Why did I buy this worn slug?

I was the high bidder for this junky, worn, slug of a common siglos. There seemed to be no end to the intense bidding frenzy. The price flew up to 13 EUR before my bid of 13.62 made me the winner!

What makes this so special? I don't think it's too hard to figure out the answer

 

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That lion on the reverse would have made me buy it! Lydia?

 

Appears to be part of the original die; not a countermark. Do you know of better examples? I have to have one.

 

Yes, Lydia, Persian Empire, 420-375 B.C.

As guessed, this is not a countermark on the reverse, it is a die with lion head within incuse. I never thought I would find one and fortunately it wasn't in the coin description. I have only seen these in well circulated condition.

I will go nicely with a different lion head variety in my collection, this one facing forward.

 

Neat find

 

Thanks randy!

 

Good eye!

 

Thanks Jay. Trying to find these reverses takes pareidolia to a whole new level.

 

Oddly enough, another example arrived at my doorstep this week. This one with a lion countermark on the obverse. It's funny how you can be hunting for something for years and then suddenly a couple appear within a few weeks!

 

I am reading this with great interest – thank you for showing these coins!

The lions on your second and third coin look very similar. Is it the same countermark, or does your second coin, as your first one, come from an engraved reverse die? I can't tell from your pictures, thus I am asking.

Also, if I see correctly, all three of your coins belong to the group Carradice classifies as type IV B. Do you think this is significant at all, or is it just coincidence?

Just to be polite, here is my (fourrée) type IV C siglos:

Artaxerxes II – Darius III, Achaemenid Empire, fourrée siglos, ca. 375–336 BC. Obv: Great King kneeling left, holding dagger and bow, three pellets on chest. Rev: irregular punch. 14.4mm, 4.92g. Ref: Carradice 1987, type IV C (prototype).

 

@Orielensis that is a fantastic fouree!

Yes, coin 2 and 3 are a die matched reverse, an engraved die, not a countermark. Since it's a die match I'll be selling coin 2.

You are also correct that these are Carradice type IV B. As far as I know, this is the only variety with this type of reverse.

 

@Nemo , thank you for the compliment and for your knowledgeable answer. That's quite a fascinating observation.