Selection of Recent Chopmarked Pickups (US and World)
ChopmarkedTrades
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Recently received back some very nice quality images of some recent additions to the chopmarked set (shoutout to @OriginalDan ), and decided to select a few of the more interesting examples for those interested.
1823-B Spain 20 Reales
Scarce three year type, struck for two years at the Barcelona mint (1822-23), which is described as the rarest of the three mints at which this type was produced (Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville). Single well-defined character chop on obverse, with a second chop, lightly applied and worn away, oriented at the center of the bust. Drill mark, filled with dirt, on the reverse. Despite the heavy wear, this piece has developed some vibrant perimeter toning.
1843 Seated Liberty Half Dollar
An early example of the most common US type (Seated Liberty Halves) to find with chops, apart from those intended for export (the Trade Dollar and US/Philippine Peso). Examples from mints other than San Francisco are considerably more difficult to find than their West Coast counterparts. Five chops, all on obverse, three of which are identical. One large character chop across Liberty's shoulder and chest, one symbol chop, a diamond with a dot in the center, across Liberty's knee. The repeated character is identified as 玄 (Xuán or hsuan) meaning 'mysterious'.
1860-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar, US Counterstamp
A very interesting combination, bearing a presumably American private-issue merchant countermark, ('G.W.D.') of unknown significance across the base of Liberty,. along with a few Chinese chops. The low grade certainly pays testament to a long life in circulation
1875-Zs Mexican Cap & Rays Eight Reales, Hollowed
Completely hollowed and in two separate pieces, and bearing two obverse chops and four reverse chops. The obverse is wafer thin, and nearly the entire rim of the coin has been preserved, allowing for the addition of a base metal plug, now missing. Given how thin the planchet (particularly the obverse) has been altered to be, and with no evidence of corresponding damage on the opposite side of the planchet, it is likely that the chops were applied to the coin prior to its alteration.
1883-S Morgan Dollar
Morgans were never a common or popular trade coin in China, their reduced size never playing in their favor, but some made the crossing nonetheless. If I had to choose a type with the highest proportion of fake "chopmarks" on genuine hosts, it would be a toss up between the Maria Theresa thaler restrikes and the Morgan Dollar, but this example displays a nice original skin and an attractive variety of period-correct chops.
1893 Peruvian Sol
The first-run Seated Liberty Peruvian Sol (1864-1897) is not the rarest of 19th century South American types to be found with chops, but it's certainly not common, either. This example is gorgeous in hand: vibrant, original, and flashy, with color ranging from electric blue to sharp orange, and originated out of Australia. Three chops on the reverse and four on the obverse, including an unusual English letter 'C'.
1899-B British Trade Dollar
One of the last of the significant trade crowns to be chopped in substantial numbers, this piece is dripping with luster and bears just a single chop, to the left of Britannia.
1903-S US-Philippine Peso
The US/Philippine Pesos had some sizable mintage figures, and despite arriving late to the game, as chops became less and less frequently applied in the 20th century, are always easy to find. Finding coins with appealing surfaces and a good look seems to be something of a challenge, attesting to the workhorse status of the larger diameter Peso. To my knowledge, no examples of the reduced diameter Peso (post-1906) are known with chops.
Comments
Superb write-up.
I'm just starting with chops, all information is welcome.
Great pictures, thanks for sharing! I love the British Trade Dollar!
Very informative post! Thank you.
I'd start with Colin Gulberg's 'Chopmarked Coins - A History', it's the best reference out there. F.M. Rose's 'Chopmarks' is the original, but it's rather dated and inaccurate on a few points.
Thanks for sharing those. That's the first chopmarked Morgan $ I've seen.
a really nice selection of chopmarked coins. Enjoyed viewing them and the information.
They certainly aren't that easy to find, and typically don't have very many chops when they can be found.
Great group of chopped coins, it was fun shooting these. You have an eye for the good stuff.
1843 1/2 and the Sol are my favorite out of your awesome group.
I collect Peru Sol's and chops/C/S's and have never seen a chinese chop on a peru sol before... Peru 8R's are a different story. Are you confident that Mexican 8R is real? Surfaces look really messed with to me..
Very impressive write up and nice coins.... I had not thought of collecting the chop marked coins from other countries....I will consider that as a possible future pursuit. Cheers, RickO
Well, it certainly has been messed with, being hollowed out (presumably to steal the silver core and pass the remainder off as genuine), but I have always assumed it to have originally been a genuine coin. I have seen three or four similar examples that have been hollowed and bear chops, which were of different dates if memory serves. Alternatively, if this were a ground-up forgery and circulated as such, it would imply a far more capable counterfeiting operation of the period, which would be pretty cool.
Great coins! I enjoyed reading the write-ups.
Complete Set of Chopmarked Trade Dollars
Carson City Silver Dollars Complete 1870-1893http://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase.aspx?sc=2722"