OVERSTRIKE DETECTIVE WORK

I love those overstruck coins. Have a few very worn specimen in my modest collection. Lately I was doing some research about Regalianus the usurper and his wife Dryantilla. Didn’t know that the number of coins discovered, is at the moment, 133 of which 61 depicting the “emperor” and 72 for the “ empress”. In my opinion, one of the funniest part in coin’s collecting is to attribuate them, digging deep to find the history behind our precious acquisitions. But it is a bigger challenge to find what is hidden under an overstrike example. I read a very interesting paper by C.Gazdac and W.Melchart and would like to share with CT members the Detective Work done to try to identify what was beneath the 3 next coins. Hope you enjoy.

1)

This is an Antoninianus of Regalianus from Carnuntum dated from 260 AD.
IMP CPE REGALIANVS AVG
LIB[er]ALITAS AVGG
We all agree with the poor quality design on both sides of this example. What’s fascinating is that the reverse shows that this type was struck on a former denarius. We can still notice the visible letters NIN at 9 o’clock. We can also see what was the top of a laureate head. The position of the previous legend allow the identification of the original issuer as being Elagabalus period 218-222: IMP ANTONINVS(PIVS) AVG.
Maybe like this one :


2) Antoninianus of Dryantilla from Carnuntum.
[su]LP DRYAN[ti]LLA AVG
AE[qui]TA[s aug]
Again a very crude style. The reverse reveals that this coin was actually struck on a former denarious of Septimius Severus. Why? Because we can still distinguish Septimius laureate head an a part of the first legend : [severu]S-PIV[s aug]. On the Dryantilla’s obverse—the Septimius Severus previous reverse, 3 letters are visible :TVN. It may suggest two types of reverse that would fit with SEVERVS PIVS AVG obverse legend ;
FORTVNA REDUX or FORTUNAE REDVCI like this example below.





3) Another antoninianus of Dryantilla. This one is a real challenge. No letters referring
to the lady is visible and on the reverse side, no letters referring to this coin’s type
can be read. But we can identify Juno standing left, holding paters and scepter. This
type is a Junoni Reginae.



But we have enough clues left to solve the mystery. This coin was struck on a denarius of Severus Alexander. Look at the obverse where a part of the legend is still readable :
[im]P ALEXANDER PIVS AVG. We can also see the upper part of the laureate head of the emperor to right. Now from the former reverse are still visible these letters : P M TR P...S
III P P. From the reverse image minted for Severus denarius, we can easily notice the legs of Sol, standing left with left hand holding globe. That’s true that the tribunician power is not visible at all, but with the 3rd Consulship and the legend on the obverse, this denarius was minted between 231 AD and 232 AD. Here is a specimen from AC Search :


So congratulation for the nice Detective’s work accomplished by the authors of this paper. And if you feel like it, show us your Overstrike coins !

 

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..purdy kool!...we have some awesome detectives here in Cointalk too..they helped me ID this tribute Armenian coin of Levon IV(or lll) overstruck in Arabic by Mamluk conquerors

 

Wow @ominus1 ! That’s what I call a cosmopolitan coin !

 

Way cool on solving the mystery, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix !

Here is a tough one... I would be anxious to know what the DiShekel was overstruck.



Carthage
LIBYAN UPRISING Mercenary War
241-238 BCE
AR DiShekel 7.36g
Heracles Head in Lion's Head-
Lion walking R
SNG Cop 240f
Overstrike

 

My favorite & most obvious overstrike was this Year 2 Sela from the Bar Kokhba Revolt, A.D. 132-135, 26.5 mm, 14.12 gm., that I regrettably sold for $5,520.00 at a Heritage auction on January 7, 2018 . The present owner has been offered $7,520.00 for the coin ! The reverse of the coin has a partial but very legible inscription from an Antioch Tet from the reign of Trajan, A.D. A.D. 98-117.

 

Here's a denarius of Faustina struck over a previous issue.


Faustina Sr, AD 138-141
Roman AR denarius; 3.83 g, 18.2 mm
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust, right
Rev: AETERNITAS, Fortuna standing left, holding globe and rudder
Refs: RIC 348; BMCRE 360; Cohen 6; RCV 4577.

If I rotate the reverse 90 degrees counterclockwise, you can see a throne and what I think may be a cornucopiae beneath it. Coming down from Fortuna's face is a roughly spiral-shaped vertical object I think is a goddess's shin:



I postulate it was a CONCORDIA AVG issue of Sabina:



Another example:

 

Good eye Sherlock !

 

I have a few overstrikes, but this Gortyna stater overstruck on a Knossos is my favorite. The Labyrinth undertype on the reverse is apparent, but the real bonus for me is the head of the minotaur at 6 o'clock on the obverse.

CRETE, Gortyna
AR Stater. 11.77g, 29.8mm. CRETE, Gortyna, circa 330-270 BC. SNG Cop -; cf. Svoronos 58 and 62 (obv and rev type). O: Europa seated right in plane (platanus) tree, resting her head pensively on her left hand. R: Bull standing to right, head turned back left to lick its flank.
Ex stock Munich Münzhandlung Karl Kress (c. 1950s/60s)
Notes: Overstruck on a stater of Knossos, circa 425-360 BC (Svoronos 23), with visible undertypes of the Minotaur on obv and Labyrinth of Knossos on rev.

An example of the undertype for comparison. The inset shows the minotaur's head from the obverse of my coin.

