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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |Roman 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. |
Side was founded by Greeks from Cyme, Aeolis, most likely in the 7th century B.C. The settlers started using the local language and over time forgot their native Greek. Excavations have revealed inscriptions written in this language, still undeciphered, dating from as late as the 2nd century B.C. The name Side is from this indigenous Anatolian language and means pomegranate.GB114929. Bronze AE 18, SNG Pfalz IV 490 (with hippocamp c/m), SNG BnF 772 var. (caduceus left), SNG Cop -, SNGvA -, BMC Lycia -, VF, green patina, scratches, earthen deposits, large crack from countermarking, weight 2.995 g, maximum diameter 17.7 mm, die axis 0o, Side (near Selimiye, Antalya Province, Turkey) mint, c. late 4th - early 3rd century B.C.; obverse helmeted head of Athena right, countermark: obscure, perhaps a hippocamp (as on SNG Pfalz IV 490); reverse pomegranate, ΣIΔH above, upright palm frond left; first specimen of this type handled by FORVM; rare; $90.00 (€84.60)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Gerasa, Arabia Petraea
Jerash, Jordan is north of the national capital Amman. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, it's known for the ruins of the walled Greco-Roman city Gerasa just outside the modern city. Josephus mentions the city as being principally inhabited by Syrians, but also having a small Jewish community. In 106, Jerash was absorbed into the Roman province of Arabia, which included Philadelphia (modern day Amman). Jerash is considered one of the largest and most well-preserved sites of Roman architecture outside of Italy. It is sometimes referred to as the "Pompeii of the Middle East" due to its size, extent of excavation and level of preservation.RP57203. Bronze AE 20, RPC Online VI T9306.4 (same c/m, 7 spec.); Spijkerman 34a.3 (same coin); Rosenberger 41 (same c/m); Sofaer 32; c/m: Howgego 376 (9 spec.), Choice F, well centered, nice sea-green patina, rare fully legible rev. legend; c/m: F, weight 7.065 g, maximum diameter 19.7 mm, die axis 180o, Gerasa (Jerash, Jordon) mint, c. 218 - 222 A.D.; obverse AVT KAICAP ANTWNINOC, laureate and draped bust right, seen from behind; reverse AΛEΞANΔPOC MAKEΔWN, diademed head of Alexander the Great right, countermark: strung bow; very nice for the type!; very rare; $500.00 (€470.00)
Tiberius, 19 August 14 - 16 March 37 A.D., Magydus, Pamphylia
Magydus was a small town on the coast between Attaleia and Perga, occasionally mentioned by ancient geographers, and on numerous coins of the imperial era. Its site was probably at modern Lara in the Ottoman vilayet of Konia, where there are ruins of a small man-made harbor. RPC Online notes, Ahmet Tolga Tek wrote, the countermark was used in Pamphylia on coins of Phaselis, Perge and Side. RP114037. Bronze AE 18, RPC I 3367B, c/m: Howgego 432, aVF, green patina, light earthen deposits, marks, weight 4.206 g, maximum diameter 17.6 mm, die axis 0o, Magydus (Lara, Turkey) mint, obverse TIBEPIOC KAICAP, laureate head right; countermark: eight pointed star in a round punch; reverse MAΓYDEWN - H (year 8?), Jugate helmeted busts (Dioscuri?) right; zero sales of this type recorded on Coin Archives in the last two decades; extremely rare; $150.00 (€141.00)
Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D., Docimeium, Phrygia
