Weight Studies of Well-Preserved Seleukid Coins

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These studies focuse on weight distributions of tetradrachms of later Seleukids. Coins are studied without respect to their style, fabric and die links.

The data are collected from public sources. Only coins fulfilling the following conditions were included into the examined data samples:

  1. each coin is from a reputable collection or it was offered (sold) by a reputable dealer;
  2. its weight is presented with a precision of one hundredth of a gram;
  3. the weight of the coin is within a reasonable range (lower and upper exclusion limits are fixed for each ruler and mint);
  4. a photo of the coin is available in an electronic form (to be possible to verify correctness of its description and to easily exclude duplications);
  5. the coin is well preserved and its grading is about VF or better.

The analyses have several limitations. First, the majority of these samples are small and therefore reliable conclusions are not possible so far (there is a danger that a small sample is not representative). New data are added continuously so that more precise results will be perhaps available in the future. Second, I have no possibility to verify the weight, the authenticity and the state of preservation of examined coins (except of coins which are in my collection). Third, in spite of the condition No. 5, the original weight of most coins was probably slightly greater due to the amount of wear which coins suffered during period of their circulation and due to possible changes of their internal structure. It means that, for example, conclusions about the mean weight of these coins in the time of their mintage should be careful.