Countermarks in Nikopolis ad Istrum

[Jochen]

Dear friends of Nikopolis!

Yesterday I have won this coin:

Gordian III, AD 238-244
AE 28, 12.56g
struck under governor Sabinius Modestus
obv. AVT K M ANT G-ORDIANOC [AVG]
       Bust, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind, laureate, r.
       Under chin countermark Δ in circular incus (Howgego 782)
rev. [VP CA]B MODECTOV NIKOPOLEITWN PROC IC / [T]RON (WN and PR ligate)
      Eagle with open wings on thunderbolt standing frontal, head with wreath in beak turned r.
ref. (for the underlying coin only:)
      a) AMNG I/1, 2103 (2 ex., Neapel, Sofia)
      b) Varbanov 4193
      c) Hristova-Hoeft-Jekov (2020) No. 8.36.1.12 (same dies).
F+, brown patina

Usually the coins with the countermark Δ on one side carry on the other side the countermark NIKO (Howgego 553). This is the first coin I know that carries only Δ..

The fact that here the counterstamp was applied to a coin which is not yet worn out speaks for Howogego's assumption that "it may be that the coins were not worn when they were countermarked, but that the countermark allowed the coins to circulate until they were worn. Since the type of a countermark was recessed into the coin it tremained visile lomg after the original type of the coin had been worn flat." (Howgego, p.11)

Best regards

[SC]

I've yet to get my hands on a copy of Howgego so forgive my ignorance.  But I though that marks like this  indicated a re-tariffing, or assertion of tariff, of 4 assaria?

SC

[Pekka K]

Maybe Howgego 789, that was added in Bithynia on coins of other cities.

Pekka K

[rennrad12020]

   Howego writes at 781 that due to the paucity of evidence he would treat each of these delta countermarks as individual listings.  It seems to make sense that coins that were not heavily worn were countermarked to assign a value if the issuing city was different than the city where the countermark was applied.   Hence coins issued from NadI that exhibit the delta and NIKO (meaning that the 2 countermarks were applied to assign a value and demonstrate whose authority certified this value) are worn to the point of approaching slugs.  These two countermarks were applied to other worn coins from neighboring cities, as we have seen in the past, if they were very worn.  The delta on Jochen's coin above suggests to me that it was applied by a different city to certify the value at 4 assaria.  Hard to tell where.  Probably in Thrace but I wouldn't rule out Asia Minor.  I have an example from Pautalia in my collection as well as one from Hadrianopolis; both Severan.  I attached the one from Pautalia; I can't find an image of the Hadrianopolis.  Jochen's coin is interesting because it is from NadI and it can be dated post Gordian III.  The punch used seems to be round and not triangular.  Cool coin Jochen!


JPW

[Jochen]

Dear Friends!

Thank you for sharing your opinions. Today I got a message from Prof. Jekov where he writes: "Please accept a possible conspiracy theory about Addenda 8 #004. The countermark is Odessos, Thrace."

That would match the opinion of JPW.

Best regards