The countermark post!

This provincial coin came in a lot of greek coins and I only kept it for the counter stamp. Presumably Hadrian or Trajan, 4.63 gr, 18.47 mm. The counter stamp coult be a horse looking behind it.

 

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The latest countermarked coin I bought was this Aspendos stater, a coin type I always wanted.





Pamphylia, Aspendos, ca. 415/10-400 BC, AR Stater
21 mm, 10,90 g
Obv: Two wrestlers grappling within a dotted border / Rev: Slinger discharging sling right, triskeles in right field, ethnic EΣTEE to left, all within incuse square. Countermarked.
Tekin Series B; SNG Aul. 4525; SNG BN 45ff

Unfortunately I have no idea what that countermark is. My best guess would be an antelope with a small dolphin but it doesn't make much sense.

This Augustus as also has a serious countermark on the portrait



5.08 g 26.5 mm
RIC I (second edition) Augustus 431 AS
Date: 7 BC
Issuer: M. Salvius Otho
Legend: CAESAR AVGVST PONT MAX TRIBVNIC POT
Type: Head of Augustus, bare, right
Legend: M SALVIVS OTHO IIIVIR A A A F F
Type: Legend surrounding S C

 

ATTICA, AEGINA
AR Stater
OBVERSE: Sea-turtle (T-backed); head in profile
REVERSE: Large square incuse with skew pattern
Struck at Aegina, 480-457BC
11.96g, 20mm
SNG Cop 507
Former CNG (http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=214758). Good Fine, toned, metal flaws and test cuts on shell, faint punchmark to left of turtle, deposits within incuse

 

Some well-known countermarks on Augustan bronze and the last probably of Nero.

 

I have seen many Spanish countermarks of the 17th century but I have never seen one before 1500 on a coin struck over 1000 years earlier. If that is genuine, it is amazing !

 

Here is a link to an earlier post I wrote about a Greek coin with two very clear countermarks.

https://www.cointalk.com/posts/2791992/

Not sure what the counter marks mean or when they were applied, does anyone know?

John

 

Sure looks like Hadrian to me as well. With a winged thunderbolt reverse.
The countermark however is one of my most favorite enigmatic symbols, the triskeles:

 

Ptolemy II ... I don't really know much about the trident countermark yet .. but its really a favorite of mine.

 

@Ryro Thanks for your replay, that was and is my identification to, but in the photo I don't get it sufficiently highlighted, so I gave up the second most obvious.

 

The trident looked so familiar... and lo and behold: it looks very similar!

 

I love the double bee, @Ryro, but the Vindex isn't getting enough love... very cool coin!!

Gotta post my favourite countermark:

The countermark is a profile of Helios, struck so that Tyche's eye and Helios's eye coincide perfectly... which I thought looked hilarious! I had to have it.

 

How have I never seen this coin of yours?!
The eyes line up. The chubby cheeks of Helios make up the cheek bone of Tyche.
This is another dimension of mind blowing!?!?!

 

Because I'm absolutely terrible about doing writeups on new coins. Thanks for the appreciation, though, I'm glad you think it's supercool too!

 

Mine is on a Claudius.

 

Countermarks are fascinating! Even if they aren't typically too artistically exciting (there are exceptions), they tell us a lot about a coin's history. To spice things up, here are a few countermarks from ancient India:


Magadha Janapada Karshapana
Obverse: Six-armed symbol, sun, plant, fish, taurine, and other marks; Reverse: Banker’s marks; Series VII ‘three men’ countermark (late 3rd century BC); Gupta-Hardaker IV 475; 3.28g, 17x14mm; struck circa 370 – 321 BC, countermarked circa 230 – 200 BC


Magadha Janapada Karshapana
Obverse: Dog, bull, six-armed and sun symbols, additional marks; Reverse: Banker’s marks; Series VII ‘dog standard’ countermark (late 3rd century BC); Gupta-Hardaker IVB 359–365; 3.19g, 20x13mm; struck circa 370 – 321 BC, countermarked circa 230 – 200 BC


Mauryan Karshapana
Obverse: Sun, six-armed symbol, hill, 'caduceus,' standing Shiva symbols; Reverse: 'Caduceus' symbol, countermarked by elephant surrounded by taurine symbols, 'Ujjain symbol' above; Gupta-Hardaker V 566; 2.94g, 16x14mm; struck circa 270 BC, countermarked before 175 BC

 

Islamic, Juchid (Golden Horde), ca. AH 650-886, Black Sea region, Qrim mint, Uzbek Khan (Sultan Giyas al-Din Mohammed Öz Beg) AH 712-741 (AD 1312-1341), AR dirham, AH720 (frozen date).
Notes: Coins of the Silk Road

Stephen Album suggests that this might have been countermarked by ‘Abd Allah Khan, who ruled 762-771, with the caveat that this remains theoretical and unproven. These coins may have been issued for as many as 30-40 years with a fixed date. (Ref: Album A-2025G, host coin Zeno #166658), The countermark potentially "re-approving" old worn coins instead of minting new ones. (With thanks to @Orielensis for an excellent CT thread The Mongols are coming!)

 

My favorite countermark is this VAR in ligature mark of the infamous general Vibius Varus who lost several of Augustus' legions in the Battle of the Teutoburg forest which has been identified as having taken place at ' Kalkriese'

 

Hi All,

Ptolemy II, Stater of Tyre. TYP monogram above CLUB issue.



OBV: Ptolemy I head facing right, wearing diadem and scaly aegis tied by snakes. Dotted border.
REV: Εagle on thunderbolt facing left. In left field: TYP monogram over club of Heracles. Legend to left: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ; to right: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ. Dotted border. [Large lyre countermark above eagle's shoulder.]

- Broucheion