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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Numismatics| ▸ |Countermarked||View Options:   | | | A countermark is a stamped or punched impression adding elements of design to a coin after it was originally struck. The practice of countermarking coins was widespread throughout antiquity. It was particularly common in the provinces of the Roman Empire. Countermarks were applied to coins for many reasons, including revalidation, revaluation, devaluation, and propaganda. Exactly when and why any individual countermark was applied is often uncertain. |
M. Grant (Grant FITA, p. 246) first and convincingly attributed this type to Lampsacus. P. Brunt (Italian Manpower, p. 600) argues convincingly that the colony was founded by Julius Caesar about 45 B.C. (a twin colony to another at Parium) and disappeared after its occupation by Sextus Pompey in 35 B.C. Marcus Turius was the legate (governor) of Asia, 42 - 40 B.C. The countermark is listed in RPC I on other issues of the colony.RP85355. Bronze as, RPC I 2272 (2 specimens), Grant FITA 246(4), SNG BnF -, SNG Cop -, SNGvA -; Countermark: Howgego -, F, a little rough with some smoothing, only three specimens known to Forum, weight 4.044 g, maximum diameter 17.8 mm, die axis 45o, Lampsakos (Lapseki, Turkey) mint, 42 - 40 B.C.; obverse head of Janus, C G - I L (Colonia Gemella Iulia Lampsacus) divided across field, countermark: cornucopia, C - C flanking at sides, within a roughly square punch; reverse galley prow right, Q LVCRETI / L PONTI IIVIR (duumvirs) above, M TVRIO LEG (Marcus Turius, legate) below; extremely rare; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Maurice Tiberius, 13 August 582 - 22 November 602 A.D.; Palestina Prima Countermark
Due to new finds around Caesarea Maritima, Wolfgang Schulze re-attributed this countermark from Egypt to Palestina Prima. David Woods proposes that "Nicetas, the cousin of the future emperor Heraclius, ordered the countermarking of these coins as he advanced from Egypt into Palestine during the summer of 610 in order to signal the change of government from Phocas to the Heraclii." Another possible date is after the recovery of Syria from the Persians in 628. Schulze dates it to the Arab siege of 637 - 640 A.D., to which Caesarea succumbed. This is only the third example known of this eagle countermark applied to a coin of Maurice Tiberius. Woods identified the other examples, as "a careless accident."SH77069. Bronze follis, Hahn MIB II 65b, DOC I 22 var. (no 4th officina), SBCV 494; for countermark see Schulze INR 2009, and Woods (Heraclius, Palestina Prima), countermark: VF, coin: aF, areas of corrosion, weight 11.287 g, maximum diameter 31.5 mm, die axis 180o, 4th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, coin c. 583 - 584, countermark c. 610 - 637; obverse DN mAV - RC P P AV, crowned bust facing, crown with cross and pendilia, globus cruciger in right hand, shield on left shoulder; reverse large M (40 nummi) between ANNO and II (regnal year 2), Δ (4th officina) below, CON in exergue; countermark: in exergue, eagle standing facing, head right, wings raised, in a round punch; from The Jimi Berlin Caesarea Collection (found at Caesarea, Israel); very rare countermark; SOLD
Knidos, Caria, 1st Century B.C.
Based on only the single worn example known to the authors, RPC I attributed this type to Livia from an uncertain mint. Based on the Mabbott coin with a clear poppy on the obverse and ethnic on the reverse, the RPC I Supplement corrected the attribution to Demeter and Knidos. Similar countermarks are known on coins from Chalkis, Laodicea, Antioch, Selucia, and Damascus, cities under the control of Cleopatra. We believe it is her portrait. Cleopatra and Marc Antony spent considerable romantic time together around Knidos. It is said that Marc Antony sent ships to the Nile to retrieve sand for a beach, which is known today as Cleopatra's Beach. Click here to read about this coin on NumisWiki.RP21181. Bronze AE 32, RPC I 5436 (1 example known to RPC, attributed to Livia, 2nd example and corrected to Demeter in supplement), F, countermark VF, weight 17.192 g, maximum diameter 32.1 mm, die axis 0o, Knidos (near Tekir, Turkey) mint, 1st century B.C.; obverse veiled and diademed bust of Demeter right [holding poppy], oval countermark of Cleopatra VII? right; reverse KNI..., Nike advancing left with wreath and palm; rare; SOLD
Knidos, Caria, c. 100 - 40 B.C.
