I have two library seated dimes and I'm have a hard tine finding any information. If anyone has knowledge with countermarked coins and knows of these mark or can point me towards resources so I can research I would appreciate it very much . Thanks in advance
Welcome to Coin Talk. Google can sometimes be your friend. Here's more for you to look at: https://www.google.com/search?sa=X&...nAhU_mnIEHd4JB_AQsAR6BAgKEAE&biw=1302&bih=591
Wonder if you could clarify the initials. It's hard to make the first one out, but is it an "H"? I'm reading "H. B. Ward" but could be mistaken. Thanks. Bruce
Thanks, Semi. I wanted to check and make sure I was barking up the right tree. lol! H.B. (Henry Beebe) Ward was a pewterer in Wallingford, CT. At some point he may have worked in Guilford. His father, Jeremiah, was also a pewter and likely the source of his education. I found very little on the man except that he was was born in 1838 in Wallingford... couldn't find date of death. His mother was Cornelia Ann Hamlin who married Jeremiah in 1832. Henry appears in the 1870 U.S. Federal Census and is listed as a maker of brittaniaware. I found no record of him marrying or having children, but he very well may have. Apparently, there are examples of his products that appear at auction, but a cursory search didn't turn any up. Comparing his maker mark with his counterstamp would be proof of a match. Fortunately, I came across a poor picture of an 1876 Seated Quarter with his stamp struck on it. It looks to be a match to yours. The spacing of the letters in "Ward" show gaps a bit wider than usual. Yours seems to have the same characteristic. Ward counterstamps are known on at least 11 coins ranging from large cents to seated quarters. There's also one that is in italics...somewhat unusual. I think this attribution is solid, Semi. If you want to research a bit more, I'm sure more details of his life and work will show up. Thanks for showing us your coin. Bruce
Thanks alot Bruce. I really appreciate this ! I will definitely do some digging of my own now that you have given me a great start. Semi
I don't use it because it can embarrass you if you're not careful. Besides, I can speele pretty good. Bruce