Counterstamped Bicentennial Half — Crown on Obverse, “K” on Independence Hall
rbdancer
Posts: 2 ✭
I recently came across a 1976 Bicentennial Kennedy half dollar with two clear post-mint counterstamps:
A small crown punch on Kennedy’s portrait
A large “K” stamped onto Independence Hall on the reverse
Both impressions are clean and appear to have been made with commercially manufactured punches rather than improvised tools. I checked Brunk and didn’t see any listings that match these symbols or this combination on modern U.S. coins.
Before I assume this is a personal or small-batch counterstamp, I want to see if anyone here has encountered similar examples on Bicentennial halves or other denominations.
Images attached. Any insight is appreciated.
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Comments
i've not seen anything posted here like it.
your google search will be as good as mine, but I think these are just random punches
Well, the choice of a European (British?) crown symbol on Kennedy's face and the large letter "K" on the entrance to Independence Hall seem rather pointed to me. Maybe it's a random incidence of someone either praising or dissing JFK?
Probably just someone having fun with punches.
God bless all who believe in him. Do unto others what you expect to be done to you. Dubbed a "Committee Secret Agent" by @mr1931S on 7/23/24. Founding member of CU Anti-Troll League since 9/24/24.
A counterstamper will use whatever they have access to. The choice of crown almost certainly was random. It's not as if there is a variety of crown styles readily available to chose from.
The K could be the counterstamper's initial, or just a random letter.
It might have meaning to someone, or not. But unless the person responsible comes forward we'll never know.
Counterstamper’s initial K.—Hmm, you seem to know a bit about playing around with steel letters.
I moved up to the big time years ago. 😃
I can assure you it's either small batch or poorly distributed. The nature of things like this is usually to be widely distributed because this is normally the intent of the producer and there is a tendency for most people who know they have "bad coin" to spend it first.
I've never seen it.
It is possible that it is much newer than is apparent or only now being distributed. Such coins are easily done but this one certainly implies a special occasion or specific meaning. It has been some years since I would likely encountered it and possible I don't remember. I collect few things of this nature and the ones I do are highly specific. I would not have saved such a half dollar.
Nothing here is intended politically in any way.