This type struck by this magistrate appears to be unpublished and we do not know another example. The referenced similar type struck under the magistrate Apollonios is also extremely rare with only a few known examples. Similar countermarks are known on coins from Chalkis, Laodicea, Antioch, Selucia, and Damascus, cities under the control of Cleopatra. We believe it is her portrait. Cleopatra and Marc Antony spent considerable romantic time together around Knidos. It is said that Marc Antony sent ships to the Nile to retrieve sand for a beach, which is known today as Cleopatra's Beach.RP76800. Bronze AE 32, Apparently unpublished; cf. Mabbott 1715 (magistrate), RPC I suppl. 5436 (same); SNG Cop -, SNGvA -, SNG Munchen -, SNG Tüb -, SNG Keckman -, aF, porous, scratches, corrosion, weight 18.277 g, maximum diameter 31.6 mm, die axis 0o, Knidos (near Tekir, Turkey) mint, c. 100 - 40 B.C.; countermark: c. 36 - 30 B.C.; obverse veiled and diademed bust of Demeter right, poppy before her (covered by countermark), oval countermark: female head (Cleopatra VII?) right; reverse Nike advancing left, wreath in extended right hand, palm frond in left hand, MOΣXΩN (magistrate's name) downward on left, KNIΔIΩN downward on right; one of only two known, the other without the countermark!; SOLD
Kallatis, Moesia Inferior, 3rd - 2nd Century B.C.
Apollo's most important attribute is the tripod lebes, a cauldron in a three-legged stand used for religious rituals. The tripod lebes is symbolic of his prophetic powers. At his temple at Delphi, his priestess sat on his tripod chewing laurel leaves and inhaling hallucinating vapors from a fissure in the floor. After she mumbled her prophesy, a male priest would translate it for the supplicant.GB99660. Bronze AE 24, AMNG I/I 230, SNG Stancomb 69 ff. var. (magistrate), SNG BM 214 var. (same), SNG Cop -, BMC Thrace -, VF, well centered on a broad flan, nice green patina, closed flan crack, scratches, scattered slight porosity, obverse edge beveled, weight 8.841 g, maximum diameter 24.3 mm, die axis 0o, Kallatis (Mangalia, Romania) mint, 3rd - 2nd century B.C.; obverse laureate head of Apollo right; countermark: six-rayed pellet-star; reverse tripod lebes, stalk of grain outer left, KAΛΛA-TIANΩN in two downward lines, the first on the right, EΠIXA (magistrate) below; ex Classical Numismatic Group, ex Richard Baker collection; SOLD
Kingdom of Numidia, Massinissa 203 - 148 B.C., or Micipsa 148 - 118 B.C.
When King Masinissa died, rule was divided among his three sons by Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus, to whom Masinissa had given the authority to administer his estate. Micipsa received the Numidian capital of Cirta along with the palace and treasury, Gulussa the charge of war, and Mastarnable the administration of justice. After his brothers died, Micipsa alone controlled the kingdom.GB62514. Bronze AE 26, Alexandropoulos MAA 18a; Mazard III 50; Müller Afrique III p. 18, 32; SNG Cop 505 ff.; SGCV II 6597, VF, weight 15.512 g, maximum diameter 26.2 mm, die axis 0o, Cirta (Constantine, Algeria) mint, 203 - 118 B.C.; obverse laureate head (Micipsa?) left with pointed beard, dot border; reverse horse rearing left, pellet below; countermark: horned and bearded head of Ammon left within incuse square; rare countermark; SOLD
Dionysopolis, Moesia Inferior, Late 3rd - 2nd Century B.C.
