kg <br /> 24,834 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 2,348.37 |
Remarks
References
- ^ Sellwood, David (1998), "A die count for a group of Parthian drachms", in Richard Ashton and Silvia Hurter (eds.), Studies in Greek Numismatics in Memory of Martin Jessop Price, London, p. 317-320, pl. 68.
- ^ Sellwood, David (1980), An introduction to the coinage of Parthia, 2nd ed., London, Spink & Son, 322 p., 10 pl.