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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;robinjojo, post: 8143055, member: 110226&quot;]I&#039;ve posted various owls with countermarks in the past.&nbsp; As an important coin used in trade throughout the eastern Mediterranean, and elsewhere, it is not unusual to see these coins with punch marks, test cuts and countermarks.&nbsp; Most of my countermarked owls are imitative.&nbsp; A coin with even a somewhat unusual appearance attracted the attention of test cutters and others who scrutinized these dubious coins, as well as regular issue coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>I am finding that the more I research countermarks, and attempt to interpret them, the less I know.&nbsp; Some countermarks are poorly impressed, others suffer from deposits, corrosion or poor metal quality.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s one owl, imitative, possibly from Philistia, I believe, that has a Phoenician W, punched sideways due to limited space on Athena&#039;s cheek.&nbsp; Above it is a pelt-like counterstamp resembling what, I do not know at the present.&nbsp; I&#039;ve seen this type of countermark before.&nbsp; I cannot correlate the apparent W to any city in the Levant, so I assume it is a merchant&#039;s or banker&#039;s initial.</p><p><br /></p><p>17.0 gram</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;[ATTACH=full]1419769[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>My most recent countermarked owl, a pharaonic owl, that I posted earlier, has a bold and clear pentagram, so there is little left for the imagination regarding that.&nbsp; What is the significance of the pentagram?&nbsp; I have seen it used in Phoenician coins dating to the early to middle 4th century BC, so it is possible that there is a link to this coin circulating in that kingdom at some point.</p><p><br /></p><p>17.0 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;[ATTACH=full]1419770[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Then, there are countermarks that incorporate an symbol or figure and character such as this owl, with rather grainy surfaces, which appears to have a figure facing right, arm extended above what seems to be a wave, very reminiscent of some Phoenician staters and shekels.&nbsp; Additionally there seems to be an Aramaic mem below the wave.&nbsp; Again, this is conjecture on my part, but is it a very interesting countermark to contemplate.&nbsp; Is this some sort of counterstamp allowing this owl to circulate within a jurisdiction?</p><p><br /></p><p>17.1 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419773[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Finally, here&#039;s a 4th century BC imitation of an intermediate Athenian owl.&nbsp; The countermark on this coin, while quite clear, is still a puzzle for me, so if anyone has an idea on its nature, I&#039;d appreciate the input.</p><p><br /></p><p>ex Roma E-Sale 59, lot 146</p><p><br /></p><p>17.05 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419776[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I have other coins with countermarks in the wings waiting to be deciphered.&nbsp; Assuming that I have sufficient brain reserves to tackle them, I&#039;ll proceed to do so.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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