Can someone tell me what I have here?

MorganMan94 · May 13, 2018 8:04PM

Picked this up out of a dealers junk bin with really no description, I don't know much about U.S. coins much less foreign. It is well worn and has damage but is counterstamped "J.S.P". Can anyone help me get a better understanding of what I have here? I figure it isn't worth much but the counterstamp made it cool.
Thanks in advance

WorldCoinsDmitry · May 13, 2018 9:04PM

It's a Mexico city mint 2 reales with what appears to be a merchant counterstamp. I don't see this particular stamp listed in the Brunk catalog that covers these, but that's not a big deal since many such counterstamps are not included. Style wise it looks like a typical 19th century stamp with a nice "saw-toothed" cartouche. Definitely a good find for a junk bin and worth considerably more than a typical low grade/damaged example. The only problem, regarding history, is that often any info on who the merchant was has been lost and pieces remain anonymous.
I've commonly seen uncatalogued pieces similar to yours sell in the $30-$50 range, sometimes more.

MorganMan94 · May 14, 2018 5:37AM

@WorldCoinsDmitry said:
It's a Mexico city mint 2 reales with what appears to be a merchant counterstamp. I don't see this particular stamp listed in the Brunk catalog that covers these, but that's not a big deal since many such counterstamps are not included. Style wise it looks like a typical 19th century stamp with a nice "saw-toothed" cartouche. Definitely a good find for a junk bin and worth considerably more than a typical low grade/damaged example. The only problem, regarding history, is that often any info on who the merchant was has been lost and pieces remain anonymous.
I've commonly seen uncatalogued pieces similar to yours sell in the $30-$50 range, sometimes more.

Thank you!

JBK · May 14, 2018 10:03AM

Now the detective work begins. JSP did not have a punch made just so he could counterstamp this one coin. Most likely he was a silversmith, and the type of coin and style of the letters should help identify the likely era. if you can turn up his identity then that will add to the value.