My newp and the only known counterstamped

Realone

pattern coin that I have ever seen:

CaptHenway

Kewl!

Crypto

That’s pretty cool

Barndog

I like it.

Zoins

Great pick up!

Regarding your other thread asking if there were any known merchant counterstamps on pattern coins, it appears S C Kingman may not be a merchant, but a coin collector as speculated by Russell Alphonse Rulau.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1033806/discussion-about-the-1814-50c-counterstamped-with-ps-mystery-specimen#latest

Here's a description from Heritage indicating that Rulau thought S C Kingman was a collector which makes sense given that these are encountered on type set coins. The following is a description from Heritage, last emphasis mine.

https://coins.ha.com/itm/counterstamps/1798-1-silver-dollar-large-eagle-knob-9-5-vertical-lines-b-4-bb-92-r4-xf40-ngc-sc-kingman-counterstamp-brunk-k-2/a/1281-3346.s

1798 Bust Dollar, B-4, BB-92, XF40
Enigmatic S.C. Kingman Counterstamp

1798 $1 Silver Dollar, Large Eagle, Knob 9, 5 Vertical Lines, B-4, BB-92, R.4, XF40 NGC. S.C. Kingman Counterstamp. Brunk K-221, Rulau HT-458A. Bowers Die State I. Classified in Rulau as from the Hard Times era based on the presence of this unusual style counterstamp on an 1837 Hard Times token. The tiny, script counterstamp is a letter style seldom seen among counterstamped coins. Dr. Brunk thought it to be a jeweler's mark, while Rulau presents the interesting theory that it may be the mark of an early coin collector, who personalized his coins. All of the S.C. Kingman marks are seen on collector type coins, some of them pre-1800 such as this 1798 dollar. Although today's collectors would be aghast, on occasion early collectors counterstamped coins in their collection as a protective measure against theft or substitution (or simply for vanity). We have not seen this counterstamp before on a Bust dollar, nor is it listed in either reference. The host coin is attractive with sharp definition and pleasing, smooth silver-gray surfaces.

Zoins

Here's a Massachusetts Pine Tree Shilling by S C Kingman:

http://archive.scoins.com/ViewLot.aspx?LotId=8605#LargeImage2

Zoins

Given that this counterstamp is encountered on these collector coins, it seems reasonable to speculate that Kingman was a collector / numismatist and not a merchant.

• 1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree Shilling
• 1798 Draped Bust Dollar
• 1855 Pattern Cent

Zoins

This Heritage auction identifies S C Kingman as Samuel Clayton Kingman:

https://coins.ha.com/itm/early-half-dollars/1795-50c-2-leaves-o-105-t-25-high-r3-counterstamped-sc-kingman-ngc-details-fine/a/1227-4353.s?ic16=ViewItem-BrowseTabs-Auction-Archive-ThisAuction-120115

1795 50C 2 Leaves, O-105, T-25, High R.3 -- Counterstamped "S.C. Kingman" -- NGC Details. Fine. Designated by NGC as O-105a, but the radial die crack to the B in LIBERTY is absent. A silver-gray and almond-gold example with minor adjustment marks near the date. Abrasions are trivial except on the R in LIBERTY. The S.C. Kingman counterstamp is entered vertically on the portrait. Rulau assigns this counterstamp to the Hard Times era (HT-G458 through HT-K458), but Kingman only placed his mark on numismatic coins, such as a Pine Tree shilling, hardly in circulation during the 19th century. Brunk designates the stamp as K-221 and suggests the culprit might be a Dover, New Hampshire jeweler, but our research has confirmed the issuer is Samuel Clayton Kingman, the Bridgeport, CT inventor, machinist, and gunmaker based on a matching punch used on a bullet mold of Kingman's manufacture. Other lots with the Kingman counterstamp in this sale include an 1855 pattern proof cent (lot 4786) and a 1795 Draped Bust dollar (lot 4456).

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johnny9434

neat coin, I like

Treashunt

I love them all.

Nice stuff

Zoins

@Realone said:
Thanks Zoins for showing his collection.

Great photo!

