This coin is around 20mm and weighs about 7.9g. The countermark on the reverse looks like LXV, but it may be incomplete. Any ideas?
Well darn, I just bought Howgego's book on countermarks but I won't have it in hand until later this month. To me, it looks like there isn't another character after the V, so the entire c/m is LXV. However, searching online turned up another LXV countermark. Here's the link to the coin in a gallery of Forvm member "Automan": http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-10209 He says that countermark LXV is Howgego #739 and that it "refers to the 15th legion ("Apollinaris), although Howgego notes that dating is complicated, as is ascertaining where it was applied..." Again, I haven't looked in the book myself but if this user has accurately recorded the information, Howgego asserts that it is a countermark of the 15th legion.
I used to sell these, but haven't researched them much. Some more examples http://www.romancoins.info/CMK-legionary-West.htm
Oh, were you asking for ID of the coin? Hmm. Looks like Antoninus Pius although provincial portraits can vary quite a bit, so it could be someone else (Septimius Severus, etc). I can't tell what the reverse is.
I think the reverse may be Mt. Argaeus, so maybe it's from Cappadocia. Similar coins are linked at the end of this post. Legion XV was in the region at the time (marker 20 on the map linked, with excerpt below) so it makes sense to see that countermark on a coin that would have been circulating in that region. https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=186602 CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea-Eusebia. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ (23mm, 11.27 g, 12h). Laureate head right / Mt. Argaeus surmounted by nude figure, holding globe and scepter; [date] in exergue. Cf. Sydenham, Caesarea 309 = BMC 155 (dated RY 7 [AD 144]); SNG Hunterian -. Near VF, dusty, pale green patina. https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=87576 CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ 24mm (8.70 g). Dated RY 16 (AD 153/154). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Mount Argaeus with male figure holding globe and sceptre. Sydenham 314b. VF, dark brown patina. Scarce. Some examples from Vcoins: https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/da...ocia_caesarea__mt_argaeus/583965/Default.aspx https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/mo...ne_green_and_brown_patina/187152/Default.aspx https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ce...ppadocia_138161ad_l_i_1708/76390/Default.aspx
Yes! I think you nailed it. I was also thinking the obverse looked like Antoninus Pius. Thanks, Happy!
