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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;rrdenarius, post: 2603922, member: 75525&quot;]I think you have a banker&#039;s mark, or a test mark to check for a plated or low silver content coin. See a similar S on the example below from CNG. The quote below is from a CNG description of this coin.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]568774[/ATTACH]</p><p>Mark Antony minted these coins from silver he received in Cleopatra&#039;s dowry, but there wasn&#039;t enough to pay his troops! So these coins were minted at a slightly lower standard than other Roman issues of the time. This sent Greek bankers into a frenzy, and for a time they tested all Roman silver. Antony&#039;s denarii nearly always have a shallow &quot;banker&#039;s mark&quot;, while Octavian&#039;s and other issues of Antony that were tested often show a deeper punch. The reason? Pure silver is softer. And why are these legionary denarii so hard to find in high grade? Bad money replaces good; these legionary denarii circulated into the reign of Gallienus! Thank you, Harvey Hofer, for this (true) story. (Remembered from circa 1961 AD).[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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