Merry Christmas to all Coin Talk friends.. After long time, I finally decided to collect something..I will collect countermarked bronze coins..In the past, I've found a lot of them, and I sold them for nothing.. I found this Augustus as two weeks ago, with countramarks AVG and TICAE..
Nice coin, I find countermarks to be very interesting. That is getting to be a popular area to collect. Seems right that you should collect some of the great items you find. John
Nice! My bet is there is a rectangle countermark with dolphin on the reverse? (can we see the reverse?) And I want to say that there is a 3rd cm on obverse behind the head... Of a helmet, but upside down to its current position. These types of countermarks are usually found on coins of Augustus possibly issued from Ephesus or Moesia (modern day Bulgaria) with wreath reverse with AVGVSTVS within, but moderately worn. Or with wreath and CA, also from asia minor area.
Christmas greetings once again. It does seem that many Augustus moneyer Aes coins have multiple countermarks:
I too love countermarked coinage. I am continuously updating my Imitative/Countermarked Claudian Britannic coinage web page. Here is my latest iteration: Last updated: 22 December 2018 OVERVIEW I used the following reference resources in composing this web page .......... The Romano-British imitations of Bronze Coins of Claudius I (PDF) - a digital edition of the highly regarded monograph by C. H. V. Sutherland, provided by the American Numismatic Society. THE COPYING OF BRONZE COINS OF CLAUDIUS 1 IN ROMAN BRITAIN (PDF) - Ph.D dissertation of Robert Frederick Ernest Kenyon, Institute of Archaeology, University College, London, April 1992 - a 535 page PDF document, which is a very comprehensive body of work that covers, in exhaustive detail, all aspects of this coinage including production, circulation, counter marking, etc. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum (BMCRE), Volume 1 (Augustus to Vitellius) by Harold Mattingly - an online 1923 edition archived copy. The introductory chapters include a great deal of essential reference material relating to this coinage. I personally use my 1983 (revised) printed edition. General Notes: 1. Large quantities of imitative Roman aes coins - some of poor quality but also some of reasonably good quality - were produced in Britain during this period using spurious dies. 2. In order to help relieve pervasive coin shortages, quantities of reasonably well made imitative coins were occasionally accepted by Roman officials for circulation. 3. Many coins were countermarked to indicate their official status and in some instances to denote re-valuation of coinage denomination. ANNOTATED EXEMPLARS Imitative/Countermarked coins from my collection IMITATIVE CLAUDIUS SPES SESTERTIUS WITH DEVALUATION COUNTERMARK Pangeri 85d, (30mm, 15.2gm) Countermarked DV (denoting half value) on obverse. Enlargement of DV countermark: This is a devaluation countermark indicating this coin is re-valued as a Dupondius (half value) due to its very low weight. Note edge chisel mark on the obverse at approx. 3 o'clock which is always present on DV countermarked coins. IMITATIVE CLAUDIUS OB CIVES SERVATOS SESTERTIUS WITH COUNTERMARK BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 120, 41-45AD (38mm, 29.2gm) Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP Countermarked PROB Mattingly note - Cmk. in oblong incuse in front of neck and face; end of legend obliterated Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath Inscription in four lines: EX SC O B C I V E S SERVATOS (within Civic Oak Wreath) Enlargement of PROB countermark: PROB (Probatum = approved) countermark. I believe this to be an irregular issue coin (struck from locally made unofficial dies). Note the flattened and bulged area on the reverse resulting from the very heavily struck countermark on the obverse which was carelessly positioned almost off the flan. The inscriptional lettering on the reverse is somewhat uneven and not very well formed. CALIGULA GERMANICUS SIGNIS RECEPT DUPONDIUS WITH CLAUDIUS COUNTERMARK Claudius also Countermarked and issued asses and dupondii of Caligula in order to extend the supply of money after his expedition to Britain and his subsequent conquest of the island. Germanicus SIGNIS RECEPT dupondius BMCRE, Vol I, Caligula, No. 93 (RIC, Vol I, No. 57) Reverse: Claudius Countermark TIAV in oblong incuse to left of head Mattingly, BMCRE, Vol. I, Caligula, No. 93 & Plate 30 Enlargement of TIAV countermark: Mattingly lists TIAV as the usual Countermark employed by Claudius for these coins. They were issued for extended circulation in Britain by Claudius following his Victory there. These were the common Roman denominations used as legal tender in Britannia - evidently for a very long time, for many are found in very worn condition. CALIGULA AGRIPPA NEPTUNE AS WITH CLAUDIUS COUNTERMARK Agrippa Obverse & Neptune reverse As BMCRE, Vol I, Tiberius, No. 168 (RIC, Vol I, No. 58) Plate 26 Reverse: Claudius Countermark TIAV (A and V ligatured) in oblong incuse over head of Neptune "In hand" enlargement of countermark: Neptune reverse As, BMCRE, Vol I, Tiberius, No. 168 (RIC, Vol I, No. 58) Plate 26 Reverse: Claudius Countermark TIAV in oblong incuse over head of Neptune Mattingly lists TIAV as the usual Countermark employed by Claudius for these coins. They were issued for extended circulation in Britain by Claudius following his Victory there. These were the common Roman denominations used as legal tender in Britannia - evidently for a very long time, for many are found in very worn condition. CLAUDIUS TRIUMPHAL ARCH SESTERTIUS WITH NERO COUNTERMARK Nero also Countermarked and issued Claudius aes coinage in order to extend the supply of money in Britain after the death of Claudius. BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 123, 41-45AD (35mm, 22.3gm) Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP Countermarked NCAPR in oblong incuse rectangle behind head (unknown mark on head) Reverse depiction: Triumphal arch surmounted by equestrian statue of Nero Claudius Drusus Inscription: NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMAN IMP Enlargement of NCAPR countermark: This coinage was usually countermarked NCAPR - which is interpreted different ways by collectors and researchers, with the most popular and frequently used interpretations being Nero Caesar Augustus Probavit or Nero Caesar Augustus Populo Romano. This coin was well struck and centered. Likewise, the countermark is well struck and correctly positioned. I believe this to be a coin originally produced at the Rome mint.
Merry Xmas day to you all, again I also find countermarks very interesting. Have a few. This is one of them: Augustus, Æ As Rome, 7 BC M. Salvius Otho moneyer 27 mm, 9.92 g Ref.: RIC 431-Pangerl52; Cohen 515 (2f.) Obv.: CAESAR AVGVST PONT MAX TRIBVNIC POT bare head of Augustus right; in rectangle Countermark IMP AG Rev.: M SALVIVS OTHO III VIR AAA F F around large S C
We have had several threads on countermarked coins which I am sure you have seen. Most were from the Julio Claudians. Ephesus had c/m coins long before this period. This AE14 has a bee stamped on the reverse stag.
Fantastic collecting niche! One of my favourite coins is a Vespasian Ephesian denarius with a Vespasian c/m. Vespasian AR Denarius, 3.06g Ephesus Mint, 71 AD; Countermarked under Vespasian at Ephesus, circa 74-79 AD RIC 1431 (C). BMC 457. RSC 276. RPC 833 (14 spec.); c/m: GIC 839 Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPAS AVG COS III TR P P P; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.; c/m: IMP·VES (ligate) Rev: PACI AVGVSTAE; Victory, draped, advancing r., holding wreath extended in r. hand and palm over l. shoulder. EPHE lower r. Acquired from Ancient Imports, November 2016. Someone at the mint was asleep on the job the day this coin was struck!
