Overstrike ID

[dougsmit]

I have asked this before but not yet convinced.  This Apollonia Pontica was overstruck on something but I want to know what.  It was suggested that it was a medusa type of Parion but those tend to weigh a gram more than this one's 2.53g.  Ideas appreciated.

 

 The Parion

[Curtis JJ]

My first inclination was Gorgon [Parion], but one of the imitations. I'll try to add links to the "Parion" (this was before it was "Olbia") imitations if I can find them (either Reid Goldsborough or Ed Snible maybe had a page with imitations too.)

Here's an example that weighs 1.9 but others weigh up to 2.4-2.7g (at least), similar kind of pattern on the reverse:

 

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5751611

 

More results on ACSearch: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=gorgon+imitat+parion+drachm&category=1

 

EDIT: Yes, Snible shows some imitations: http://snible.org/coins/parion.html

EDIT 2: Yeah, RG also shows imitations: http://rg.ancients.info/medusa/parion.html -- showing several different patterns, more than one of which looks at least worth a closer look, although the weights he gives max out notably lower (1.3-1.9) than most of the specimens on ACSearch (up to 2.7 at least)

Edited August 12, 2022 by Curtis JJ

[dougsmit]

I guess my resistance to Parion was that mine shown above is 3.4g.  It was purchased as a 3/4 drachm S3917 but I see that S3918 is listed as a half at lower weight.  An early issue with the same type made in a range of sizes make one wonder if they were marks of guarantee of metal but not denominations as we know the term today.  Did the man on the street separate these ranging form 2 to 4g by eye/feel or were they weighed? 

[Curtis JJ]

3 hours ago, dougsmit said:

guess my resistance to Parion was that mine shown above is 3.4g.

Right, I don't think yours is overstruck on a Parion (not an official one anyway). The Parion are higher weight (including the S3918 "half," they're not actually that much lower, still over 3g generally).

Did you see that the Thracian imitations (in my opinion much closer to what remains of your undertype) weigh much less -- from 1.3g to 2.7g?

Edited August 13, 2022 by Curtis JJ

[kevikens]

Probably a long shot but a few years ago I attended a coin show where a dealer had a tray of well over a hundred coins which shared in the shape  of your coin. Every blessed one was in this shape (oblong?) and they were being sold as 1/3 stater coins. I bought one which weighed about 2.8 grams. They were said to be coins of Lycian Dynasts. I am sorry I no longer have it or I would have posted its image. Perhaps this will be of some help in your id search.