Recently, @Marsyas Mike made a thread about a very generous gift he had received from fellow forum member @tenbobbit. FFIVN and I perused and oogled all the great coins and I made an off-hand comment about a cool counter-stamped coin that he had posted. I didn't think much of it, just wanted to comment on an interesting coin. Well imagine my surprise when he sent a message offering to send FFIVN and I our first counterstamped coin. He provided a few links for us to study and learn from and we received the package on Wednesday. We didn't get to open it until Thursday but we were amazed at what was inside. Not just 1 counterstamped coin, but several! And a few beautiful non-stamped coins as well! We have had a blast the last few days identifying the non-stamped coins and reading and working to identify the counterstamps. We still have a long way to go with learning about counterstamps but thanks to @Marsyas Mike, we have opened up a whole new avenue of ancients collection. We are looking forward to learning more and will be on the lookout for counterstamps when we go to our next coin show in March! Now, to the part you all really came for...the coins! It has been rainy and cloudy up until yesterday afternoon so I wasn't able to take pictures until then. The non-counterstamps were identified by both FFIVN and myself but the counterstamp identifications are the ones that came with the coins. We have a long way to go before we can identify them ourselves! First, the non-countermarked coins: This big boy has a beautiful portrait of Antoninus Pius Antoninus Pius AE Sestertius AD 155-156 Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP IMP II, laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulder Reverse: TR POT XIX COS IIII, S-C across fields, Providentia, draped, standing left, pointing with right hand at large globe at her feet and holding vertical sceptre in left A small but thick Alexander III Alexander III ca 325-310 BC Obverse: Head of Herakles right wearing lionskin headdress Reverse: B A between bow in case and club AJudean coin with links to the Bible Herod Agrippa I AD 37-43 and Pontius Pilate, Roman Procurator Obverse: ΒΑCΙΛЄWC ΑΓΡΙΠΑ Fringed parasol Reverse: Three grain ears and regnal date A nice portrait of a not-so-nice Emperor. Commodus AE Sestertius 188 AD Obverse: M COMMODVS ANT P FELIX AVG BRIT, laureate head right Reverse: P M TR P XIII IMP VIII COS V P P S C, FOR RED in ex, Fortuna seated left holding cornucopiae & rudder on a globe Our first coin with Mercury on it! Gallienus, Sole reign AE Antoninianus Antioch mint AD 264 Obverse: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right Reverse: FIDES AVG, Mercury standing left, holding purse and caduceus PXV in exergue
Next, the countermarks! The first countermark we looked at and our first Tiberius! Tiberius Countermark 14-37 AD Ephesus/Moesia AE As (or barbaric imitation) Countermarks: Obverse: AVG, TICAE and helmet Reverse: Dolphin (?) 5.07g/ 24mm Our first Claudius! We really like the color on this as well. Claudius Countermark 41-54 AD Balkan Provincial AE Host / Large SC, S is retrograde Countermarks: TI*C*A twice on reverse (partial strikes) Pangerl Collection No. 58 3.69g / 22mm Claudius Countermark 41-54 AD Balkan Provincial AE Host Countermark: TICA twice Pangerl Collection No. 58 5.26g / 23 mm Augustus/Tiberius/Claudius Countermark 10-54 AD AE Host (Barbaric Balkans As) Countermark: TICA and AV(G) Pangerl Collection No. 58 and 83/90 4.22g / 24mm
Great gift and coins. I love countermarks. They add a lot to the story of a coin. You and your son have been great and hard working additions to the ancient community. John
