I picked this up over the weekend from a respected local dealer. It was unattributed by him except for the basics (Alexander III Tetradrachm). I believe I have correctly attributed as Price 2851 from the Phaselis mint. Feel free to tell me I'm wrong. My question is on the countermark. Part of the reason I purchased it is because I like countermarked coins. Does anyone recognize the countermark and know the area it originated from? 31.83mm. About 16g. I don't have a scale that will measure more accurately.
I think you're right about it being from Phaselis and in the style of Alexander III tetradrachms. IB is going to be the date. In some archived listings, IA (year 11) is said to be211/0 BCE, so IB is year 12 or 210/209 BCE. Some listings have slightly different interpretations of the date. CNG has a year 11 sold this year and I trust their catalogers to stay current on the latest research, so I'm betting on year 12 being 210/209. It's hard to make out the device on the countermark but maybe it's a goat, or part of a goat? The AΠA is very clear and I suspect that denotes Apamea (Bithynia) or Apameia (Phrygia and another in Syria). So far I haven't found that countermark on other ATG-style tets from Phaselis. Selukid anchors seem to be commonly countermarked on these coins, and occasionally a lovely facing bust of Helios. So far no AΠA though.
Ah-- not a goat. A bow in bow case. Similar c/m: https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=280236 "The AΠA countermark was applied in Apameia, Phrygia. Other bow and bowcase countermark on Alexander-type tetradrachms have been attributed to Pergamon in Mysia, Ephesos in Ionia, Sardes and Tralles in Lydia, and Laodikeia in Phrygia. Price has linked these counterstamps to the introduction of the cistophoric coinage circa 180 BC. The application of these countermarks permitted the circulation of Attic weight coins in the years following the reform."
