Rare Countermark

300, Lot: 173. Estimate $150. Sold for $525. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

JUDAEA, Procurators. Pontius Pilate. 26-36 CE. Æ Prutah (16mm, 1.79 g, 6h). Jerusalem mint. Dated RY 17 or 18 of Tiberius (30/1 or 31/2 CE). Lituus / [L IZ or L IH] (date) within wreath; c/m: branch [flanked by CΠ]. Cf. Meshorer 333-4; cf. Hendin 1342-3; cf. RPC I 4968-9; for c/m: Hendin 1343d. VF, brown patina with earthen deposits, a few faint cleaning scratches, reverse off center. Rare countermark.

Hendin (p. 322-3) notes that this rare countermark was may have been applied by the Cohors II Italica between 31/2 and 41 CE.