Roman Imperial Countermarked Quadrans, 3.7g, 23mm OBV: TI-CA REV: Faint and worn outline of "SC". Ref: None Eng gave me this coin in a lot some time ago, maybe last year I think. This coin is also not a reshoot. It was sitting in my desk for over a year.
Definitely not a quadrants. Should be an as. Host is probably a dupondius of Augustus. See here : http://www.romancoins.info/CMK-Moneyer-Aug-Part2.html
The weight of my coin is substantially less than that of an As. It could be revalued as an As, but the weight is way under. As is usually about 8-12g. This coin is 3.7g.
What's the diameter?? The few quadrants I have, two I think, are just larger (and smaller) than a denarius.
23mm. The coin is pretty thin. I presume from the countermark punch or hammer, whatever they used that thinned the coin out from the hit.
Well, here are my two 'small' quadrants and one with an SC. I forget which is which at the moment and it's late, but I believe one is a quadrant of Augustus and the other of Claudius. Of course, a quadrant is 1/4 of an ASS and 1/20 of a Denarius. So Ardatiron is almost definitely correct---an AS.
While I'm not positive about an ID on this coin or even if it's a quadrans 100%. But I definitely disagree that it wasn't originally an As.
This mark was applied to worn, underweight, and counterfeit asses and dupondii to authorize them for circulation at the full value of an as. An underweight example is not at all unusual.
I've read that the TICA counterstamp could mean Tiberius or Titus Caesar. The countermarked coins are typically found on As-sized coins in the Rhine region of Bulgaria. However, I've also seen coins that scholars claim are counterfeit - the stamp is much sharper on those coins. Presumably, the counterfeiters want a very bold counterstamp to sell at a premium. That's why I've avoided buying them - besides wear, I can't tell the difference between the real McCoy and a fake. Yours shows quite a bit of wear, even though the letters are clear, so that's one detail in favor of its authenticity.
