Julia Domna - Astarte (rev.)

Since getting into 'ancients' my buying 'regime' has mostly been comprised of "I don't have one of those - I will buy it", or, "That is a better example than the one I have".
As a result I have many coins but few that i am 'endeared' to.

Then I saw this one. It 'spoke' to me. I don't know what it said, but I had to get it, so I did.

It is Julia Domna, wife of Septimus Severus, mother of Caracalla.
AE24, 9.98gm, of Gabala, Syria, 195-217 A.D. .
Obv. IOVΛI ΔOMNA CEB, Julia Domna draped bust right, with countermark.
Rev. (from lower left, anti-clockwise), ΓABAΛEΩN and date, .. IKΓ, Astarte, (goddess of fertility, motherhood and war), veiled, standing front between two sphinxes.
Mionnet V, 645. (Seller's pics.)





I have not come across this reverse, before, and, (in fact) I cannot find an example of this coin in CNG, or Acsearch, or anywhere else, except for 'Wildwinds' (one example).

If anyone can give me any more information about this coin, I would appreciate it.
If anyone can tell me about this 'countermark' (what is it of?) I would also appreciate it.

Please post your examples of this coin, too. I would love to see them especially to see the detail that is 'worn' on mine.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Cool, I bid on that. A little low others caught my eye. She's on my want list though. Cool addition. Glad she's gone someplace where I could see it around.

 

You should be able to look it up here Mionnet V.645 the seller provided with at least that much.
Let me know how everything goes. I bought 3 others from him & my 1st time dealing with that dealer.

 

Nice bronze, TC. I like that one a lot.

 

what a cool reverse...had some meat on its bones as well...nice provincial coin TC!

 

Very interesting coin @Topcat7

 

Nice one, tc... haven't seen one of these before.

 

Great reverse, Topcat ... I hadn't seen the sphinx reverse until now (very cool looking addition)

 

Curious? ... what is the countermark? (any idea?)

*edit* => ooops sorry, apparently that was part of the coin-info that you were looking for

 

Cool reverse @Topcat7 Congrats!!

I can't recall coming across one like that before.

 

Here's the entry in Mionnet's book (available as online .pdf on a few websites). There aren't plates, but on the referenced coin he mentions a countermark, the letters "SAC", and that seems to be the same countermark at the OP coin. I have no idea what the SAC means, of course

 

Wow Topcat, begining to ask myself why I passed on it.
I did get a rare Kolophon, Iyre & a few others. A post for next week or 2 maybe.
Be sure to show it often. If you get tired of owning it always keep me in mind.

 

Thank-you, TIF. I did 'google' Mionnet but I didn't get anything.
I appreciate the reference, (very much).
From the reference that you have given I see that Astarte is seated, and not standing. I find it interesting that the Mionnet coin, and the Wildwinds coin, and my coin, ALL have the same 'countermark'?

 

Wildwinds has another Julia Domna with the same 'SAC" countermark, but sheds no light on the origins of it.

Julia Domna, AE25 of Gabala, Syria. 6.65 g. AD 193-217.
IOVLI DOMNA CEB, draped bust right,
SAC countermark in right field (Howgego 573 var).
GABALEWN, Astarte, veiled, seated left, holding corn-ears
and sceptre, sphinx at foot.
Gabala, SNG Munich 831

I also could not find a reference to an SAC countermark on the Museum of Countermarks on Roman Coins webpage.

 

Very cool, Topcat ...

Yah, I'm not 100% sure, but I'm fairly sure that was one of my ancestors

=> bangin' the ol' SX6 onto that sweet coin!!

 

@stevex6
Didn't see that one coming.

 

Nice topcat, I do only have two silver of Gabala, no bronze yet, nice one this one !!