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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ryro, post: 8142374, member: 91461&quot;]You read right. One of the coolest and least understood symbols (along with so many monograms) is the countermarks on our ancient coins!</p><p>But few things can turn a slate into great, a dud into a stud a cull into rock n roll like a countermark.</p><p>A great way to revitalize a coin (and an economy) without having to spend the overhead on melting and then remaking a coin.</p><p>Not just the ancients though. From modern idiots to royalty, since back to the fifteen hundreds people have been countermarking their coins including their ancients<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie67" alt=":nailbiting:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419571[/ATTACH]</p><p>(Loyd Christmas readying his dies)</p><p><br /></p><p>Though, a nice countermark can actually add considerable allure (and value) to your ancients<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie100" alt=":wideyed:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Some of my favorites are below for your enlightenment and entertainment.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is a countermark hidden in plain site. And this coin has the added benefit of a Boetian shield on a coin from a Macedonian... doesn&#039;t that make it a Macedonian shield?<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419566[/ATTACH]</p><p>Ptolemaic Kingdom. Ptolemy II Philadelphos (285-246 BC). AE Diobol, Alexandria mint. Head of Zeus-Ammon right. / ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings open, Σ / shield in left field, c/m: trident.. Lorber B166. AE. 14.15 g. 22.00 mm. Rare with trident countermark. About VF/Good F. Purchased from Artemide Kunstauktionen Jan 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>Artemis looking beautiful with a lovely rose in the back of her hair:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419567[/ATTACH]</p><p>CILICIA, Soloi. Circa 100-30 BC. Æ 21mm (7.81 g, 1h). Bust of Artemis right, bow and quiver over shoulder; c/m: rose / Athena advancing right, brandishing thunderbolt and holding shield; monograms to left. SNG France 1189 var. (monograms); SNG Levante 860 var. (same). Purchased from Dara October 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>At first site the countermark and coin itself aren&#039;t very appealing, but if you zoom in and flip your screen upside-down you&#039;ll see a most stunning eagle on the shield side of the coin:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419568[/ATTACH]</p><p>LYDIA. Apollonis. (Circa 2nd-1st centuries BC)</p><p>AE Bronze (20,8mm., 4g.)</p><p>Macedonian shield, decorated with central star and four stars around. Countermark w/ Eagle wings spread. Rare</p><p>ΑΠΟΛΛΩ / ΝΙΔΕΩΝ.</p><p>Club right.</p><p>SNG von Aulock -; SNG Copenhagen 16; BMC -; SNG München 32; Lindgren II 154. Purchased from Lydia Numismatics July 2021</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>How often do you see an axe attacking a thunderbolt of Zeus!?</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419569[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Kids from Pergamon clearly were used to their big brother and sisters hand me downs as they have a load of these countermarked owls:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419570[/ATTACH]</p><p>Philetairus</p><p>Mysia (van Alfen type 2) Kingdom of Pergamon</p><p>&nbsp;282-263 BC Bronze, with countermark: owl. Head of Athena with Attic Helmet / Serpent of Asclepius. SNG BN 1650 ff. 2.99 g .; Nice</p><p>Secret Saturlanlia gift</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Yes, yes you can 1000% blame this thread on this stinging beauty:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419565[/ATTACH]</p><p>Pisidia. Termessos Major circa 100-0 BC.</p><p>Bronze Æ</p><p>22 mm, 4,22 g</p><p>fine</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419576[/ATTACH]</p><p>Augustus with Divus Julius Caesar</p><p>(27 BC-14 AD) MACEDON. Thessalonica. Obv: ΘEOΣ.</p><p>Wreathed head of Julius Caesar right; uncertain c/m on neck.</p><p>Rev: ΘEΣΣAΛONIKEΩN.</p><p>Bare head of Augustus right; Δ below. RPC I 1554.</p><p>Fine. 12.3 g.21 mm.</p><p>Former: Numismatik Naumann</p><p>The D has been interpreted as either a denomination mark (four assaria) or, more likely, a date - year four of the Actian era (28/7 BC). The ligate NK monogram has been generally accepted as a reference to Nero (Nerwn Kaisar). This is problematic considering that Thessalonica had abundant coinages issued under Claudius and Nero, such that countermarking these quite older coins would be unlikely. Touratsoglou (p. 105) follows Kraay&#039;s suggestion that the NK is an abbreviation for Nike (NiKh), and was applied to the coins during celebrations of the city&#039;s 50th anniversary of its grant of liberty by the Romans. All but two of the known specimens of this countermark occur on the coins of this first issue of Thessalonica, and the wear on the countermarks is nearly identical to that of the coins, suggesting that the countermarks could not have been applied very long after the coins entered circulation.</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin always song bombs me with</p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]t6OS_ItMGpc[/MEDIA]</p><p>As it appears Germanicus and Drusus look like they are sitting in the front of a car <i>cruising</i></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419572[/ATTACH]</p><p>Germanicus and Drusus</p><p>LYDIA, Sardes (... or maybe not), Struck CE 23-26?</p><p>restruck by Asinius Pollio, proconsul of Asia under Caligula, CE 37-38? Æ26, 13.78 gm</p><p>Obv: ΔPOYΣOΣ KAI ΓEPMANIKOΣ NEIOI ΘEOI ΦIΛAΔEΛΦOI; Germanicus and Drusus seated left on curule chairs, one holding lituus.</p><p>Rev: ΓAIΩ AΣINNIΩ ΠΩΛΛIΩNI ANΘYΠATΩ; KOINOY/ AΣIAΣ within wreath</p><p>Ref: RPC 2995, Sear 365</p><p><br /></p><p>And a really cool slug as you cannot make out anything, at all, on the coin but for the coming storm of the, &quot;Populus Romanus&quot;:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419575[/ATTACH]</p><p>PR=Populus Romanus</p><p>- The Roman People. AE 24.2 MM, 6.5 gr. This countermark was used by the rebels in Gaul under the leadership of Julius Vindex during the months of March through June of 68 CE. Used mostly upon dupondii and Asses. Coin appears intentionally slate as these were known to deface and denounce the current powers that be.</p><p>Ex: CNG</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>So, yeah. Please post your countermarks and the meaning or theories behind them. Pile em on if you got em<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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