 

My first overstrike was the Julia Domna from the early 1960's but my records from those days don't include exact details. I have shown it here many timessince it was one of the three coins I did not sell in 1974 when I took a break in collection to fund becoming a father. I am not sure of the undertype but have been calling it Commodus for so many years I hope it is just that. There is an eye and nose looking up at an angle under her head.


More recent (purchased 2017) is a Septimius Severus Legion VII CL with jibberish between the VII and CL on the reverse and some letters continuing past the AVG on the obverse. Obviously I want it to be overstruck on a Pescennius Niger but convincing the world of that may be rough. Coins of LEG VII sometimes seem to have less refined workmanship And I can not convince myself that this coin was from an official mint (by style).



Much more certain is my Carausius Pax overstruck on a Victorinus Salus.


I must have shown the Trajan Decius antoninianus struck on a Geta denarius a thousand times here but there might be a newer than new newby who has not seen it.


The other coin often trotted out here is the Magnentius over Constantine II AE3 that came with a 1976 David Sear certificate. I like the coin but wonder if the certificate might have a higher collector value these days than the coin. I bought a 'normal' example of the undertype which cost me several times what the overstrike did. I see this as a bit sad but it is hard to be both high grade and a complete mess at the same time.


Yes, I have no Regalianus and not a Dyrantilla either.

 

Interesting coins @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix. I do not have either Regalianus or Dyrantilla, but I am a fan of over-strikes.
My first over-strike was a Corn Ear, KA Sextans that was often over-struck.


I think I found the paper you quoted:
https://www.academia.edu/38212105/N...ORRECTING_INFORMATION_ON_TWO_MORE_KNOWN_COINS

 

Interesting article, but be aware that copying and pasting that much content from an article, no matter how well-intentioned, is specifically prohibited by CT rules. Instead you are supposed to just post a link, or a few sentences and a link.

@Alegandron, I spent a bit of time on this yesterday. At first I thought it was overstruck on an Akragas eagle/crab didrachm because the eagle's tail looks like the portion of the original strike seen on and around the nose of your Herakles. However, it would have to be a very off-center strike and the reverse of the Akragas coin doesn't fit. Plus, it would be a very strange coin to use because in the case of other Libyan revolt shekels for which the overstruck coin is identifiable, the original coin was a Tanit/horse shekel. None of the listings I found identified exactly which Tanit/horse shekel but I assume they were shekels.

Turning attention to finding a likely Carthaginian Tanit/horse host coin, the problem is with the coin size and the direction of the horse's head. The shekels of appropriate time and weight have a reverted horse head and that wouldn't fit with your coin, plus the striated marks over the nose of Herakles don't look like they came from the style of Tanit on those shekels.

Here's a theory... perhaps it is from an underweight or slightly clipped "1 1/4" shekel such as this one from CNG's archives:


CARTHAGE, Libyan Revolt. Circa 241-238 BC. BI 1¼ Shekels (20mm, 9.20 g, 12h). Head of Tanit left, wearing wreath of grain ears, single-pendant earring, and necklace / Horse standing right; IIIIIH above. MAA 49; SNG Copenhagen 188. EF, lightly toned. Choice flan for issue.
Ex Triton I (2 December 1997), lot 639; Tkalec & Rauch (15 April 1985), lot 132.

The wheat grain awns are prominent on this type of coin and resemble the markings on and around the nose of Herakles on your coin. The horse's head is facing forward rather than reverted, so that is a better match for your reverse. Perhaps there is a trace of Tanit's earring as well (circled in blue below). I cannot explain the apparent "E" on your lion's flank though.

 

OMG... WOW, I NEVER expected anyone to look at, since it us such a niche coin. I had planned to sit down some afternoon, waaay in the future to tackle this! Wow again, THANK YOU so much!

 

It's a niche coin I want, so I was motivated to study it further .

 

I just stumbled upon the correct coin!! I'm sure this is the undertype . The "E" is a Punic M. From CNG's archives:


CNG 96, Lot: 18. Estimate $500.
Sold for $850. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CARTHAGE, Libyan Revolt. Circa 241-238 BC. AR Shekel (21mm, 7.45 g, 1h). Wreathed head of Tanit left / Horse standing right; three pellets and M (in Punic) below. Carradice & La Niece pl. 9, 40 var. (control marks); MAA 50b; SNG Copenhagen 236 var. (same). Good VF, lightly toned, overstruck on uncertain type. Rare.

 

The wheat grains are partly off flan on the example host coin but I think in total it is enough to declare it a definite match for the undertype .

Interestingly, it looks like the example undertype was itself an overstrike. I wonder if your coin is an overstrike of an overstrike? If so, wouldn't it be awesome to identify the original coin?

 

Thank you so much for the wonderful research!

Because of the incredibly terrible times for Carthage at this time by losing the 1st Punic War with Rome, then forced to paying huge indemnities, which resulted in them not being able to pay their huge Mercenary army. Carthage SCRAMBLED to get ANY monies and precious metals to finance Carthage, the Indemnities to Rome, and to hard-scrabble an Army together to stop the horrible Mercenary War. This may explain overstrike over overstrikes in this (and other) coins.

That war was probably one if the more atrocious, cruel, and inhumane War in our History. It is a shame that the Carthage history has been overlooked and lost. It would be akin to a World Superpower TODAY being obliterated, anahiliated, exterminated, and having their history virtually erased.

 

eureka!

 

TIF, Your persistence paid-off ! Great detective work .

TIF the detective

 

She NAILED it!!!

 

I can certify that when you have a motif or an artifact to identify, TIF will mistify you...