Found this tidbit on coincommunity.com from member Houndman 3581:
The coin is a State Serial Numbered "Contest Coin" for one of the fourteen Southern States (Tennessee in this case) and the District of Columbia. These coins are one of several varieties of counterstamped coins used to market the regular or non counterstamped Stone Mountain coins for $1 each where the gross sales premium of $.50 was used to carve the Confederate Monument on Stone Mountain near Atlanta as a "Memorial to the Valor of the Soldier of the South". The Southern "Governor's Meeting' of July 20, 1925 in Atlanta formally established the Harvest Campaign scheduled to end January 23, 1926 but postponed for various reasons until the last two states sale's campaigns were stopped on May 1,1926. These particular counterstamped coins were used in the "Harvest Campaign", a large marketing movement by the Stone Mountain Confederate Monumental Association of Atlanta, Georgia in what was called the "Appreciation Contest". Girls and Women between the ages of 15-25 married or not would be appointed by clubs or organizations (i.e. Rotary Club, ect.) to represent them in selling the Stone Mountain Half Dollar at $1 each. The Lady selling the most coins under certain rules in their County, Parrish (LA.) or Ward (D.C.) would receive a "Contest Coin" mounted in a Silver Lavalier for second place. The winner would receive a Gold Lavalier for first place. The Unit or City/town winners would compete for the County title where the Lavaliers except for Florida were earned/awarded. The County winners went to a State or Governor's Ball or a reception where the lavaliers in most states were awarded.
At the State level the county winners competed to be one of the thirty (Two ladies from each State and D.C.) to go to The Stone Mountain Confederate Costume Ball a/k/a/ The Appreciation Contest Ball in Atlanta to compete for the grand prize which was a bust to be carved of the winner out of the finest Georgia marble by the sculptor of Stone Mountain in the likeness of the winner that represented the most typical southern lady. The Atlanta Ball was an all expense paid trip to what was to be the most spectacular event in the South in 1926. Various dignitaries and The President of the United States and his wife were invited but the latter did not attend and sent his regrets.
This variety of Stone Mountain Counterstamp is valued based on its condition and whether it is still mounted in its original Lavalier setting. Considered in its value is the State it represents which its abbreviation is counterstamped on the Coin (TENN.) and the psychological impact of a high or low number. In this particular case the Serial Number represents one of 95 counties in Tennessee as of 1925. The numbers were generally random being draw out of a container by a third party and assigned then in alphabetical order to the Counties or Units (Town/Cities) on a list depending on the State. The numbers being assigned at random such as number one or lower numbers or very high numbers have a psychological impact in the typical sellers/buyers mind that doesn't know that most of the counterstamped coins were assigned at random. In case of the "Contest Coin" (G.L. or S.L.) the Number on the coin also represent's the lady recipient or winner of the "County" Contest or Unit (Town/City) in case of Florida Contest Coins.
The unmounted Contest Coins vary in value from severally damaged coins by removing them from their bezel/mount at $600+- to over $2,000+-. After viewing your image I think after all is said and done you could get $1,500 (fifteen hundred) to $1,800 (eighteen hundred) for this particular Stone Mountain counterstamp in its condition from a collector.
I hope this helps with your great discovery. Best of luck._
Wow... I did not know about these coins either... second new thing I learned here today...Interesting contest and must have been a really big deal at the time. Cheers, RickO
There are a bunch of threads in this forum about the counterstamped Stone Mountain halves, member @njcoincrank was particularly well versed in their market and history. Once upon a time I cherrypicked a few of those off eBay, including one that graded MS63 ATS.
Not sure if it is still accessible, but Stacks sold a large collection of those some years ago if you want to get a feel for the prices. Unless values have radically shifted since back then, the coin linked in the OP is probably worth in the $300 - $400 range.
With the current groundswell against Confederate monuments, the Stone Mountain memorial strikes me as the "final boss", I think it will be almost as difficult to take down as it was to get it completed.
Sean Reynolds
Incomplete planchets wanted, especially Lincoln Cents & type coins.
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
It's a rarer coin and a lowball. Most I have seen trade in the range of $1500-$2500, but I don't recall any of those being in this low of a grade. They don't trade as often as you think, so I'm guessing many are in strong hands. Idk if it was Sean, but I've seen some cherrypicked as "damaged".
Before he dismantled his website, njcoincrank had a terrific article on the history of these counterstamps and I added information to the article, as well. In my photography files I count several dozen PCGS graded pieces that I have shot and they represent 12-states as well as the additional counterstamps for silver and gold lavalier and UDC.
Value can depend upon the additional counterstamp (if any), condition of the coin, number range and state. My guess is that the BIN number is a bit on the high side, but all you really need is one person to hit the BIN.
Talk about a really niche market. What if the other two guys collecting these dies?
Seriously, I ran across this guy at last years FUN show. Has spent several years documenting the history of these counterstamps. Visited with him for quite some time. The books are for sale. Two volumes the size of a Webster dictionary.
Impressive heft to those books! I can't imagine talking about the same type of coin for hundreds of pages, but I guess each counterstaml carries its own meaning.
Has me curious
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Impressive heft to those books! I can't imagine talking about the same type of coin for hundreds of pages, but I guess each counterstaml carries its own meaning.
Has me curious
Doubles as body armor when you're done reading it!
To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
Impressive heft to those books! I can't imagine talking about the same type of coin for hundreds of pages, but I guess each counterstaml carries its own meaning.
Has me curious
Doubles as body armor when you're done reading it!
Which you definitely NEED in today's age!
