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Panticapaeum, Young Satyr & Lion, Two Counter-marks

Panticapaeum City Issue, originally struck ca. 310-4 B.C. then counter-marked ca. 304-250 BC.

Æ; 22mm/6.3gm

Con/ about Extremely Fine for the issue; perfectly centered to either side, deep glossy dark green patina, an exceptional example.

Obv/ Head of beardless satyr left, hair wreathed with ivy; counter-marked with star.

Rev/ ΓAN; Head of lion left; sturgeon fish below; counter-marked with Bow in Case.

Ref/ MacDonald 114

Seller's Note/ Counter-marking coins at Panticapaeum was a very common way to increase their value. At first, coins were simply CM's with a hinged die, but after time this grew so cumbersome that the celators simply recreated the original coin and engraved the counter-marks on both sides!

This coin is of the first type, CM'd with a hinged die. The easy way to tell the difference between the two CM types is that on the 'hinged die' types, the reverse lion image has been flattened by the strike. On 'engraved' CM'd coins, the CM's are perfectly centered.