Counterstamp vs. Chopmark
KellenCoin
Posts: 1,202 ✭✭✭✭
I realized that I did not know the difference. Upon thinking about it, my theory is that a chopmark is more often used as an authenticity check (like trade dollars), while counterstamps are more for advertisement. But I do not know.
What is the difference?
CCAC Representative of the General Public
Columnist for The Numismatist
2021 Young Numismatist of the Year
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You sorta got it on the head there. "Company stores" used to often counterstamp US coinage, or make their own for the employees to use at their store. Counterstamps, like you say, I know on trade and seated dollars that were circulated in the Far East, were each merchant's "proof of authenticity" stamp. Each stamp is a different merchant. They didn't trust each other, and even back in the 1870s, coins were being counterfeitted in China and such. Not a single thing has changed and they are still using the same exact countefeitting rings that were around "back in the day."