I picked this one up yesterday for cheap. I was very surprised the auction company didn't mention one tiny little bit of information about this coin, that it is countermarked by Cleopatra VII. Here is the site's attribution: Syria, Seleucis and Pieria. Antiochia ad Orontem. 1st century B.C. AE tetrachalkon (20.1 mm, 8.50 g, 1 h). Laureate head of Zeus right / ANTIOXEΩN MHTPOΠOΛEΩΣ AYTONOMOY, Zeus Nikephoros seated left, uncertain date in exergue. cf. RPC 4230; cf. McAlee 61a. VF, black patina with red highlights. Now, from another site: From McAlee, The Coins of Roman Antioch (p. 74, note 25): “The coins of this year (Pompeian Era 19 = 48/7 BC) and year 3 of the Caesarean era are frequently seen with a countermark on the obverse which was previously described as “head of Apollo r.”...it now seems likely that the countermark portrays Cleopatra, and was used to mark coins circulating in the Syro-Phoenician territories which were given to her by Mark Antony.” The countermark sure looks a lot more like Cleo than Apollo, down to her infamous bun.
I got a few of these, but this patina on it..is that also created again..looks like..not a old patina.
I dunno. I've always liked a red patina. Nice looking and especially interesting with the countermark.
I guess I haven't kept up with the fake sand patina discussions lately. Since I have a few hundred Seleucid bronzes that look like this, is the hobby trying to say all red sandy patina is fake nowadays?
I think the sand is ancient - I've looked at bag-fulls of common coins from the Levant that all have similar dirt deposits. Nice find though! One of the clearest Cleo counterstamps I've seen - they aren't exactly a dime-a-dozen. I also cherry-picked one a few years back that the seller didn't properly attribute.
Thanks. Yeah, I thought the countermark was above average. It actually looks much like my 40 and 80 drachma pieces from Alexandria. Most others I have seen are not as attributable to her as much.
Cool pickup! I would have added it even without the countermark and I think that adds a good bit of interest.
I love these types, even without the countermark. They are usually well preserved, have awesome highlights, and lengthy inscriptions that are perfect for those new to Ancient Greek coins. Here are some of mine, which I acquired early on in my collecting career. http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4085 And my favorite of them: SYRIA, Seleukis & Pieria. Antioch. 38/7 BC. Æ 18mm. Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right. Rev: Tripod; corncuopiae on either side, Tripod, ΑΝΤΙΟΞΕΩΝ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΕΩΣ ΑΥΤΟΝΟΜΟΥ Caesarean Era Date BI (12=38/7 BC) in ex., green patina with red-orange earthen highlights, RPC I 4299; SNG Copenhagen 83 var.
Nice coin, really like that countermark. Personally I'm not a big fan of the sandy patina look, but I guess if most of them are like that there is not much to do about it.
Thank you sir. I do not believe I will ever rise to the level of you, Doug, or some other fine members here, I do try.
Here is another almost-boring Zeus coin of Antioch. 21 mm. 6.11 grams. It has the usual bust of Zeus right and the common Tyche of Antioch with river-god swimming below. Would you recognize this as special in some way? Take a look. I don't want to spoil it, so I won't answer now.
Okay. It took 9 minutes to be revealed. The coin was struck 6/5 BC when the (in)famous "Give me back my legions!" general was governor of Syria.
@Valentinian : As long as we're on the subject of Varus here's another one of his famous coins: Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14 Ae As Countermarked by Q. Varus. Struck circa 15-10 BC. Ox: Laureate head right; c/m: VAR monogram within quadrilateral incuse Rx: Front elevation of the Altar of Lugdunum, flanked by Victories on columns I believe all known examples of the Varus countermark, except for one, appear on this coin type, and only on the earliest issues within the type.
