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<p>[QUOTE="jamesicus, post: 3205502, member: 14873"]<font size="6"><b><font face="Times New Roman">Very much a work in progress ………</font></b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">All comments and corrections very welcome</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">As Mattingly points out in "Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum" (BMCRE), Volume I, the main purpose of Countermarks on coins was to extend their circulation under new authority.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">In his article "The Countermark PROB on Coins of Claudius I from Britain" (The Numismatic Chronicle Vol. 148 {1988}, pp. 53-61), Robert Kenyon points out that after his conquest of Britain in 42AD (and maybe planned before) Claudius issued large quantities of early OB CIVES SERVATOS (without PP) and SPES Sestertii of 41AD (minted in Rome) for use in general commerce in Britain.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">All of this coinage was countermarked <b>PROB</b> (Probatum=approved) on the coin obverse.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">It seems that there was a large amount of irregular coinage struck in Gaul with Roman Imperial approval in order to provide additional currency, especially in Britain following the conquest of that country by Claudius. These coins were also countermarked <b>PROB</b> on the coin obverse and circulated as legal tender despite their often flawed appearance.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Following is an example of a Countermarked Claudius sestertius:</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><img src="http://jp29.org/000claudprobs.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><i>BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 120, 41-45AD (38mm, 29.2gm)</i></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Inscription: <b>TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Countermarked <b>PROB</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Mattingly note - Cmk in oblong incuse in front of neck and face; end of legend obliterated</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Inscription in four lines:</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><b>EX SC</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><b>O B</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><b>C I V E S</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><b>SERVATOS</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">(within Civic Oak Wreath)</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Later (PP marked) coins were not so Countermarked and were probably not circulated in Britain:</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><img src="http://jp29.org/000cl2o.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /><img src="http://jp29.org/000cl2r.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><i>BMCRE Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 185, 42AD and on (38mm, 29.8gm)</i></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Plate 36</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Inscription: <b>TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Mattingly note - with PP (Pater Patriae) marking</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Inscription in four lines:</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><b>EX SC</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><b>P P</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><b>OB CIVES</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><b>SERVATOS</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">(within Civic Oak Wreath)</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Claudius also Countermarked and issued asses and dupondii of Caligula in order to extend the supply of money after his expedition to Britain and his subsequent conquest of the island.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Mattingly lists <b>TIAV</b> (Tiberius Claudius Augustus) as the Countermark used by Claudius on those coins. They were issued for extended circulation in Britain by Claudius following his Victory there.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">They were the common Roman denominations used as legal tender in Britannia - evidently for a very long time, for many are found in very worn condition.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Following is an example of such a Countermarked coin:</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><img src="http://jp29.org/000claudcounter1o.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /><img src="http://jp29.org/000claudcounter1r.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Much worn Germanicus SIGNIS RECEPT dupondius</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">BMCRE, Vol I, Caligula, No. 93 (RIC, Vol I, No. 57)</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Reverse: Claudius Countermark <b>TIAV</b> in oblong incuse to left of head</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Mattingly, BMCRE, Vol. I, Caligula, No. 93 & Plate 30</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">A much clearer photograph of countermark on an As originally issued by Caligula:</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><img src="http://jp29.org/000neptune.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Agrippa Obverse & Neptune reverse As</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">BMCRE, Vol I, Tiberius, No. 168 (RIC, Vol I, No. 58)</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Plate 26</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Reverse: Claudius Countermark <b>TIAV</b> in oblong incuse to left of head of Neptune.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">"in hand" enlargement of countermark:</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><img src="http://jp29.org/000nepbigs.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Neptune reverse</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">As, BMCRE, Vol I, Tiberius, No. 168 (RIC, Vol I, No. 58)</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Plate 26</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Reverse: Claudius Countermark <b>TIAV</b> in oblong incuse to left of head of Neptune.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Nero also Countermarked and issued Claudius sestertii in order to extend the supply of money in Britain after the death of Claudius.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">This coinage was countermarked <b>NCAPR</b> - which is interpreted different ways by collectors and researchers, with the most popular and frequently used interpretation being Nero Claudius Augustus Probavit.