Susa (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Zeus/biga of elephants) (296-281 BCE)
From SILVER
296 BCE - 281 BCE Silver 6,013 kg
Description
| Obverse: | Laureate head of Zeus to right |
| Reverse: | BAΣIΛEΩΣ - ΣEΛEΥKOΥ (Greek).Athena, brandishing spear overhead in her right hand and holding shield in her left, standing right in biga of elephants moving to right, above to right, spearhead, before elephants, monogram of MΩ |
Mint and issuing power
| Mint: | Susa | Ancient region: | Mesopotamia | 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 | 296 BCE | to | 281 BCE | Period: Hellenistic 323-30 BC 
|
Physical description
| Metal: | Silver
|
Median weight in grams | 17.20 | Denomination: | tetradrachm
|
Standard: | Attic |
Image
References
| Die study reference: | "[[Die study reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]1Kritt 1997, p. 20-24 (Type 3) | ||
| Coin series reference: | "[[Coin series reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]2Sear II, n° 6831-6832, "[[Coin series reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]3CSE, n° 1032, "[[Coin series reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]4HGC 9, n° 18, "[[Coin series reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]5SC I, n° 177 | ||
| Coin series web reference: | |||
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
| Number of obverses ᵖ (o) | 14 | Number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 3 |
| Number of reverse dies (r) | 34 | Number of coins (n) | 44 |
| Coins per obverse die (n/o) | 3.14 | Coins per reverse die (n/r) | 1.29 |
| Reverse per obverse ratio (r/o) | 2.43 | Percentage of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 21.43 % |
| Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula) ᵖ | 17.48 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per die ᵖ | 349,600 |
| Original number of dies (O) (Esty 2011 formula) ᵖ (O) | 20.53 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per die ᵖ | 0.00013 |
| Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 93.18% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000 ᵖ | 5,034.32 |
| Weight of silver (in kg) if 20,000 coins per die (O = Carter formula) ᵖ | 6,013 kg <br /> 6,013 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000 ᵖ | 12,585.81 |
Remarks
Most likely one single workstation Likely military
References
- ^ Kritt, Brian (1997), The Early Seleucid Mint of Susa, Lancaster, xviii, 202 p.
- ^ Sear, David R. (1979), Greek coins and their values. Vol. II, Asia and North Africa, London, xlviii, p. 317-762
- ^ Houghton, Arthur (1983), Coins of the Seleucid Empire from the collection of Arthur Houghton, Ancient Coins in North American Collections 4, New York, xiv, 122 p., 2 fold. charts, 77 pls.
- ^ Hoover, Oliver D. (2009), Handbook of ancient Syrian coins : royal and civic issues, fourth to first centuries BC, The Handbook of Greek Coinage 9, Lancaster, lxix, 332 p.
- ^ 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.
