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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Marsyas Mike, post: 3244597, member: 85693&quot;]This was a lot of fun for me.&nbsp; A batch of harshly over-cleaned Roman Provincials (and some others) from eBay, 14 coins for $19.99 ($1.43 each, not including shipping). There&#039;s a lot of this kind of material on eBay, most of it is pretty unappetizing, but this one got my bid (I was the only bidder).</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;ll start with the best one first.&nbsp; I&#039;ve really been into countermarks lately, and this oval head of Antoninus Pius is fairly common (Howgego 113), but to me interesting (and worth the price of the whole lot - it is why I bid).&nbsp; The countermark is on a Trajan host from Laodicia ad Mare (I think) - attribution is vague because so much is worn on the host coin.&nbsp; Fortunately, this one hasn&#039;t been polished to a high brilliance:</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]850148[/ATTACH] </b></p><p><b>Trajan / Ant. Pius&nbsp; Æ 25</b></p><p><b>(c. 98-117 / 140-160 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Syria, Laodicea ad Mare</b></p><p>[AYTOKΡ NEΡ TΡAIANOC AΡICT KAIC CEB ΓEΡ ΔAK ?], laureate head Trajan right / [IOYΛIEΩN TΩN KAI] ΛA[OΔ-</p><p>IKEΩN IOY ?], turreted head of Tyche right. BMC 42-44?</p><p><b>Countermark:</b> A. Pius in oval.&nbsp; Howgego 113. (7.95 g. / 25 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p>My second favorite is this one (the only one attributed in the lot - correctly so, as far as I can tell).&nbsp; Unfortunately harshly cleaned, the style is fine and I don&#039;t have to worry about damaging the patina when I handle it: </p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]850152[/ATTACH] </b></p><p><b>Domitian (Caesarian Era) Æ 19</b></p><p><b>Year 127 (77-78 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Syria, Seleukis &amp; Pieria</b></p><p>Turreted and veiled bust of Tyche right, ΑΝΤΙΟΧΕΩΝ before / Garlanded and lighted altar; ET digamma-KP in exergue.</p><p>RPC II, 2020; SNG Cop. 112; Butcher 168; BMC 97.</p><p>(4.88 grams / 19 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p>I am pretty sure this one is Caracalla from Carrhae - near where he was assassinated while relieving himself.&nbsp; A new Province for me, it suffers from a grievous over-cleaning like most of the others</p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]850151[/ATTACH] </b></p><p><b>Caracalla Æ 18</b></p><p><b>(198-217 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Carrhae, Mesopotamia</b></p><p>[M ANTONINVS P F AVG], laureate head right / [COI MET ANT]ONINIANA [AVR ALEX], turreted and veiled head of Tyche right.</p><p>SNG Cop 177; BMC 30-42 (?).</p><p>(3.15 grams / 18 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p>There were a couple of LRB in the lot, this being the only one I could fully attribute (with some CT help on the mint mark). It too is overly-cleaned, but rather attractively so, I think, with some nice contrast between fields and devices remaining. </p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]850154[/ATTACH] </b></p><p><b>Valentinian I&nbsp; Æ 3 (Æ 19)</b></p><p><b>(367-375 A.D.) </b></p><p><b>Siscia mint </b></p><p>DN VALENTINIANVS PF AVG diademed draped and cuirassed bust right / SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE, Victory walking</p><p>left, holding wreath &amp; palm. dot ΔSISC.</p><p>RIC IX Siscia 7a, type ii.</p><p>(2.31 grams / 19 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are two I could not quite attribute.&nbsp; The Antioch SC is, I believe, Severus Alexander - I found an identical on Vcoins but the dealer didn&#039;t provide any attribution information (the circle around the SC and the A below are the key identifying factors, I think). The other one is from Moesia, I think, with the common standing eagle reverse - one of the &quot;kid&quot; emperors - Caracalla, Geta, Elagabalus, Sev. Alexander, Diadumenian? </p><p>[ATTACH=full]850149[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is the rest of the lot - pretty cruddy stuff, although I think the bottom left one is a Phoenician with a ship&#039;s prow reverse and date - sadly the obverse is obliterated.&nbsp; There&#039;s a Gallienus zoo (stag?), and a few others that are partially identifiable.&nbsp; I haven&#039;t gotten around to looking into these yet. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]850156[/ATTACH]</p><p>Last but not least, the seller included three free Dutch East Indies shipwreck coppers from the early 19th Century.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]850153[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>All in all a very satisfying experience; figuring these out kept me out of the taverns for two days.&nbsp; Please share your junkyard or un-described lots - I really enjoy the winnowing process that comes with these.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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