The vendor's description: Mondo Greco. Acamenidi Re di Persia. 450-375 a.C. Siglos. Ag. D\ Re o Eroe inginocchiato con arco mentre scaglia una freccia. R/ Incuso. Peso 5,80 gr. Diametro 15,00 mm. MB+ Greek world. Acamenidi King of Persia. 450-375 BC Siglos. Ag. D \ King or Hero kneeling with bow as he throws an arrow. R / Incuse. Weight 5.80 gr. Diameter 15.00 mm. MB + . w I have one of these and do not really need another ugly coin, but the reverse punch caught my eye. Is that a bird counter-stamp? I do not see any exactly like it on acserch or other places I look. I know these coins are often counter-stamped. I will take a better look when the coin arrives, probably in 2018. If I think it really is a bird, I will report back. In the mean time, what do you think?
Below is copied from Forum Ancient Coins. #79 perhaps? Countermarks on Imperial Persian Sigloi Chart of 208 varieties adapted from the format as published by George F. Hill in the British Museum Catalog, volume on Persia, p. cxxxvii. First prepared as a chart of 187 varieties and published in the article, "Notes on the Imperial Persian Coinage," Journal of Hellenic Studies, 1919, 116ff. Reprinted in 1977 by Obol International as Imperial Persian Coinage. In the following illustrations, the areas in black are incuse, that is, they descend below the surface of the metal. Design areas in white are to be understood as standing in relief against the surface of the metal which has been depressed around them. Some marks are entirely incuse, and a few are in relief against a depression of the metal around them. Most marks consist of a combination of incuse and relief design elements. The marks have not been drawn to any common scale.
By golly, I think our good Cap'n Nemo is onto something, here! It certainly looks like the #79 crown countermark to me! Note the five distinct protrusions at the top. You can just make out one of the "beads" in the middle of the crown, too. (Of course you have to turn your head sideways since the mark in the photo above is rotated 90° to the left.) Neat stuff!
If you scroll down to Type IV B. in this link you can see that sometimes these were made with a lion's head in the incuse punch: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=siglos My guess is that that's what you have, and I'm a little jealous.
I disagree with this being the lion reverse. It seems to clearly be a countermark, not a design in the die. I have an example of the lion reverse. I’ll post it if I can find a minute to photograph it.
@hoth2 , @Nemo , @lordmarcovan thanks for your comments, and the link to the list on Forum! I have seen quite a few of these, but the mark on the incuse caught my eye. I will take better pics (I think) when the coin arrives.
No problem Hoth, I thought the same thing at first glance. Here is an example of the lion reverse. I think this is a great addition, looking forward to your pictures!
I think a bull head facing, rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise. You can even see the ear lobe and snout. It looks similar to #79, but I'd like to see the actual countermark for 79 rather than a drawing to be sure.
I think my Siglos from this era was just a hot-mess on the reverse, having a sloppy incuse... Achaemenid Xerxes II to Artaxerxes II 420-375 BC AR siglos 16 mm 5.14 g Persian king running spear bow - incuse Carradice Type IIIb C pl XIV 42) Sunrise 25
Nice as it is, that chart of marks is not all inclusive. I can see this being #79 but agree with the need to see it on other coins and keep open the possibility of another type. My coin has an owl not in the list but this is not the owl. Others?
Here's a interesting discussion on Lamoneta regarding a potential hoard of sigloi having intriguing countermarks of animals in square incuse.
