1892 Columbian Half with counterstamped B - Mar 18

thecoinlook

Can anyone share any information on this piece? I showed this to one other person at the show I picked it up at, and he was pretty sure he had the same thing.
Thanks!

bsshog40

I don't believe anything like this was purposely minted so I say just graffiti.

lordmarcovan

I don't think it's a counterstamp. It looks engraved. Got yerself a love token there, and a pretty neat one.

Then again, if somebody else had the same thing, that kind of blows my love token theory outta the water, though I still think that looks more engraved than counterstamped.

CaptHenway

Over the years working at Harlan Berk's we got in two other Columbian halves with dates engraved on them, but I was never able to match up any historical event with either date.

On this one, I found this:

link

On March 18, 1893, the axle of the giant Ferris Wheel arrived in Chicago. It was cast by Bethlehem steel. Is there any connection? Who can say.

TD

MsMorrisine

<< <i>Over the years working at Harlan Berk's we got in two other Columbian halves with dates engraved on them, but I was never able to match up any historical event with either date.

On this one, I found this:

link

On March 18, 1893, the axle of the giant Ferris Wheel arrived in Chicago. It was cast by Bethlehem steel. Is there any connection? Who can say.

TD >>



1917-1918 Bethlehem Steel Football Club

numisma

<< <i>Can anyone share any information on this piece? I showed this to one other person at the show I picked it up at, and he was pretty sure he had the same thing.
Thanks! >>



My guess is that it is a homemade piece to commemorate someone's birth (the "B") on March 18, which happened to be in 1892. Sort of like a love token. Not uncommon, but over the years (especially in the late 70s, early 80s, a lot of these pieces were considered garbage and melted. As such, you do not see them as often.

lordmarcovan

<< <i>

<< <i>Can anyone share any information on this piece? I showed this to one other person at the show I picked it up at, and he was pretty sure he had the same thing.
Thanks! >>



My guess is that it is a homemade piece to commemorate someone's birth (the "B") on March 18, which happened to be in 1892. Sort of like a love token. Not uncommon, but over the years (especially in the late 70s, early 80s, a lot of these pieces were considered garbage and melted. As such, you do not see them as often. >>

This was exactly my thought, though if somebody else indeed has an identical piece, it throws a little water on the "birthyear love token" theory.

Absent that identical piece to prove it, though, a birthyear love token is the theory I'm stickin' to.

(Excellently creative ferris wheel axle and football club posts notwithstanding.)

CaptHenway

I respectfully question whether the person queried at the show did indeed have the "same thing."

ricko

I agree.... individual love token... birth year... Cheers, RickO