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A little beat up, but a neat counterstamp nonetheless
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These are actually listed as U.S. tokens in Russell Rulau's Standard Catalog of U.S. Tokens.
This counterstamp is found on farthings, halfpennies and pennies.
From the catalog listing:
William Roberts Jr. is listed in the 1890 Bradstreet Directory as a dyer, but he does not appear
in the 1900, 1902, or 1905 editions. Supposedly the business closed in 1891. Since a number of
mint-fresh 1888-1890 coins were used, it seems reasonable to conclude most counterstamps were
applied in 1889-1890.
According to the 1855 city directory, William Roberts was a tailor at 213 Water Street. By the time
of the 1880-1882 Elmira City Directory, the name of the business was changed to that of his son,
William Roberts, Jr. It appears to have closed in 1891. The 1880-1882 advertisement for the firm reads:
William Roberts Jr., Queen City Steam Dyeing and Scouring Works. Ladies' shawls, cloaks and
dresses dyed and finished in a superior manner in the dress or in the piece. Feather and glove
dyeing especially. Gents' clothing scoured, dyed and processed to look equal to new.
Roberts stamped a number of English bronze coins which he probably intended to give away in the
year 1890 and 1891, but he went out of business before most of them could be dispersed. A hoard
of the countermarks was apparently discovered in the 1970s, and at first it was speculated that these
might be recent fantasies. However, Charles W. Foster reported such a piece in 1954 in the Numismatic
Scrapbook Magazine. Many of the coins are in Extremely Fine condition, although it is common to find
weakly struck countermarks.
Dr. Bunk records the observation of 58 English farthings, 29 English halfpennies, and 4 English pennies.
This counterstamp is found on farthings, halfpennies and pennies.
From the catalog listing:
William Roberts Jr. is listed in the 1890 Bradstreet Directory as a dyer, but he does not appear
in the 1900, 1902, or 1905 editions. Supposedly the business closed in 1891. Since a number of
mint-fresh 1888-1890 coins were used, it seems reasonable to conclude most counterstamps were
applied in 1889-1890.
According to the 1855 city directory, William Roberts was a tailor at 213 Water Street. By the time
of the 1880-1882 Elmira City Directory, the name of the business was changed to that of his son,
William Roberts, Jr. It appears to have closed in 1891. The 1880-1882 advertisement for the firm reads:
William Roberts Jr., Queen City Steam Dyeing and Scouring Works. Ladies' shawls, cloaks and
dresses dyed and finished in a superior manner in the dress or in the piece. Feather and glove
dyeing especially. Gents' clothing scoured, dyed and processed to look equal to new.
Roberts stamped a number of English bronze coins which he probably intended to give away in the
year 1890 and 1891, but he went out of business before most of them could be dispersed. A hoard
of the countermarks was apparently discovered in the 1970s, and at first it was speculated that these
might be recent fantasies. However, Charles W. Foster reported such a piece in 1954 in the Numismatic
Scrapbook Magazine. Many of the coins are in Extremely Fine condition, although it is common to find
weakly struck countermarks.
Dr. Bunk records the observation of 58 English farthings, 29 English halfpennies, and 4 English pennies.
0
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DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
Collecting:
Conder tokens
19th & 20th Century coins from Great Britain and the Realm
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
1/2 Cents
U.S. Revenue Stamps
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don