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Comments
Edit:
Found this tidbit on coincommunity.com from member Houndman 3581:
The coin is a State Serial Numbered "Contest Coin" for one of the fourteen Southern States (Tennessee in this case) and the District of Columbia. These coins are one of several varieties of counterstamped coins used to market the regular or non counterstamped Stone Mountain coins for $1 each where the gross sales premium of $.50 was used to carve the Confederate Monument on Stone Mountain near Atlanta as a "Memorial to the Valor of the Soldier of the South". The Southern "Governor's Meeting' of July 20, 1925 in Atlanta formally established the Harvest Campaign scheduled to end January 23, 1926 but postponed for various reasons until the last two states sale's campaigns were stopped on May 1,1926. These particular counterstamped coins were used in the "Harvest Campaign", a large marketing movement by the Stone Mountain Confederate Monumental Association of Atlanta, Georgia in what was called the "Appreciation Contest". Girls and Women between the ages of 15-25 married or not would be appointed by clubs or organizations (i.e. Rotary Club, ect.) to represent them in selling the Stone Mountain Half Dollar at $1 each. The Lady selling the most coins under certain rules in their County, Parrish (LA.) or Ward (D.C.) would receive a "Contest Coin" mounted in a Silver Lavalier for second place. The winner would receive a Gold Lavalier for first place. The Unit or City/town winners would compete for the County title where the Lavaliers except for Florida were earned/awarded. The County winners went to a State or Governor's Ball or a reception where the lavaliers in most states were awarded.
At the State level the county winners competed to be one of the thirty (Two ladies from each State and D.C.) to go to The Stone Mountain Confederate Costume Ball a/k/a/ The Appreciation Contest Ball in Atlanta to compete for the grand prize which was a bust to be carved of the winner out of the finest Georgia marble by the sculptor of Stone Mountain in the likeness of the winner that represented the most typical southern lady. The Atlanta Ball was an all expense paid trip to what was to be the most spectacular event in the South in 1926. Various dignitaries and The President of the United States and his wife were invited but the latter did not attend and sent his regrets.
This variety of Stone Mountain Counterstamp is valued based on its condition and whether it is still mounted in its original Lavalier setting. Considered in its value is the State it represents which its abbreviation is counterstamped on the Coin (TENN.) and the psychological impact of a high or low number. In this particular case the Serial Number represents one of 95 counties in Tennessee as of 1925. The numbers were generally random being draw out of a container by a third party and assigned then in alphabetical order to the Counties or Units (Town/Cities) on a list depending on the State. The numbers being assigned at random such as number one or lower numbers or very high numbers have a psychological impact in the typical sellers/buyers mind that doesn't know that most of the counterstamped coins were assigned at random. In case of the "Contest Coin" (G.L. or S.L.) the Number on the coin also represent's the lady recipient or winner of the "County" Contest or Unit (Town/City) in case of Florida Contest Coins.
The unmounted Contest Coins vary in value from severally damaged coins by removing them from their bezel/mount at $600+- to over $2,000+-. After viewing your image I think after all is said and done you could get $1,500 (fifteen hundred) to $1,800 (eighteen hundred) for this particular Stone Mountain counterstamp in its condition from a collector.
I hope this helps with your great discovery. Best of luck._
https://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=287462&whichpage=2
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
for those reading the coincommunity thread, it goes from 2017-2019 and the link lands you on page 2 of the thread.
ty for the info @ms70
Wow... I did not know about these coins either... second new thing I learned here today...Interesting contest and must have been a really big deal at the time. Cheers, RickO
Very interesting information.
It would sure be hard to fake.
There are a bunch of threads in this forum about the counterstamped Stone Mountain halves, member @njcoincrank was particularly well versed in their market and history. Once upon a time I cherrypicked a few of those off eBay, including one that graded MS63 ATS.
Not sure if it is still accessible, but Stacks sold a large collection of those some years ago if you want to get a feel for the prices. Unless values have radically shifted since back then, the coin linked in the OP is probably worth in the $300 - $400 range.
With the current groundswell against Confederate monuments, the Stone Mountain memorial strikes me as the "final boss", I think it will be almost as difficult to take down as it was to get it completed.
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
To augment the Stone Mountain commem, I have an 1861-o half dollar on the way.
It's a rarer coin and a lowball. Most I have seen trade in the range of $1500-$2500, but I don't recall any of those being in this low of a grade. They don't trade as often as you think, so I'm guessing many are in strong hands. Idk if it was Sean, but I've seen some cherrypicked as "damaged".
Before he dismantled his website, njcoincrank had a terrific article on the history of these counterstamps and I added information to the article, as well. In my photography files I count several dozen PCGS graded pieces that I have shot and they represent 12-states as well as the additional counterstamps for silver and gold lavalier and UDC.
Value can depend upon the additional counterstamp (if any), condition of the coin, number range and state. My guess is that the BIN number is a bit on the high side, but all you really need is one person to hit the BIN.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Talk about a really niche market. What if the other two guys collecting these dies?
Seriously, I ran across this guy at last years FUN show. Has spent several years documenting the history of these counterstamps. Visited with him for quite some time. The books are for sale. Two volumes the size of a Webster dictionary.
@bolivarshagnasty
Impressive heft to those books! I can't imagine talking about the same type of coin for hundreds of pages, but I guess each counterstaml carries its own meaning.
Has me curious
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Doubles as body armor when you're done reading it!
Which you definitely NEED in today's age!
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
May not bring $2500 but if it had a price tag of $300-400 it would no longer be available.
Lafayette Grading Set