S 42 - Aradus (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Alexander the Great) (301 BCE)
From SILVER
301 BCE - 301 BCE Silver 9,571 kg
Description
ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | Head of Heracles right, wearing Nemean lion skin headdress. |
ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ (Greek).Zeus sitting in throne, facing left, right arme stretched, scepter in left hand, eagle perched upon right hand. Symbols in left field. |
Mint and issuing power
MintIdentifies the place of manufacture or issue of a numismatic object.: | Aradus | Ancient regionAncient region.: | Syria (Phoenicia) | 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: | Alexander III the Great (Argead king, 336-323 BC), Seleucid Dynasty (312-63 BC), Seleucus I Nicator (satrap in 321-305 BC and Seleucid king in 305-281 BC) |
Chronology
FromIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context. | 301 BCE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 301 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 | 17.00 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | tetradrachm ![]() |
StandardStandard.: | Attic |
Image

S 42 - Aradus, Seleucus I, Tetradrachm, Alexander the Great, 301 BCE.jpg [1]
References
Die study referencePublication of the study: | Houghton 19911Houghton 1991, p. 99-117 | ||
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). |
1 | 9 | 47.37 | 9 | 20.93 | 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18 |
2 | 2 | 10.53 | 4 | 9.3 | 10, 17 |
3 | 5 | 26.32 | 15 | 34.88 | 1, 4, 7, 16, 19 |
4 | 1 | 5.26 | 4 | 9.3 | 2 |
5 | 1 | 5.26 | 5 | 11.63 | 8 |
6 | 1 | 5.26 | 6 | 13.95 | 5 |
Total | 19 of 19 | 100 | 43 of 43 | 99.99 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | 19 | Number of singletons (o1)The number of singleton coins. ᵖ | 9 |
Number of reverse diesNumber of reverse dies. (r) | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 43 | |
Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 2.26 | 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 | 47.37 % | |
Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to Carter 1983 ᵖ | 28.15 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 563,000 |
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) | 34.04 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00008 |
Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula)Esty 1984 - coverage (% of O) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 79.07% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/2,000. ᵖ | 3,055.06 |
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 | 9,571 kg <br /> 9,571 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 7,637.66 |
Remarks
References
- ^ Houghton, Arthur (1991), "The Antioch Project," in William E. Metcalf (ed.), Mnemata : papers in memory of Nancy M. Waggoner, New York, p. 73-97