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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Marsyas Mike, post: 8173626, member: 85693&quot;]Those are some nice French coins in this thread.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Ecus are very handsome coins - from my countermark-collecting (non-ancient) days, here are a couple of French ecus counterstamped for use in Bern, Switzerland, c. 1816-1819.&nbsp; In addition to the counterstamps, the edges were re-done as well.&nbsp; Years ago I read that most of these were melted down by Swiss watchmakers because the silver purity was so high.&nbsp; They are rather scarce, but expensive rather than rare, I&#039;d say.&nbsp; I got that holed one really cheap, back in the days when holed coins were spurned by most collectors (but not me).&nbsp; Holed coins are not the bargain they used to be, even on eBay:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1428118[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Nowadays I collect ancient countermarks - some of them are spectacularly unattractive - the first one is my first &quot;pseudo-countermark&quot; - never heard of such a thing before.&nbsp; Here are two recent ones I got: </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1428119[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Caracalla&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Æ 28</b></p><p><b>(c. 212-217 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Topirus, Thrace</b></p><p>AYT K M AYPH ANTΩNIN[OC], laureate head right / OYΛΠ[IAC TOΠI]POY, Tetrastyle temple with Herakles seated on a rock left, giving his hand to a woman standing right.</p><p>Moushmov 4981 (see notes).</p><p>(15.87 grams / 28 mm)</p><p>eBay Nov. 2021&nbsp; </p><p><b>Pseudo-Countermark:</b></p><p>AMP monogram in 6 mm circle obverse. Howgego 604.</p><p>&quot;Although seemingly a countermark, the monogram on the obverse of the present piece was in fact engraved on the original die, as is evidenced by the clear raised rim and the exact repetition of both location and design on other examples of the type....&quot; Roma Numismatics</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This is about as nice as Byzantine countermarks get in my price range - I have two or three others, but this is by far my best:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1428120[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Byzantine Empire&nbsp; Æ Follis</b></p><p><b>Heraclius </b></p><p><b>(c. 616-622 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Sicilian Mint</b></p><p><b>Host coin: </b> Follis of Justinian I (star-cross-cross reverse; see notes). </p><p><b>Counterstamp:</b> bust of Heraclius, facing in circle, PTh monogram / <u>SCLs</u> in oval. </p><p>SB 882; DOC 241.</p><p>(18.34 grams / 33 x 28 mm)</p><p>eBay Nov. 2021 </p><p><b>Host Coin:</b></p><p><b>Justinian I&nbsp; &nbsp; Æ Follis</b></p><p><b>(527-538 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Mint obliterated (see below)</b></p><p>DN IVSTI[NIAN]VS PP [AVG], pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Large M, star left, cross above, cross right, Officina A below, [mintmark CON or NIKM in exergue].</p><p>SB 158 (Constantinople)</p><p>SB 198 (Nicomedia).[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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