Chop Mark Specialists: Please Help With Identification of Mark on 1803 Dollar

JadeRareCoin

Have any of you Chop Mark Specialists seen this mark before? The owner of our company has seen it, but cannot remember the specifics of the mark. Thanks in advance for your help.

tradedollarnut

I have not seen that mark on any trade dollar.

kieferscoins

It looks much bigger then the standard chopmark.

Cameron Kiefer

ss350camaro

Great Coin ! What a shame it was 'chopped'

JadeRareCoin

Technically, it is a chop mark, but it is large and some would call it a counterstamp. There are some rare chop marks and counterstamps on early dollars, so we are curious to find out the origin of the mark. BTW, this could could easily be repaired to remove the "damage", but we will not have it fixed as it is far more interesting with the historical mark.......and potentially more valuable, imho. Besides, filling the depression would require that this coin be artificially toned. It would be a shame to ruin this coin's natural patina.

Is there a book that specifically addresses chop marks from South and Central America? I have a book on foreign chop marks, but our stamp was nowhere to be found within its pages. I also searched several old auction catalogs that featured chop marks..........and nothing.

Thanks for any advice or opinions. Dennis

MacCrimmon

Is it a "chop" (stamping), or is it actually hand tooled into the surface of the cheek?

BigE

It almost looks like a 2 step process, like one part of the chop was done at a different time than the other. Possibly useful in some form of commerce/communication?-------------------------------------BigE

JadeRareCoin

Is it a "chop" (stamping), or is it actually hand tooled into the surface of the cheek?

It is a chop, based upon the deformation of the corresponding reverse area. BigE, interesting theory. Hmmmm. Could be. BTW, a large pine in our back yard was hit by lightening this summer. I hope it wasn't a relative.

BigE

Sorry to hear about your Conifer, at least it was from natural causes-----------------------------BigE

MacCrimmon

Maybe it was a coded "spy" dollar used during the War of 1812.

ER

Ouch! Looks like Miss Liberty gone hippie ( " If you 're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...")

dorkkarl

i've seen that mark on hippie-beetles back in the 60s!

K S

dthigpen

I've seen this mark on Capped Bust Halves that were labeled as CounterStamped before; a couple times, at that.

JadeRareCoin

Are you guys suggesting that this 1803 Bust Dollar was chop marked in the 1960's by some hippie???? One would have to be on drugs to destroy such a beautiful coin!

ER

<< <i>Are you guys suggesting that this 1803 Bust Dollar was chop marked in the 1960's by some hippie???? One would have to be on drugs to destroy such a beautiful coin! >>


The hippies were on drugs?

Conder101

I don't think it's a "chopmark", I just think it has been abused.

Conder101

I don't think it's a "chopmark", I just think it has been abused.

DDR

Dennis,

I have a number of chopmarked coins but I have never seen a chop like that. (But of course that does not mean that it is not a chopmark.) What is the book you are referring to? Chopmarks by Frank Rose?

JadeRareCoin

What is the book you are referring to?

Merchant Countermarks on World Coins by Gregory Brunk (1989).

We are aware of some rare chop marks that originated in some island countries in South or Central America and the Carribbean. We just cannot find this particular chop mark. We are confident that it is an old chop mark, which has left us a bit curious.

michael

i have seen this before!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 but i just cant place it

i think it is a counterstamp NOT a chop mark


michael

Gemini

Looks familiar to me also...somehow I feel that I have seen it on a foreign coin ???

michael

yes thats it gemini!! i have read an article with large spainish silver "dollar" coin with this mark

i think i have read an article either in an early numismatic scrapbook magazine from the 50's? or b max mehl's coin collectors newsletters issued from 1909 to 1917?

michael

i will try to find the article but i gave away all my almost complete set of the numismatic scrapbook along with many of mehls mag.
there is much esoteric numismatic information realting to many aspects of federal coinage that are not found elsewhere that was containede in the old numismatic scrapbook mag

michael

MrEureka

Well, this one isn't it, but we're getting closer...



Here's a place to poke around for the answer: http://www.chopmarks.com.

DDR

Go to the website MrEureka links to. Click on "chopmarks." Click on "A-6." Look at A6-24. Is that the one? It looks very similar.

MrEureka

No, A6-24 is a Chinese character.



The counterstamp in question is clearly not an attempt at a Chinese character.

JadeRareCoin

Andy,

Thanks for the web site link. That was great! Q. David Bowers stopped by our table today to help with the identification of the chop mark. As you may know, he has a personal interest in counterstamps and chop marks. He pointed us in the right direction and recommended a book on the subject. It may be from a Carribbean island, which is what we were thinking. I will update everyone when we finally make the I.D.

Andy, I saw you walking the floor of the show today, but I was told by others that I should not approach you to say hi, as you sometimes bite strangers.

morgannut2

I've seen something similar refered to as a counterstamp as well. Now who has the drugs for tonight?

JrGMan2004

<< <i>Andy, I saw you walking the floor of the show today, but I was told by others that I should not approach you to say hi, as you sometimes bite strangers. >>

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