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">The same problem that existed with Claudius countermarked sestertii - a large amount of irregular coinage struck in Gaul with Roman Imperial approval in order to provide additional currency, especially in Britain - led to these coins also being countermarked NCAPR on the coin obverse and circulated as legal tender despite their often flawed appearance.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><br /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><img src="http://jp29.org/000claudncaprs.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"><i>BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 123, 41-45AD (35mm, 22.3gm)</i></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Inscription: <b>TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Countermarked <b>NCAPR</b> in oblong incuse rectangle behind head</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Reverse depiction: Triumphal arch surmounted by equestrian statue of Nero Claudius Drusus</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman">Inscription: <b>NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMAN IMP</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman"></font>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="jamesicus, post: 3205502, member: 14873"][SIZE=6][B][FONT=Times New Roman]Very much a work in progress ………[/FONT][/B][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman]All comments and corrections very welcome As Mattingly points out in "Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum" (BMCRE), Volume I, the main purpose of Countermarks on coins was to extend their circulation under new authority. In his article "The Countermark PROB on Coins of Claudius I from Britain" (The Numismatic Chronicle Vol. 148 {1988}, pp. 53-61), Robert Kenyon points out that after his conquest of Britain in 42AD (and maybe planned before) Claudius issued large quantities of early OB CIVES SERVATOS (without PP) and SPES Sestertii of 41AD (minted in Rome) for use in general commerce in Britain. All of this coinage was countermarked [B]PROB[/B] (Probatum=approved) on the coin obverse. It seems that there was a large amount of irregular coinage struck in Gaul with Roman Imperial approval in order to provide additional currency, especially in Britain following the conquest of that country by Claudius. These coins were also countermarked [B]PROB[/B] on the coin obverse and circulated as legal tender despite their often flawed appearance. Following is an example of a Countermarked Claudius sestertius: [IMG]http://jp29.org/000claudprobs.jpg[/IMG] [I]BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 120, 41-45AD (38mm, 29.2gm)[/I] Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right Inscription: [B]TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP[/B] Countermarked [B]PROB[/B] Mattingly note - Cmk in oblong incuse in front of neck and face; end of legend obliterated Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath Inscription in four lines: [B]EX SC[/B] [B]O B[/B] [B]C I V E S[/B] [B]SERVATOS[/B] (within Civic Oak Wreath) Later (PP marked) coins were not so Countermarked and were probably not circulated in Britain: [IMG]http://jp29.org/000cl2o.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://jp29.org/000cl2r.jpg[/IMG] [I]BMCRE Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 185, 42AD and on (38mm, 29.8gm)[/I] Plate 36 Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right Inscription: [B]TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP[/B] Mattingly note - with PP (Pater Patriae) marking Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath Inscription in four lines: [B]EX SC[/B] [B]P P[/B] [B]OB CIVES[/B] [B]SERVATOS[/B] (within Civic Oak Wreath) Claudius also Countermarked and issued asses and dupondii of Caligula in order to extend the supply of money after his expedition to Britain and his subsequent conquest of the island. Mattingly lists [B]TIAV[/B] (Tiberius Claudius Augustus) as the Countermark used by Claudius on those coins. They were issued for extended circulation in Britain by Claudius following his Victory there. They were the common Roman denominations used as legal tender in Britannia - evidently for a very long time, for many are found in very worn condition. Following is an example of such a Countermarked coin: [IMG]http://jp29.org/000claudcounter1o.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://jp29.org/000claudcounter1r.jpg[/IMG] Much worn Germanicus SIGNIS RECEPT dupondius BMCRE, Vol I, Caligula, No. 93 (RIC, Vol I, No. 57) Reverse: Claudius Countermark [B]TIAV[/B] in oblong incuse to left of head Mattingly, BMCRE, Vol. I, Caligula, No. 93 & Plate 30 A much clearer photograph of countermark on an As originally issued by Caligula: [IMG]http://jp29.org/000neptune.jpg[/IMG] Agrippa Obverse & Neptune reverse As BMCRE, Vol I, Tiberius, No. 168 (RIC, Vol I, No. 58) Plate 26 Reverse: Claudius Countermark [B]TIAV[/B] in oblong incuse to left of head of Neptune. "in hand" enlargement of countermark: [IMG]http://jp29.org/000nepbigs.jpg[/IMG] Neptune reverse As, BMCRE, Vol I, Tiberius, No. 168 (RIC, Vol I, No. 58) Plate 26 Reverse: Claudius Countermark [B]TIAV[/B] in oblong incuse to left of head of Neptune. Nero also Countermarked and issued Claudius sestertii in order to extend the supply of money in Britain after the death of Claudius. This coinage was countermarked [B]NCAPR[/B] - which is interpreted different ways by collectors and researchers, with the most popular and frequently used interpretation being Nero Claudius Augustus Probavit. The same problem that existed with Claudius countermarked sestertii - a large amount of irregular coinage struck in Gaul with Roman Imperial approval in order to provide additional currency, especially in Britain - led to these coins also being countermarked NCAPR on the coin obverse and circulated as legal tender despite their often flawed appearance. [IMG]http://jp29.org/000claudncaprs.jpg[/IMG] [I]BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 123, 41-45AD (35mm, 22.3gm)[/I] Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right Inscription: [B]TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP[/B] Countermarked [B]NCAPR[/B] in oblong incuse rectangle behind head Reverse depiction: Triumphal arch surmounted by equestrian statue of Nero Claudius Drusus Inscription: [B]NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMAN IMP[/B] [/FONT][/QUOTE]
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