I was really curious to find out more about Kingman after the speculation that the 1855 may be the only merchant counterstamp on a pattern. Looks like a lot of thought has been put into this and I’m glad he has been identified. It would be great to see the same counterstamp on a bullet casing.

Jimnight

That's nice!

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tokenpro

The theory that Kingman may have been an early collector counterstamping his own collection did not come from Russ Rulau but from collector Arvid Johnson who owned the Pine Tree shilling at one time. The use of the the S.C. Kingman c/s on a dateless early large cent and a Hard Times token (and the non-numismatic use of the stamp) would also tend to show that the c/s had a broader usage than just on better type set coins.

jayPem

What an idea.. counterstamping your own coin collection 🤪
I just might start doing that myself. Makes it easy for future provenance identification..
BTW, Realone is now officially my favorite forum poster.
Not only is he a classic throwback member, but his present area of collecting is extremely fascinating and thrilling to follow!

Zoins

@jayPem said:
What an idea.. counterstamping your own coin collection 🤪
I just might start doing that myself. Makes it easy for future provenance identification..

Worked great for identifying the 1804 Dexter Dollar!

There are modern dealers that do this with large cents and So-Called Dollars.

BTW, Realone is now officially my favorite forum poster.
Not only is he a classic throwback member, but his present area of collecting is extremely fascinating and thrilling to follow!

His collection is great, everything from seated errors to engraved coins and now counterstamps!

Walkerfan

@CaptHenway said:
Kewl!

Indeed.

SeattleSlammer

neat newp ⭐️

TradesWithChops

very cool!

DIMEMAN

Those are all neat. They all should be together in one big collection.

CaptHenway

And I felt guilty writing my name in my numismatic library books as I got them!

Zoins

@CaptHenway said:
And I felt guilty writing my name in my numismatic library books as I got them!

I wonder how many coin collectors did this over the years. I'm only aware of Samuel Clayton Kingman and James Dexter.

There's a recent coin dealer that counterstamps low condition large cents but I can't recall his name now.

OldIndianNutKase

I find a "Kingman" counter stamp on a coin to be offensive. Even more offensive than a hole in a coin. The coin should not have even received a details grade.

Only an ass**le would counter stamp a coin with his own identification, And coins with the Kingman counter stamp should be surrendered to the ANA for appropriate destruction.

OINK

StrikeOutXXX

Nice - here it is back in Dec 2015 - Houston Money Show. The write-up is about the same as the others posted from some of his other counterstamped coins.

Zoins

@tokenpro said:
The theory that Kingman may have been an early collector counterstamping his own collection did not come from Russ Rulau but from collector Arvid Johnson who owned the Pine Tree shilling at one time. The use of the the S.C. Kingman c/s on a dateless early large cent and a Hard Times token (and the non-numismatic use of the stamp) would also tend to show that the c/s had a broader usage than just on better type set coins.

I wonder if the dateless early large cent and HT token were test strikes? Are there a lot of these? If it's just a few, the test strike theory may have more legs. If it's a lot, then it may be a more standard merchant counterstamp.

Since the stamp was on a bullet mold, I'm guessing that the stamp was originally used to put his name on his bullet casings, and only later did he think about using it on his coins.

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Zoins

@Realone said:

@Zoins said:

@tokenpro said:
The theory that Kingman may have been an early collector counterstamping his own collection did not come from Russ Rulau but from collector Arvid Johnson who owned the Pine Tree shilling at one time. The use of the the S.C. Kingman c/s on a dateless early large cent and a Hard Times token (and the non-numismatic use of the stamp) would also tend to show that the c/s had a broader usage than just on better type set coins.

I wonder if the dateless early large cent and HT token were test strikes? Are there a lot of these? If it's just a few, the test strike theory may have more legs. If it's a lot, then it may be a more standard merchant counterstamp.

Since the stamp was on a bullet mold, I'm guessing that the stamp was originally used to put his name on his bullet casings, and only later did he think about using it on his coins.

Let me see if I understand, the dateless large cent was in bad shape, but was the Hard Times token also in bad shape too?

I’m not sure. It would be nice to see photos. From @tokenpro’s post, it seems like there’s only one of each and condition wasn’t indicated for the hard times token.

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