Posted 09/26/2016 7:37 pm
Regarding Parthian silver, Steve, here's an excerpt from a short introduction to Parthian coinage I wrote a few years back (at http://www.coincommunity.com/pdf/An...an-Coins.pdf )...the most important part of the paragraph is the link to the analysis at Parthia.com.
"As confirmed by a 2008 metrological analysis of 194 specimens, silver content of Parthian drachms remained relatively good throughout the series, although with some gradual reduction in silver content in the second half of the empire's history. (For more information on the analysis, see: http://www.parthia.com/parthia_stats_gordus.htm ) The tetradrachms began to be debased with copper and other metals - to a greater extent than the drachms - starting around the middle of the first century BCE. By the late second and early third centuries CE, most tetradrachms were composed of a dull, unattractive grey billon...Given the inclusion of a significant amount of copper in the debased alloy of the later Parthian tetradrachms, it is not uncommon to see verdigris on some specimens, even when those coins are advertised as "AR" (silver)."
The Celator magazine (https://community.vcoins.com/author/thecelator/ ) would occasionally run articles about studies of metal content in certain ancient coin series. I'm not sure if "obscure" series were included there, though. You'd have to scan through article titles on covers to see, if interested.
"As confirmed by a 2008 metrological analysis of 194 specimens, silver content of Parthian drachms remained relatively good throughout the series, although with some gradual reduction in silver content in the second half of the empire's history. (For more information on the analysis, see: http://www.parthia.com/parthia_stats_gordus.htm ) The tetradrachms began to be debased with copper and other metals - to a greater extent than the drachms - starting around the middle of the first century BCE. By the late second and early third centuries CE, most tetradrachms were composed of a dull, unattractive grey billon...Given the inclusion of a significant amount of copper in the debased alloy of the later Parthian tetradrachms, it is not uncommon to see verdigris on some specimens, even when those coins are advertised as "AR" (silver)."
The Celator magazine (https://community.vcoins.com/author/thecelator/ ) would occasionally run articles about studies of metal content in certain ancient coin series. I'm not sure if "obscure" series were included there, though. You'd have to scan through article titles on covers to see, if interested.
Edited by Kamnaskires
09/26/2016 7:39 pm
09/26/2016 7:39 pm
