§ OF THE DENOMINATIONS OF GREEK COINS.
The unit of account in Greece was the drachm. The weight of the drachm was not everywhere identical. It ranged, as a rule, between about 55 and 95 grs. troy. For purposes of calculation it may be taken in a general way as the ancient equivalent of our modern shilling or franc.
Of the various standards of weight which prevailed in different parts of the Greek world, the Attic standard was the most widely diffused. The weights of the various denominations, according to this standard, are as follows:—
| The | Talent = 405,000 grs. troy } not coined | {= 6,000 drachms. | |
| " | Mina (1/60 of the Talent } = 6,750 grs. troy) } | { {= 100 drachms. | |
| " | Tetradrachm | = 270 | grs. troy = 4 drachms. |
| " | Didrachm | = 135 | " " = 2 " |
| " | Drachm | = 67·5 | " " = 1 " |
| " | Tetrobol | = 45 | " " = 4 obols. |
| " | Triobol | = 33·75 | " " = ½ drachm or 3 obols. |
| " | Diobol | = 22·5 | " " = 2 obols. |
| " | Trihemiobol | = 16·8 | " " = 1½ obols. |
| " | Obol | = 11·25 | " " = 1 obol. |
| " | Hemiobol | = 5·62 | " " = ½ " |
| " | Tetartemorion | = 2·81 | " " = ¼ " |
The other standards are the Æginetic (drachm 97 grs.); the Phœnician (drachm 56 grs.); the Rhodian (drachm 60 grs.); the Persian (drachm 88 grs.). The other denominations of the above standards may be easily got at by multiplying or dividing the drachms as in the Attic standard.
Larger denominations than the tetradrachm are rare, but octadrachms, decadrachms, etc., etc., occur at some towns. The unit in copper was called the chalkous; but its weight does not appear to have been definitely fixed like that of the silver drachm.
The Attic gold money was regulated according to the same standard of weight as the silver. The gold unit of account was, however, not the drachm, but the stater, as it was called, equivalent in weight to the didrachm, and in value to 20 drachms of silver.
As a rule, the denomination of a Greek coin can only be determined by weighing it. Marks of value occur, however, on the copper of Italy, Sicily, etc.; but these coins follow a system foreign to Greece proper (see below).