Thebes, electrum, obols (Dionysos/seated infant Heracles strangling serpents) (367-362 BCE)
From SILVER
367 BCE - 362 BCE Electrum 816 kg
Description
| Obverse: | Head of bearded Dionysos r. wearing wreath of ivy |
| Reverse: | ΘΕ (Greek).Infant Herakles kneeling r., strangling serpents. Ethnic variously arranged, round incuse |
Mint and issuing power
| Mint: | Thebes | Ancient region: | Boeotia | Modern country: Greece | Authority: |
Chronology
| From | 367 BCE | to | 362 BCE | Period: Classical 480-323 BC 
|
Physical description
| Metal: | Electrum http://nomisma.org/id/el | Median weight in grams | 1.01 | Denomination: | obol
|
Standard: |
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.]]1Gartland 2013, p. 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. 260 | ||
| Coin series reference: | |||
| Coin series web reference: | |||
Obverse dies distribution
| Frequency ᵖ | Number of obverses ᵖ (o) | % (o) | Number of coins (n) | % (n) | Die name |
| 1 | 1 | 33.33 | 1 | 12.5 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | 33.33 | 2 | 25 | 3 |
| 5 | 1 | 33.33 | 5 | 62.5 | 2 |
| Total | 3 of 3 | 99.99 | 8 of 8 | 100 |
Reverse dies distribution
no distribution is available
Quantification
| Number of obverses ᵖ (o) | 3 | Number of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 1 |
| Number of reverse dies (r) | 6 | Number of coins (n) | 8 |
| Coins per obverse die (n/o) | 2.67 | Coins per reverse die (n/r) | 1.33 |
| Reverse per obverse ratio (r/o) | 2 | Percentage of singletons (o1) ᵖ | 33.33 % |
| Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula) ᵖ | 4.04 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per die ᵖ | 80,800 |
| Original number of dies (O) (Esty 2011 formula) ᵖ (O) | 4.8 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per die ᵖ | 0.00010 |
| Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula) ᵖ (o = % of O) | 87.5% | Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000 ᵖ | 3,960.4 |
| Weight of silver (in kg) if 20,000 coins per die (O = Carter formula) ᵖ | 816 kg <br /> 816 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000 ᵖ | 9,900.99 |
Remarks
Most likely one single workstation 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.
