From my old folder I picked up this curious coin. Having posted it few years ago, I thought there was Apollo on obverse and a palm tree on reverse. Now it turns to be a civic coin from Apameia-Syria which was struck under Augustus Caesar in the year 17 BC. It has rather Dionysos on obverse and thyrsos on reverse. Date E Koppa Sigma in left field of reverse ( local year 295 ). Hoover 1425 RPC 4352. The coin has a curious big counter mark of Tyche or Artemis on the obverse. Hence I presume that it's an unlisted coin. Please post your comment.
Worn, but nice looking @7Calbrey. I only have one coin from Apameia APAMEIA, PHRYGIA AE23 OBVERSE: Laureate head of Zeus right REVERSE: APAME to the right, cult statue of Artemis Anaïtis standing facing, magistrate HRAKLEI EGLO to left Struck at Pergamon 133-27 BC 8.38g, 22mm SNGCop 183.1; BMC Phrygia p. 77, 48
I like the counter-mark Charles. Apameia 8 BC Obvs: Young head of Dionysos r. wreathed with ivy; border of dots. Revs: ΛπΛMEΩN THΣIEPΛΣ KΛIΛΣYΛOY, Thyrsos, p to right. Γ¶Σx in field. 22mm, 9.6g The counter-mark does not change the reference number, but makes it distinctive.
I am reviving this old thread because I recently got an example of the OP and spent some time trying to figure it out...and because I am crazy about countermarks. Basically, I didn't figure anything out. I will say that this countermark seems to be fairly abundant - I found a couple online. The most notable perhaps being the RPC online version. https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/326466 All the ones I found have the countermark neatly applied on the obverse, on the neck of Dionysos, which leads me to believe it is an official issue of some sort. The frustrating thing about Greek countermarks is that unlike Roman Provincials, there is no Howgego to figure out and categorize everything. Professor Howgego, please expand your range! We need you. Here is mine - it is very green and otherwise cruddy, obscuring the reverse (which I think I photographed upside-down - oops). With a lot of squinting and shifting the light source, you can see a lot of the reverse inscription, believe it or not: Apameia, Syria Æ 21 Year 295 (18-17 B.C.) Head of Dionysos right, wreathed with ivy /[AΠ]AME[ΩN] THΣ IEΡ[AΣ] KAI AΣYΛOY, thyrsos. Date E9Σ in left field. [X]-P across. RPC 4352; Hoover HGC 1425. Countermark: Head of Tyche in 8 mm circle. (6.66 grams / 21 mm) Any others out there?
