This is one of the coins that came in a group lot from a recent Roma Numismatics auction: MOESIA, Istrus, AE23 Pan-, magistrate 3rd century B.C. Obv: Veiled and wreathed head of Demeter, right. Countermark: helmeted head of Athena, right. Rev: IΣTPIH above sea-eagle on dolphin, left; grain ear in left field. [ΠA]N below. Cf. SNG Stancomb 199 HGC 3.2 1818 21 mm, 4.94g ex William Stancomb Collection Is there somewhere I can learn more about the countermark? I can find information about countermarks on Roman coins, but I don't know of any sites that discuss Greek countermarks. Idea idea who might have added this one?
The countermark is local, either from the city proper or its chora, and it was used on bronzes dating from 3rd to 1st century BC to bring them back into circulation. If your coin is Stancomb 199, it's mentioned in G. Talmatchi's "DESPRE CONTRAMARCAREA MONEDELOR ORAŞELOR VESTPONTICE DOBROGENE ÎN EPOCĂ AUTONOMĂ" (CN XIV, 2008, p. 155-188) at p. 159.
Thank you, @seth77. Interestingly, I did a Google and a Dcukduckgo search for "Stancomb 199," and most of the other examples that turned up were countermarked, too.
I'm not sure but it is possible that "Stancomb 199" encompasses both the type and the Athena helmeted countermark. I don't have his work, although I am impressed by his collection of Black Sea coins.
Hi, Jstore shows Stancomb published some of his countermarks in Some Countermarked and Overstruck Hellenistic Coins from the Region of the Thracian Bosporus W.M. STANCOMB The Numismatic Chronicle (1966-) Vol. 167 (2007), pp. 25-32 (10 pages) Published By: Royal Numismatic Society https://www.jstor.org/stable/42666928 - Broucheion
Thanks for the tip, @Broucheion! Since my coin was from the Stancomb collection, I'd thought that it might appear in the article. Then I realized that Moesia was not part of Thrace. Duh.
