I searched back through the topics for "Counterstamp" and read the most recent threads through. Basically, coins were counterstamped for many reasons, perhaps the least common motive being to guarantee them - though the Bank of England did counterstamp Spanish silver dollars in large numbers. Most of these remain anonymous today. However, Q. David Bowers has published on some that are known, such as his book The Waterford Water Cure. These are my counterstamps: Essequebo & Demerray. 1813 Guyana (ceded 1814) KM 5. Stiver (token) 1813. (34 mm) 20 = 1 guilder = 4 bits. 215,000 struck. USA 50 cents 1945=P. Ligature HC counterstamped on obverse. France 10 centimes. 1856. Counterstamp serif M obverse.
The "Bible" and only comprehensive guide on counterstamps is Greg Brunk's "Merchant and Privately Countermarked Coins" published in 2003. He has most of the manuscript for a second edition nearing completion but it probably won't be published for a year or so. He presently lists nearly 15,000 world counterstamps, but the new book will have many more. It's a great reference for counterstamps and is full of useful information for those who have an interest. Here are a few of mine. Bruce
This countermark was once thought to be the head of Apollo, but current scholarship assigns it to Cleopatra VII. The evidence seems to fit quite well: similar countermarks are found on coins of Antioch, Chalkis, Seleukia, and Laodicea, and they all occur on types minted during the time Marc Antony was liberally granting those regions to his paramour. It’s one of the few countermarks that can be assigned to a particular historical event in the ancient world with any amount of confidence. Antioch ad Orontes, Semi-Autonomous AE23, 10.77g, 12h, Denomination A; Antioch, after 47 BC Obv.: Laureate head of Zeus right; countermark of Cleopatra Rev.: [A]NTIOΣEΩN [ME]TPOΠOΛ[EΩΣ]; Zeus seated left, holding Nike and scepter, thunderbolt above Reference: Butcher 20, SNG Cop 80
Now there's some great history John. I can't even imagine how difficult it would be to research ancient countermarks. It's difficult enough to trace the ones I collect and most of those are only a couple hundred years old. I have a lot of fun doing it though and learn a lot about history in the process. Thanks for posting. Bruce
Here are some modern counterstamps that I do, and put back into the coin stream. Have had only one person getting the change at the store notice them. And her grandchild collects funny money! her term damaged and errors, and funny looking, you would call it here errors. Which I told her is the name for them he is under ten so I give her one each time I'm in the store. Some thing for future generations of collectors to ponder!
maybe, I sold one that had the state of ohio, and a champagne glass on it to, it was a 1973 lincoln cent
I like the idea of putting these back in circulation Circus. I do the same once in awhile with my personal stamps. I have four different ones I had made years ago. Here's one that I almost always stamp on state quarters. Bruce