This unique looking coin is a very much welcomed addition to my Railroad and Press Flattened coin collection, due to it having a counter-stamp, a hole and unique hemispherical flattening on both sides caused by being run over by a train...Twice! I have identified it as an 1839-1857 Braided Hair Cent, which makes it at least 165 years old. It weighs 10.04 grams, which is on the light side. It’s 33mm long and 29mm wide, and 2mm thick in the middle and 1.2mm thick on the long ends. The hole in the top of the obverse face is 1.5mm, obviously smaller than the size it was originally drilled. I believe this coin has a period correct counter-stamp of a store owner or similar type of merchant. The curved serifs on the top of the S & C are from a particular font that should be easy to verify as contemporary. The grit and dirt inside of the counter-stamp shows sign of verdigris and looks to have been there a long time. I would greatly appreciate any information or verification on the contemporary use of this counter-stamp. My research has yet to produce any results. Now on to the train damage, the top half of the obverse face has been struck by a train in the obverse face up position and the bottom half has been struck in the obverse face down position. Which makes the coin smooth on top and rough on bottom on both sides, with the least amount of damage in the middle where the counter-stamp is. This is determined by the fact that one side of the strike is smooth, and one side is not. The smooth side will be the wheel side due to the wheel being smoothed from constant use, and the bottom will be the track side, which can be rough and sometimes pitted from exposure to the elements and rusting, especially on lesser used rails. I would like to believe that both hits are from one placement on a rail and not from being placed on a rail two separate times. I assert probability skepticism here but not much, maybe 5% or so. Thank You, for taking the time to read this post. Please post any photos, questions and comments you have. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_wheel
Two coins laying one atop the other during wheel strike. There is a slight reversed imprint of the word liberty in this area, I will get a photo.
I was only able to make out a BE half of the R in reverse print. The reason that the indent is so smooth is due to mostly the top coins field was pressed against it.
Thanks for the link. What a great and historic locomotive, "The Mastodon". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolk_and_Western_475.
There is a listing in Brunk for S. Cowan on an 1853 large cent but I don’t see a picture or any other info. Listed as C-991