Cybele was born a hermaphrodite, but castrated by the gods, she became female. Heeding the Sibylline oracle the senate brought her worship to Rome in 204 B.C. as the first officially sanctioned Eastern cult. After approval, they were dismayed to learn that the priesthood required voluntary self-castration, which was abhorrent to the Romans. Romans were barred from entering the priesthood or even entering the priest's sanctuary. The eunuch priests, recruited from outside Rome, were confined to their sanctuary, leaving only to parade in the streets during festivals in April. Claudius removed the bans on Roman participation, making worship of Cybele and her consort Attis part of the state religion.RP113887. Brass AE 18, RPC I 3213.3 (same c/m); BMC Phrygia p. 191, 18 (same); Waddington 5954 (same); Hunterian II 2 = SNG Hunt I 2042 (same); c/m: Howgego 224, VF, well-defined countermark, dark patina, open edge crack, weight 3.064 g, maximum diameter 18.1 mm, die axis 0o, Docimeium (Iscehisar, Turkey) mint, c. 55 A.D.(?); obverse NEPΩN KAIΣAP, bare-headed draped bust of young Nero right, countermark: bearded bust left in an oval punch; reverse Cybele standing facing, between two lions, both turned away from her, but looking back in anticipation, ΔOKI/MEΩN divided in two upward lines above lions; $110.00 (€103.40)
Septimius Severus, 9 April 193 - 4 February 211 A.D., Laodiceia ad Mare, Seleucis and Pieria, Syria
Laodiceia was made a metropolis in 194 and a colonia with ius Italicum in 197/8 A.D.RP113185. Bronze AE 27, Meyer Laodikeia 10 (same rev. die); SNG Cop 362 (same c/ms); BMC Galatia p. 258, 84; Lindgren 2088; c/ms: Howgego 581 (CA), Howgego 586 (COL), gF, desert patina with highlighting earthen deposits, edge cracks, weight 9.525 g, maximum diameter 27.2 mm, die axis 0o, Laodicea ad Mare (Latakia, Syria) mint, obverse AYT KAI CEΠ CEOYHPOC, laureate head right, countermarks: CA and COL each in rectangular punch; reverse IOYΛ / ΛAOΔIC/EOYH / M/HTPOΠO/ΛEΩC (MH ligate) in five lines within laurel wreath; from the Michael Arslan Collection; $80.00 (€75.20)
Laodicea ad Lycum, Phrygia, 198 - 222 A.D.
The Synedrion of the Neoi was a Greek city's organization young men, roughly 20 - 30 years old, who had completed their military training but who were not old enough to participate the city assembly, which was typically limited to "elders" over 30. The neaniskoi ("the boys") were organized around the gymnasia and had a range of military, political, social, and religious functions that varied by the city and over time.RP112159. Bronze diassarion, RPC Online VI T5497; BMC Phrygia p. 299, 132; Martin Demos p. 215, 33; Imhoof-Blumer KM p. 275, 53; SNG Lewis 1610; c/m: Howgego 631 (PH) & 42 (bust), aF, dark brown patina, earthen deposits, holed, weight 6.909 g, maximum diameter 25.0 mm, die axis 180o, Laodicea ad Lycum (near Denizli, Turkey) mint, time of Caracalla to Elagabalus, 198 - 222 A.D.; obverse CYNEΔPIOY NEΩN (Synedrion of the Neoi), diademed and draped bust of the Synedrion of the Neoi left, holding two rods; countermarks: PH ligate (year 108 = 230/231 A.D.) in a 5.8mm round punch, bust of emperor right with CE or CEB before in 6.1 mm oval punch; reverse ΛAOΔIKEΩN NEΩKOPΩN, Hypnos-Thanatos or Eros reclining left on rocks, propping his head on his left hand, holding arrow(?) in his right hand; from Shawn Caza former diplomat, author of A Handbook of Late Roman Coins (Spink, 2021), collection assembled during postings and international travel; ex Dorotheum Vienna; very rare; $100.00 (€94.00)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Caesarea, Cappadocia
