A couple (uuugggghhhh!!) U.S. coins...

Regulated

For your perusal:

A nice U.S. $8 by William Hollingshead on a 1751-R 6400-Reis (unique denomination for this silversmith)





And a very early U.S. $8 by John Burger on a 1759 6400-Reis





Anyone else have any fun counterstamp pics?

lordmarcovan

This $3 piece is on my Holey Gold Hat.

It was originally counterstamped on the obverse in front of the portrait, but some fool obliterated the countermark and rendered the coin ugly (though even an ugly $3 gold is a thing of beauty, if you know what I mean.)

I don't object to the hole, obviously, since I collect holeys, but I wish the coin hadn't been scuffed to hell and back and that the counterstamp was still readable. I have a few other countermarked pieces like a US Trade dollar (counterstamped with Roman alphabet initials, not Chinese chops), and a 1728 French ecu with a mysterious and slightly modern looking "YMCA" counterstamp, but I have no pictures of them.

Here's the scary "threeagle".

Regulated

Was the counterstamp on that three a W.W. Light????

edited to add: I guess it is the wrong shape for that - can you send me a higher res picture?

lordmarcovan

Good question- I dunno. I'll have to put it under a loupe sometime. Who was W.W. Light?

Regulated

W.W. Light was a Sacramento Dentist and assayer that counterstamped some late gold-rush era gold coins. I have an 1855 $3 that was done by him. His countermark was curved on the top (W.W. Light) and straight across the bottom (dentist)...

lordmarcovan

I don't recall being able to see much of this counterstamp, as you can tell from the picture. Maybe just the fragments of a few letters. Like I said, I sure wish it were readable. To me, when you're already collecting "damaged" coins, as I do with the holeys, a counterstamp is a definite plus, not a minus.

I would imagine the counterstamps you showed above are a huge plus, and a marked premium over the value of a normal, unmarked, "undamaged" Portuguese Joe, eh?

1960NYGiants

David - I think those counterstamps are pretty neat. Here's my favorite:



It's a Thomas Church off center counterstamp on a Province of Canada halfpenny token (possibly unique).

Gene

Regulated

The counterstamps are a BIG plus - they are worth 40 - 80 times their regular value because of them.

Regulated

That Thos. Church piece is exceptional - I'm not used to seeing cstmps that are nearly the size of the host coin. Very cool!