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Countermarks of Augustus
 
 
 

 1.2.2. Countermarks on Lugdunum AEs of Augustus and Tiberius as Caesar Part 2:
 

Countermarks covered in this section are:
"TCPA", "TIB round", "TIB square", "TIBCAVF", "TIBIM", "VAR" (and "Q VAR"), "VICIN", large "Wheel".

See also The Varus Debate: and make up your mind if "VAR" stands for Varus or maybe rather not....

"TCPA" on Lugdunum As, maybe for TIBERIUS CAESAR PERMISSU AUGUSTI (countermarkMartini Pangerl Collection 28)

"TIB round" round type on Lugdunum As (countermarkMartini Pangerl Collection 29)





 
 

"TIB Square" in square form, on Lugdunum II As, Germania Inferior (Noviomagus ?)  (countermark Martini Pangerl Collection 50)

"TIBCAVF" in square possibly on a Lugdunum As, meaning thought to be "Tiberius Caesar Augustus Filius", (countermark Martini Pangerl  Collection 32)

"TIB IM" on Lugdunum II As of Tiberius, possibly Germania superior or Gallia (countermark large = Martini Pangerl Collection 57, small = MPC 33)

"VAR": (countermark Martini Pangerl Collection 52); See also The Varus Debate:

"VAR (in ligature)" on Lugdunum type I  AEs


 

copyright Barry&Darling
Details of "VAR in ligature" countermark
another example on a Lugdunum As "VAR" in mirror writing

another "VAR" in mirror  another "VAR" on Lugdunum

two more

 

Rare Variety of "VAR" countermark on Lugdunum I As (Asciburgum type)
Rare Variety of "VAR"

"VAR" on a moneyer As, a rare occurrance

another one, combined with "AVC"

"VAR" and "C VAL"

The search for the Varus countermark, or how to turn worn and corroded ancient coins into hard modern currency:
Below one of many coins offered as Varus countermarks to the innocent collector. This one is really a common IMP in ligature on a Nemausus coin (on the head of Augustus, stamped on where his ear had been). You can see part of the M melted into the P.

"VAR" imitation on an unidentifiable coin from the balkans (?), could be either a local imitation of this western European countermark, or possible a variation of the Syrian "QVAR" ?  Please note the slightly different ligature, shape and size of the countermark

 

"QVAR" So called "Varus countermarks" are reported from Varus' time as governor in Syria (on provinical coins only)

 
 
 

"VICIN" on Lugdunum I As of Augustus, Gallia (countermark Martini Pangerl Collection 36)

 

"Large Wheel": (countermark Martini Pangerl Collection 38)


"large Wheel" with 9 lines and a dot on obverse, "VAR" on reverse          copyright Barry&Darling

"VAR" and "large Wheel" (with 9 lines, sometimes with dot, maybe a degeneration of the "CCARN" countermark ?)