Realcent.org

Why are coins stamped in this manner?

Oh, that's mine...I lost it a while back. Thanks

Rob

'R'





Anonymous countermark?. Essentially post mint damage.

I seem to recall a thread here devoted to strange coin stampings. Mostly on cents.

Might've been on the old forum?

I used to set them aside. Had almost half of the outlines of US states at one time.

Morsecode wrote:I seem to recall a thread here devoted to strange coin stampings. Mostly on cents.

Might've been on the old forum?

I used to set them aside. Had almost half of the outlines of US states at one time.

My apologies- I will be honest in saying I did not search, prior, I just posted my inquiry.

No apology needed. I actually spent a few minutes trying to find the thread, with no luck.

It's an interesting genre. Folks have been stamping coins with all sorts of symbolism since we've had coins probably.

We could always start another "Post your Marked Coins Here"

Morsecode wrote:No apology needed. I actually spent a few minutes trying to find the thread, with no luck.

Here's one: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=18381

Cool! That's the one I was thinking of. Your're the Man!

Not sure why the markings are added, but to me I’d rather have a marking like that than I would have a heavily scratched coin. The letter has more character to it and might be a point of interest to some.

Those type of markings are known as countermarks or counterstamps. I am absolutely certain that there are other equivalent terms used.

Time for more coffee.

A list of merchants that counter stamped coins:

http://richhartzog.com/art/cma.htm

That is a very good guide for merchant counterstamps. The term, however, has come to mean anything stamped onto the coin post mint. I used to stamp my initials onto Lincolns when I was a kid some 55 years ago.

Again, thank you for linking to an excellent reference.

Time for more coffee.