Odessos, the Black Sea Greek colony on the Thracian coast, maintained its civic coinage well into the third century under Roman oversight — an arrangement that allowed provincial cities to strike bronze for local use while Rome controlled precious metal. The countermark Ε appearing on issues of this type has been variously interpreted as a denomination marker or a validation stamp, possibly applied by a regional authority to authorize continued circulation during the monetary turbulence of Gordian III's reign.
Odessos, the Black Sea Greek colony on the Thracian coast, maintained its civic coinage well into the third century under Roman oversight — an arrangement that allowed provincial cities to strike bronze for local use while Rome controlled precious metal. The countermark Ε appearing on issues of this type has been variously interpreted as a denomination marker or a validation stamp, possibly applied by a regional authority to authorize continued circulation during the monetary turbulence of Gordian III's reign.