Syracuse, silver, didrachms (490-485 BCE)
From SILVER
490 BCE - 485 BCE Silver 161 kg
Description
ObverseInscription or printing placed on the obverse.: | Nude rider on horseback right, leading a second horse on far side |
ReverseInscription or printing placed on the reverse.: | ΣYPAKOΣION (Greek).Head of Arethusa right within thin linear circle, wearing hair-tie, earring and necklace, hair falling simply behind, ΣVRAQOΣION and four dolphins around |
Mint and issuing power
MintIdentifies the place of manufacture or issue of a numismatic object.: | Syracuse | Ancient regionAncient region.: | Sicily | Modern countryModern country: Italy | 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. | 490 BCE | toIdentifies the final date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.. | 485 BCE | PeriodTime period of the numismatic object.: Archaic until 480 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 | 8.45 | DenominationTerm indicating the value of a numismatic object. Examples: tetradrachm, chalkous, denarius.: | didrachm ![]() |
StandardStandard.: | Attic |
Image

AC 88a - Syracuse, silver, didrachms (490-485 BCE).jpg [1]
References
Die study referencePublication of the study: | Boehringer 19291Boehringer 1929, p. 121-122, n° 50-53. | ||
Coin series referenceReference to coin series study: | Sear I2Sear I, n° 738, RQEMAC3RQEMAC, n° 88a, HGC 24HGC 2, 1351 | ||
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). |
55 | 1 | 100 | 55 | 100 | 28 |
Total | 1 of 1 | 100 | 55 of 55 | 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) | 4 | Number of coinsNumber of coins. (n) | 55 |
Coins per obverse dieNumber of coins per obverse die. (n/o) | 55 | Coins per reverse dieNumber of coins per reverse die. (n/r) | 13.75 |
Reverse per obverse ratioRatio of obverse dies divided by reverse dies. (r/o) | 4 | 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 | 0.95 | Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per dieCoins made if the average productivity for obverses (according to Carter) is 20,000. ᵖ | 19,000 |
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) | 1.02 | Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per dieSurvival rate if average productivity is 20,000. ᵖ | 0.00289 |
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 | 115,789.47 |
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 | 161 kg <br /> 161 kg | Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000Average productivity if survival rate is 1/5,000. ᵖ | 289,473.68 |
Remarks
Most likely one single workstation Likely military