Thebes, electrum, hemidrachms (Dionysos/seated infant Heracles strangling serpents) (367-362 BCE)
From SILVER
367 BCE - 362 BCE Electrum 2,863 kg
Description
| ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | Bearded head of Dionysos to right, wearing ivy wreath. |
| ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | ΘΕ (Greek).The infant Herakles seated facing, strangling two serpents, all within incuse square |
Mint and issuing power
| MintIdentifies the place of manufacture or issue of a numismatic object.: | Thebes | Ancient regionAncient region.: | Boeotia | 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: |
Chronology
| FromIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context. | 367 BCE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 362 BCE | PeriodTime period of the numismatic object.: Classical 480-323 BC 
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Physical description
| MetalThe physical material (usually metal) from which an object is made.: | Electrum http://nomisma.org/id/el | Median weightMedian of the weights of numismatic objects (in grams). in grams | 3.02 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | hemidrachm
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StandardStandard.: |
Image
References
| Die study referencePublication of the study: | "[[Die study reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]1Gartland 2013, p. 23-24, "[[Die study reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]2Fischer-Bossert 2025, p. 259-260 | ||
| Coin series referenceReference to coin series study: | |||
| Coin series web referenceCoin series web 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 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 6.67 | 2 |
| 2 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 13.33 | 3 |
| 3 | 1 | 25 | 3 | 20 | 4 |
| 9 | 1 | 25 | 9 | 60 | 1 |
| Total | 4 of 4 | 100 | 15 of 15 | 100 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
| Number of obversesNumber of obverse dies. ᵖ (o) | 4 | Number of singletons (o1)The number of singleton coins. ᵖ | 1 |
| Number of reverse diesNumber of reverse dies. (r) | 4 | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 15 |
| Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 3.75 | Coins per reverse dieNumber of coins per reverse die. (n/r) | 3.75 |
| Reverse per obverse ratioRatio of obverse dies divided by reverse dies. (r/o) | 1 | Percentage of singletons (o1)number of coins (n) divided by the number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 25 % |
| Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula)The estimation of the number of coins according to Carter 1983 ᵖ | 4.74 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 94,800 |
| 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) | 5.45 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00016 |
| Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula)Esty 1984 - coverage (% of O) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 93.33% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/2,000. ᵖ | 6,329.11 |
| 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 | 2,863 kg <br /> 2,863 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 15,822.78 |
Remarks
Most likely two workstations Likely military The die study of Gartland 2013 has been improved by Brad Nelson in an appendix to Fischer-Bossert 2025
References
- ^ Gartland, Samuel D. (2013), "The Electrum Coinage of Thebes," Numismatic Chronicle, 173, p. 23–32.
- ^ Fischer-Bossert, Wolfgang (2025), "Pindar, die Sirene und der Tempelraub," in Kata Endreffy , Christopher A. Faraone and Hans Rupprecht Goette (eds), Everything Is Illuminated. Studies on Graeco-Roman Iconography in Honour of Árpád M. Nagy, Studia Archaeologica 274, Rome, L'Erma di Breitschneider, p. 225-275.
