I picked this one up recently. I love unusually oddities whether its errors, unusual coins, or just some cool factor to a coin. This one I thought was very cool and unusual admittingly I don't collect too many Byzantine coins to say how often this happens. I think the only other ancient oddity I have is a VOT coin with the "VOT" backwards on the coin.
Interesting type. The description isn't quite right though. The SCL on the reverse is not in the exergue of any Justin I follis. It's also a countermark that is typically paired with the obverse "bust of Heraclius" countermark.
I don't have a counterstamp on a Justinian but I do have one that is directly below yours on wildwinds: Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine AE Follis Sicilian mint Counterstamped, re-used SB809 (large M) types Obverse: No legend, facing busts of Heraclius, with short beard, on left and Heraclius Constantine, on right, both crowned and wearing chlamys, cross between their heads, all within oval punch stamped over the reverse of the large M type coin SB 809; sometimes ANNO, regnal dates and mintmark CON are still visible Reverse: no legend, Large SCL in circular punch over the lower parts of the figures of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine (SB 809 obverse); no mintmark. SB 883,
Very interesting combination. I don't collect error coins or over strikes intentionally but this one is really cool.
That OP is a real stunner. Nice pick up @Old World Coins I have a couple of these (SB 882), but neither one is as nice as yours:
O.W.C., That's a great score ! Your coin has an exceptionally clear counter stamp. I'm still searching for an example of that quality .
After Italy was reconquered for the empire under Justinian, Syracuse, on the southeast coast of Sicily, became a Roman mint. Under Heraclius (610-641) it overstruck many earlier coins with small dies depicting Heraclius on the obverse and SCL for Sicily on the reverse. Heraclius, 610-641, overstruck at Syracuse on a follis of Justinian from before the reform of Justinian in 538. (So, the coin was at least 72 years old when it was restruck.) His bust with a monogram for Heraclius to the right. SCL with a bar above, abbreviating Sicily. 34-31 mm. 15.70 grams (which is the size of the undertype) Sear 882 over Sear 161. Syracuse also struck coins with nearly full-flan dies, but almost all are overstruck on previous coins, as opposed to struck on newly-prepared blank flans. 29-24 mm. 5.32 grams. Heraclius and son/Heraclian monogram with SC (for Sicily) DOC II.I 243, says "imposed at Constantinople for coins intended for Sicily" [note 243, p. 356 and pp.237-8] I have not identified the undertype. Sear 884 Countermark from 632-641