Many silver coins of Pamphylia, Pisidia and Cilicia minted in the second half of the 5th century and in the first half of the 4th century BC bear countermarks, usually on the reverse. This practice, which was probably related to the so-called Great Satrap’s Revolt, ended by 360 BC (Imhoof-Blumer 1902, p. 314; Tekin 1997, pp. 166–7). The iconography of these countermarks is rich, Imhoof-Blumer lists 49 types (ibid, pp. 312–314). Moreover, some coins may have not only one, but several countermarks. For an analysis of countermarks on Pamphylian, Pisidian and Cilician coins and their relationship to the nature of these mintages, see Callataÿ 2024.

A particularly large number of countermarks are found on the coins of Aspendos in Pamphylia and Selge in Pisidia. These are staters with a warrior on the obverse and a triskeles of human legs on the reverse (Aspendos), staters with wrestlers on the obverse and a slinger on the reverse (Aspendos, Selge), and drachms with a warrior on horseback on the obverse and a boar on the reverse (Aspendos). Some of these countermarks show a kneeling goat with its head facing the opposite direction. This is the same position in which it is shown on the coins of Kelenderis in Cilicia. Similarly to the Kelenderis coins, the goat is sometimes oriented to the right (Figure 1; Imhoof-Blumer 1902, p. 313, Type 20) and sometimes to the left (Figures 2–5; Imhoof-Blumer 1902, p. 313, Type 21). This leads to the assumption that these countermarks were used directly by the city of Kelenderis, which thus certified these coins for circulation in its territory. This was already noticed by Imhoof-Blumer (ibid, p. 314).

There are also four other types of countermarks on these coins that feature a goat: a goat’s head oriented to the right (Figure 6), a goat or ibex standing to the left (Figure 7), and a goat standing to the right or to the left below a horizontal crescent (Imhoof-Blumer 1902, p. 313, Types 18–19). However, the connection of these countermarks with Kelenderis is less likely, because Kelenderis coins always feature either a kneeling goat or the forepart of a kneeling goat.

One more countermark deserves attention. The Aspendos stater in Figure 8 and the Kalenderis stater in Figure 9 have the same countermark showing an animal kneeling or reclining to the left with its head facing the opposite direction. This animal is depicted in a similar position as the goat on the Kelenderis coins, but it has no horns and is therefore probably not a goat. For example, a stag reclining to the right is depicted on diobols from an unidentified mint in Asia Minor. One specimen of this coin type is shown in Figure 10, two other specimens are in the acsearch.info archive: Roma Numismatics Ltd, E-Sale 16 (28 February 2015), Lot 99, and Nomos AG, Obolos Web Auction 17 (20 December 2020), Lot 310. Nevertheless, the head of the animal on this countermark is too massive for a stag and looks more like a sheep’s head. However, if this countermark actually only shows an imperfectly depicted goat, then this would challenge the hypothesis that the countermarks with the kneeling goat belong to the Kelenderis mint. Indeed, what reason could this city have for countermarking its own coins? Unless the coin in Figure 9 was not minted in Kelenderis, but was a contemporary imitation, which therefore had to be countermarked.

 

Figure 1. Aspendos, AR Stater, c. 400–380 BC; Tekin 1997, Series 3.

Countermarks clockwise from the right: lion or panther pouncing left beneath inverted crescent, goat kneeling right with head reverted, two uncertain countermarks.

 

Figure 2. Aspendos, AR Stater, c. 465–430 BC.

Countermarks: bottom left, goat kneeling left with head reverted; top right, uncertain countermark.

 

Figure 3. Aspendos, AR Stater, c. 420–410 BC; Tekin 1997, Series 1.

Countermark between slinger’s legs: goat kneeling left with head reverted.

 

Figure 4. Aspendos, AR Stater, c. 400–380 BC; Tekin 1997, Series 3.

Countermarks clockwise from the right: lion or panther standing left, uncertain countermark, janiform male heads, goat kneeling left with head reverted, bull right and shield in profile above.

 

Figure 5. Aspendos, AR Drachm, c. 420–375 BC.

Countermarks: on the right, goat kneeling left with head reverted; on the boar’s side, two uncertain countermarks.

 

Figure 6. Aspendos, AR Stater, c. 380/75–360 BC; Tekin 1997, Series 4 (this series was minted until c. 330/25 BC, but countermarks were applied until 360 BC at the latest).

Countermarks: bottom left, goat’s head; between slinger’s legs, uncertain cypher.

 

Figure 7. Aspendos, AR Stater, c. 380/75–360 BC; Tekin 1997, Series 4 (this series was minted until c. 330/25 BC, but countermarks were applied until 360 BC at the latest).

Countermarks: top right, goat or ibex standing left; bottom right, uncertain countermark.

 

Figure 8. Aspendos, AR Stater, c. 415/10–400 BC; Tekin 1997, Series 2.

Countermark in left field: an animal kneeling left with head right. Test punch on the obverse between the legs of the left wrestler.

 

Figure 9. Kelenderis, AR Stater, c. 400–360 BC (assuming that Cilician coins were also countermarked until 360 BC at the latest).

Countermark in exergue: an animal kneeling left with head right. Two test punches on the goat.

 

Figure 10. Asia Minor, uncertain mint, AR Diobol, c. 400–100 BC.

Obv.: laureate and draped bust of Artemis r., bow and quiver behind shoulder. Rev.: stag reclining right, head turned back left, K in upper l. field.

 

Credits:
Figure 1:	The Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Gallica, Identifier: ark:/12148/btv1b85323068 = SNG France 3, 55 (this coin)
Figure 2:	Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 466 (22 April 2022), Lot 192 (acsearch.info URL)
Figure 3:	Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc., Auction 91 (7 June 2016), Lot 1862 (acsearch.info URL)
Figure 4:	Classical Numismatic Group, Electronic Auction 366 (13 January 2016), Lot 575 (acsearch.info URL)
Figure 5:	Numismad.com Marcin Surgiewicz-Śliwiński, Auction 7 (14–15 April 2023), Lot 291 (biddr.com URL)
Figure 6:	Classical Numismatic Group, Mail Bid Sale 81 (20 May 2009), Lot 555 (acsearch.info URL)
Figure 7:	Numismatik Naumann, Auction 120 (4 September 2022), Lot 337 (acsearch.info URL)
Figure 8:	Senatus Consulto, Fixed Price List, MA-ID 120079002246 (retrieved 4 February 2023)
Figure 9:	Heritage Auctions, Inc., Auction 232304 (25–26 January 2023), Lot 64072 (acsearch.info URL)
Figure 10:	Forum Ancient Coins, Fixed Price List, GS99390 (retrieved 29 January 2023)