The stamp's probably as old as the coin. This crude style is known as American Primitive for obvious reasons. It's surely a merchant stamp...most likely a metalsmith of some sort. I see a lot of this type but unfortunately most are unidentified. A great piece and thanks for showing it. Bruce
No info, but must have stamped pretty hard, it certainly is a struck through. Other than that, it appears to be a nice 1807. You made a good choice.
Most counterstamped coins show some damage on the opposite side from the strike. Exceptions are the old British cartwheel pennies and two pennies...very large, heavy coins. They can handle a hard strike very well. Bruce
I've got a few old coins like this with counter stamps and always thought them pretty cool...there is a reference or two out there on the 'net with lists of the most common "stamps" with possible affiliated stampers.
I'd like to see your Counterstamped coins if you have images to share. Maybe I could help you with an ID. Most of the references...only a few...are way out of date but still useful. Greg Brunk published the last references I know of but the most up to date one is from 2013 and only includes US and Canadian issues. Bruce
Interesting! I like old counterstamped large cents, and the host coin on this one looks pretty nice. I would concur with the statement that the counterstamp is likely as old as the coin is.
I've had these two half dollars for eons...don't even know if they are real but they even have writing on the edges.
That is a YUGE counterstamp. My first thought was Mason, but I assume it was just someone's initial. The reverse was either cleaned in the center, or perhaps it was attached to something at one time.
By the position on the coin and shape on the reverse I was thinking it was caused by the stamping process.
I still don't understand why chop marks on trade dollars can add value to them while counterstamps are just considered PMD?
Chop marks SOMETIMES add value, but not always. The same with counterstamps. They're always considered PMD because they were added after leaving the mint. PMD doesn't make them "junk" by a long stretch. Many counterstamped issues are worth money. some thousands of dollars. Bruce
Counter stamped coins are very interesting and the older the coin is the more interesting the coin becomes. The 1807 Large Cent has several varieties and yours looks like the large fraction. If it was the comet variety it would be a great counter stamped coin. I have no idea what the M stands for. These types of marks were applied after leaving the mint, often by a merchant to advertise the business. It could be a maker’s mark using the first letter of the last name. The only M counter stamp on coins that I’m aware of was used on English coins in Britain. Being a 1807 coin it could have been used in Great Britain. The English M counter stamped was for the Abolition of the Slave Trade movement in Britain. More than likely it was a local US merchant advertising his business. You have a nice counter marked Large Cent.
I found another coin sold on eBay that had a similar punch except instead of square it was heart shaped. https://www.ebay.com/itm/136517642180
That's a nice one. I've seen other counterstamped coin with an initial / heart but not this one. I was a little surprised at the selling price. That's a strong price for the issue. Bruce
