I recently viewed an auction listing for an Ancient Greek coin, which appears to have been overstruck (image and link below). I'm unsure of what two coins they were, as I'm not an Ancient coin buff. But, as an aside, I am curious as to what other design was on the obverse - the listing describes the two coin designs as being a "Die of Kydonia Diobol overstruck on a coin from Sikyon". The incuse reverse square design reminded me of the Aegina turtle stater coins, so that's what sparked my interest in this, besides the overstrike, of course. Anyway, I could imagine silver being of relative scarcity and of much greater real value then than it is today. So, perhaps silver coins were "recycled" without melting them, and struck over the old designs? Or, maybe it's an Ancient form of counterstamping? Was this a more common practice than it is in modern times (which is usually due to Mint error than intentional strikes), or generally frowned upon by Ancient Greeks, who may have wanted to advertise their statehood's power and not look "cheap"? Thanks in advance! http://www.ebay.com/itm/SOL-Kreta-K...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
here are the two designs.. http://romanumismatics.com/archive/auction-viii/lot/0285/ https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=SNG Lockett 2547&category=1-2&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&images=1¤cy=usd&thesaurus=1&order=0&company=
Overstriking was in fact quite common in the ancient Greek world, for various reasons. For an excellent overview, I recommend Overstruck Greek Coins, Studies in Greek Chronology and Monetary Theory, by David MacDonald. Check out Amazon for used copes as low as $17.
It would have took an 11 hours by car including the ferry to get from where the coin was first struck in Sikyon to Cydonia where it was overstruck
Holy schmokes, iPen => man, that is an absolutely fantastic overstrike!! I love the under-type and the over-type ... you're a very lucky dude to have such a sweet example (congrats)
Some of us really love overstrkes; others consider them damaged goods. I'm a bit in the middle. I only love them if I can ID both the under and over types. Coins with messy mixes of details are harder to love. Yours is a very nice coin.
I like overstrikes as examples of how older money was repurposed. I have one I posted recently and one on the way. I will post it when it arrives. For now my quadrans (Hercules facing right) over uncia (Roma facing left). This overstrike was Roman Republican over Roman Republican and was mentioned in Crawford's RRC.
Here are a few examples of my "repurposed" ancient coins ... TROAS, Abydos. Æ23 Countermarked issue Circa 4th-3rd century BC Diameter: 23 mm Weight: 7.98 grams Obverse: Turreted bust of Artemis right Reverse: ABY, eagle standing right, head left Reference: SNG Copenhagen 40 for countermark; SNG Copenhagen 38 and SNG Ashmolean 988-9 for undertype Other: 12h … sweet brown patina The undertype is a bust of Artemis facing slightly right, wearing mural crown / Eagle standing right, wings displayed BOEOTIA, Federal Coinage (Overstrike), Æ18 Circa 220s BC Diameter: 17.5 mm Weight: 5.11 grams Obverse: Head of Demeter or Kore (Persephone) three-quarter face right, wearing corn-wreath Reverse: Poseidon, naked, standing left, resting right foot on rock and leaning on trident; to right, ΒΟΙΩΤ[ΩΝ] downward Reference: BCD Boiotia 108 (this coin); HGC 4, 1182. VF, dark brown patina. Overstruck on Æ of Antigonos Gonatas of the type SNG Cop. 1214-1221 Anonymous. Overstruck Æ Triens Canusium mint 206-195 BC Diameter: 20 mm Weight: 5.88 grams Obverse: Helmeted head of Minerva right; four pellets above Reverse: Prow right; [CA] to right, four pellets below Reference: Crawford 100/3; Sydenham 309c; RBW 450 Other: 12h … brown patina. Overstruck on a “Zeus/man-headed bull” issue of Oiniadai, Akarnania (cf. BCD Akarnania 345-8)
Now I'm thinking this: combine your two favorite coins of a given ancient civilization, and go on a treasure hunt to find them over-struck! For me, it would be an Aegina turtle stater with... that dove one (?). Not sure which one, or if they'd ever be over-struck with each other. But, seeing as they weren't as uncommon as I thought, maybe it's a possibility. Maybe you'd even be able to find your two favorite coins from two different civilizations across various times with an over-strike - perhaps it'd be a counter-stamping. Now I'm wondering if Alexander the Great had native coins counter-stamped with his image on his conquered states' coins! The possibilities are endless, though the probabilities are (probably) less.