Kayseri, originally called Mazaka or Mazaca, is in central Turkey on a low spur on the north side of Mount Erciyes (Mount Argaeus in ancient times). During Achaemenid Persian rule, it was the capital of a Satrapy on the crossroads of the Royal Road from Sardis to Susa and the trade route from Sinope to the Euphrates. It was conquered by Alexander's general Perdikkas, was ruled by Eumenes of Cardia, then passed to the Seleucid empire after the battle of Ipsus. It became the capital of the independent Cappadocian Kingdom under Ariarathes III, around 250 B.C. During Strabo's time it was also known as Eusebia, after the Cappadocian King Ariarathes V Eusebes, 163 – 130 B.C. The name was changed again to "Caesarea in Cappadocia" in honor of Caesar Augustus, upon his death in 14 A.D. The city passed under formal Roman rule in 17 A.D. In Roman times, it prospered on the route from Ephesus to the East. Caesarea was destroyed by the Sassanid King Shapur I after his victory over the Emperor Valerian I in 260 A.D. At the time it was recorded to have around 400,000 inhabitants. Arabic influence changed Caesarea to the modern name Kayseri. The city gradually recovered and has a population of around 1 million people today. Few traces of the ancient city survive.RP112707. Bronze AE 27, Henseler 1062 (698d, notes otherwise unpublished var.), RPC Online VI T6703.26, Sydenham Caesarea p. 119, 522 (obv. leg. var.), F, dark green patina, some legend weak/off flan, porous, weight 12.451 g, maximum diameter 27.0 mm, die axis 315o, Cappadocia, Caesarea (Kayseri, Turkey) mint, 219 - 220 A.D.; obverse AY M AYPHΛIOC - ANTWNEINOC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; countermark: head of Helios right (?, obscure, uncertain) in a 4.4mm round punch; reverse MHTPOΠO - KAICAPIAC, agalma of Mount Argaeus placed on garlanded altar, ET Γ (year 3) in exergue; $80.00 (€75.20)
Claudius, 25 January 41 - 13 October 54 A.D., Cadi, Phrygia
Cadi (Gediz, Turkey) was near the sources of the Hermus at the foot of Mount Dindymus. Gediz suffered major earthquakes in 1866, 1896, 1944, and 1970. The 7.2 magnitude earthquake on 28 March 1970 killed 1,086 people and left 1,260 people wounded and many thousands homeless. The town was relocated after the destruction to a new place 7 km away under the name "Yeni Gediz" (Turkish: New Gediz).RP112132. Bronze AE 20, RPC Online I 3062; SNG Cop 246; SNGvA3685; SNG Lewis 1523; BMC Phrygia p. 120, 18; c/m: Howgego 309, F, dark patina, weight 4.886 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 0o, Cadi (Gediz, Turkey) mint, stephanephoro Meliton Asklepiadou, c. 50 - 54 A.D.; obverse KΛAYΔIOC KAICAP (counterclockwise from lower right), laureate head right; countermark: Capricorn right in an oval punch; reverse EΠI MEΛITΩNOC ACKΛHΠIAΔOY (under authority of Meliton, son of Asklepiados), Zeus standing left, eagle in right hand, long scepter in left hand, CTEΦAN monogram (stephanephoros, magistrate title) in lower left field; from Shawn Caza former diplomat, author of A Handbook of Late Roman Coins (Spink, 2021), collection assembled during postings and international travel; ex Dorotheum Vienna; $80.00 (€75.20)
Jerusalem, Judaea, Legio X Fretensis Countermarks, c. 68 - 132 A.D.
The boar and the galley were emblems of the Tenth Legion Fretensis, stationed in and around Jerusalem.CM38681. Bronze AE 26, Hendin 6641 (R), countermarks F, weight 10.974 g, maximum diameter 25.9 mm, c. 68 - 132 A.D.; obverse Flavian(?) profile visible, LXF countermark; reverse galley and LXF boar countermarks; rare; SOLD
Countermarked Bronze Coin, Time of Civil War to Vespasian, c. 68 - 79 A.D.
Countermarked with:
1. Head right (Divus Augustus?)
2. Bunch of grapes
3. Capricorn
According to Martini, the Capricorn countermark appears on coins from Augustus to Nero, from Moesia or Thrace. The letters or device below the capricorn are not clear on our our coin nor were they to Martini from other examples. The capricorn was a symbol of Vespasian and issue under his reign is a good possibility. The coin is listed by Martini right after #93, a Galba countermark.SH24953. Bronze AE 28, countermark: Pangerl 94 for the capricorn, the other two countermarks not listed, weight 14.701 g, maximum diameter 28.5 mm, interesting and unusual countrmarks; SOLD
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