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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;ExoMan, post: 7265114, member: 72588&quot;]The <b>RUDOLPH</b> c/s&#039;s are desired by exonumists and often fetch in the $50-100 range for decent examples. This is the first holed one I&#039;ve seen; this, which does hurt the value a bit. The comment that this c/s&#039;d coin has &quot;lots of history&quot; caught my eye. I have 11 of the <b>RUDOLPH</b> c/s&#039;s on dimes and quarters in my collection. I&#039;ve been researching this issue for over fifteen years, and I&#039;d love it if someone would share the history they know with me! ;-) </p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s basically what I know .... Rulau listed the <b>RUDOLPH</b> c/s&#039;s in his token catalogs. He attributed the issue to Nevada City, California. Brunk followed suit, listing same in his books on merchant counterstamps. J.F. Rudolph operated a drug store there. Their attribution to this druggist was based solely on two bits of circumstantial evidence: 1) J.F. ran store ads that used only his surname, &quot;Rudolph,&quot; without initials; 2) Another druggist, Polhemus, working in Sacramento during the 1850&#039;s, stamped many coins (note that, unlike Rudolph, his initials and address appear on the coins). </p><p><br /></p><p>During my early research, I learned that J.F.&#039;s wife was a skilled photographer who had a gallery above the drug store on Commercial Street. The thought occurred to me that she might have used a <b>RUDOLPH</b> stamp on the frames of her daguerreotypes. While I found some of her photos, none were stamped. </p><p><br /></p><p>I later found whom I believe is far more likely to have stamped the coins. It is Charles F. Rudolph, a jeweler, working in Wilmington, Delaware between 1856-1908. There exists substantial evidence that supports my belief. Consider: 1) Far more jewelers, those who dealt in silver, were known to stamp coins than were druggists in the 1850&#039;s; 2) I acquired a spoon stamped <b>C.F. RUDOLPH</b> that possesses a very similar font; 3) Many craftsmen, like jewelers, used more than one style of stamp; 4) The great majority of c/s&#039;s, well over 90%, emanated from eastern states; 5) While a few of the <b>RUDOLPH</b> c/s&#039;s possess an &quot;O&quot; mint mark, not one &quot;S&quot; mint coin has been reported (almost all of the known host coins are from Philly); 6) A few Delaware silversmiths c/s&#039;d coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Sadly, Russ Rulau &amp; Greg Brunk are no longer with us. I did share my research on C.F. Rudolph with Greg last year, and he found the evidence convincing; this, more so than for J.F. Rudolph. While neither J.F. or C.F. is a slam-dunk, positive attribution, C.F. appears to be an odds-on favorite. Personally, I and many other c/s collectors would prefer the <b>RUDOLPH</b> c/s&#039;s stay listed as a California issue.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>While c/s&#039;s do often detract from the value of host coins, they can also add much value, historical and monetary, to coins. Consider that a c/s&#039;d coin recently sold for over ten million dollars .... a Brasher doubloon. IMHO, our OP&#039;s holed silver dime, if unstamped, would be worth $3. The <b>RUDOLPH</b> c/s makes it a $25-$35 coin.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I look forward to hearing about the history of this <b>RUDOLPH</b> and other c/s&#039;s from our posters. I shared what I know with Bruce, some months ago. It&#039;s what keeps my old boat afloat!&nbsp; ;-)[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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