CM54165. Bronze AE 23, SNG Stancomb 111 - 113 (all with Demeter c/m but not Athena c/m), Draganov Bronze 3, BMC Thrace -, SNG BM -, SNG Cop -, VF, weight 6.773 g, maximum diameter 23.4 mm, die axis 0o, Dionysopolis (Balchik, Bulgaria) mint, 3rd - 2nd century B.C.; obverse head of Dionysos right, wreathed in ivy, two countermarks on neck: veiled head of Demeter right in round punch, helmeted head of Athena right in round punch; reverse TI-M[H] / ΔIONY, club flanked by six-pointed stars, all within ivy wreath; rare; SOLD
Caracalla, 28 January 198 - 8 April 217 A.D., Hypaepa, Lydia
Hypaepa, Lydia was on the route between Sardis and Ephesus, 42 miles from Ephesus, near the north bank of the Cayster River. The ruins are close to the present-day village of Gunluce, Turkey, 4 km NW of Odemis. According to myth, the women of Hypaepa received the gift of a form of dance from Aphrodite and Hypaepa was the home of Arachne before she became a spider. The Persian goddess Anahita, later called Artemis Anaitis, was worshiped as at Hypaepa. An inscription from the synagogue of Sardis indicates a Jewish community in Hypaepa. In 88 B.C., Hypaepa rebelled against Mithridates VI of Pontus and was severely punished. Under Tiberius it was a candidate to receive a temple dedicated to worship of the emperor, but was rejected as too insignificant. To judge by the number of Byzantine churches that it contained, Hypaepa flourished under the Byzantine Empire.RS43700. Bronze AE 22, BMC Lydia p. 117, 51 var. (bare-headed); cf. SNGvA 2968 (AE 32); Lindgren A744C (AE30, arched); SNG Cop -; SNG UK -; SNG Munchen -, Fine, green patina, weight 4.984 g, maximum diameter 22.0 mm, die axis 180o, Hypaepa (near Günlüce, Turkey) mint, 199 A.D.; obverse AYT K M AYP ANTΩNINOC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, Artemis cultus-statue countermark; reverse YΠAΠHNΩN, tetrastyle temple containing statue of Tyche holding rudder and cornucopia; variant unpublished in references examined; very rare; SOLD
Caracalla [and Geta], 198 - 212 A.D., Stratonicea, Caria, Damnatio Memoriae
![|Damnatio| |Memoriae|, |Caracalla| |[and| |Geta],| |198| |-| |212| |A.D.,| |Stratonicea,| |Caria,| |Damnatio| |Memoriae||AE| |39|](https://www.forumancientcoins.com/catalog/roman-and-greek-coins.asp?param=57755q00.jpg&vpar=1490&zpg=70012&fld=)
After Geta's murder, Caracalla damned his memory, Damnatio Memoriae, requiring the destruction of every reference to his younger brother. Both Geta's portrait and legend were intentionally erased from this coin. The countermark shows an older Caracalla.CM57755. Bronze AE 39, SNGvA 2684, SNG Cop -; countermark: Howgego 84, coin Fair, countermark F, weight 23.433 g, maximum diameter 39.0 mm, die axis 0o, Stratoniceia (Eskihisar, Mugla Province, Turkey) mint, 198 - 212 A.D.; obverse confronted laureate and draped busts of Caracalla and Geta [the bust of Geta erased]; countermark: laureate bearded bust of Caracalla right in round punch; reverse Nike advancing left, wreath in right hand, palm frond in left; huge 39 mm bronze, great story coin!; rare; SOLD
Byzantine Anonymous Follis of Christ, Class C, Michael IV, 12 April 1034 - 10 December 1041 A.D.
The obverse countermark is attributed in Mardin Hoard to Izz al-din Abu Bakr al Dubaysi (541-551 A.H. / 1146 - 1156 A.D.), al-Jazirah mint.
The reverse countermark is a common formula which means "just" or "equitable" and was used on Islamic coins from an early date to indicate they are of an approved weight standard or fineness. It is attributed with doubt as perhaps Artuqid, a mint somewhere in the province of Diyar Bakr.
BZ36226. Bronze anonymous follis, Anonymous follis of Christ class C; DOC III-2 C.1, SBCV 1825, Ratto 1998, Sommer 40.5; obverse c/m Mardin Hoard 13; reverse c/m Mardin Hoard 10, Fair, weight 5.241 g, maximum diameter 28.1 mm, die axis 180o, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 1034 - 1041 A.D.; obverse + EMMANOVHΛ (romanized Hebrew - God is with us), three-quarter length figure of Christ standing facing, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium, and colobium, raising right in benediction, Gospels in left, IC-XC; al-Jazirah countermark; reverse Jeweled cross with pellet at each extremity, in the angles IC - XC / NI-KA (Jesus Christ Conquers); Artuqid? countermark; ex Mardin Hoard; SOLD
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