S 1781 - Babylon? (Alexander the Great), silver, 2 shekels (elephant/quadriga) (325-323 BCE)
From SILVER
327 BCE - 323 BCE Silver 406 kg
Description
ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | Elephant advancing r., carrying two figures, one turning to look l. and holding a standard, the other, in front, holding a goad |
ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | Charioteer driving fast quadriga r., an archer stands in the chariot beside the driver, drawing a bow |
Mint and issuing power
MintIdentifies the place of manufacture or issue of a numismatic object.: | Babylon | Ancient regionAncient region.: | Mesopotamia | Modern countryModern country: Iraq | 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: | Alexander III the Great (Argead king, 336-323 BC) |
Chronology
FromIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context. | 327 BCE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 323 BCE | PeriodTime period of the numismatic object.: Classical 480-323 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 | 16.00 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | 2 shekels ![]() |
StandardStandard.: |
Image

S1781 Babylon Alexander 2 shekels elephant quadriga.jpg [1]
References
Die study referencePublication of the study: | Price 1991b1Price 1991b, p. 70, Holt 20032Holt 2003, p. 168 | ||
Coin series referenceReference to coin series study: |
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). |
3 | 1 | 100 | 3 | 100 | 1 |
Total | 1 of 1 | 100 | 3 of 3 | 100 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | 1 | Number of singletons (o1)The number of singleton coins. ᵖ | |
Number of reverse diesNumber of reverse dies. (r) | 2 | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 3 |
Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 3 | Coins per reverse dieNumber of coins per reverse die. (n/r) | 1.5 |
Reverse per obverse ratioRatio of obverse dies divided by reverse dies. (r/o) | 2 | Percentage of singletons (o1)number of coins (n) divided by the number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | % |
Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to Carter 1983 ᵖ | 1.27 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 25,400 |
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) | 1.5 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00012 |
Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula)Esty 1984 - coverage (% of O) ᵖ (o = % of O) | % | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/2,000. ᵖ | 4,724.41 |
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 | 406 kg <br /> 406 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 11,811.02 |
Remarks
Most likely one single workstation