Surface techniques such as energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence
(EDXRF) have become a powerful tool for obtaining qualitative and
semi quantitative information about the chemical composition of
cultural heritage materials [2–9], including numismatics [10–20].
Metallic archaeological objects are usually covered by corrosion
layers, but in many cases restorers cannot apply any cleaning procedure.
Even in this situation, EDXRF can be used directly to characterize
coins without any polishing or sample surface treatment,
when there is no alteration on the surface or the corrosion layer
is thin enough [21,22]. Taking into account these limitations, the results
obtained can be good enough to recognise the type of alloy
employed in the minting process and its main distinctive features.
In the present work a total of 132 drachmae have been examined.
These coins belong to the Emporion Greek colony collection of the
Catalonian Numismatic Department (GNC) at the National Museum
of Fine Arts of Catalonia (MNAC) and have been dated from the
fourth century to first century B.C. The site of Emporion (Empúries)
is located in the north-east of Catalonia, Spain. It was founded in
575 B.C. by Phocaean sailors, and was later occupied by the Romans.
Emporion was one of the first and most important places where silver
currency was minted on the Iberian Peninsula and played an
important commercial role throughout the following centuries.
The general objectives of this paper were the determination of
the type of alloy used for the coins and to determine whether