1913-S 5c Counterstamp

A friend of mine brought this coin to my attention, because it's listed on eBay as being an "Alhambra, California" counterstamp, but I just can't see that as saying "Alhambra" (there's no M in the middle!).

I've stared at it for a while but just can't come up with another plausible city name, and neither can anyone here at the office so I thought I'd give it a try here.

What do the eagle-eyes of CoinTalk think that city's name is?

 

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Alameda?

Exonumia.com list of merchant countermarked coins includes an "E. Schwartze Alameda CA" counterstamp.

Hope it helps.

 

I still don't see an "M" in there for Alameda, but that's a pretty good match with the E. Schwartze...

 

I would need to see in hand with a loupe. To me, Alhambra double stamped seems more likely, (between Alameda and Alhambra).

 

I just can't see an M at ALL except perhaps at the very end ... (or that could be a double stamped A ...)

 

I agree its weird. Looking at it from the pic, I see AL?POROM, but that is a modern sensibility. I am reading the two O's as an O becuase I am used to an O with a line through it. So, IDK without seeing it closer up, (even if then).

 

Yeah, it's almost indecipherable at this point.

 

Looks to me like "Alameda" with "California" stamped over it. Like they hit it once with the stamp, then again with just the bottom edge of the stamp, shifted up one line. I can see the "EDA" under/over "ARTZ" as well.

 

Better eyes than I have sir.

 

Alameda is stamped over "Schwartze", see the last "EDA"
California is stamped over "Alameda"

 

... from that pic, it looks like "California" was double stamped across the "Alameda", and the Alameda got into the Schwartze ...

 

The Schwartze is strong on that nickel......

Ok, sorry guys, I just couldn't resist the Spaceballs random reference. I laughed.

 

IMO, all was on one punch and it was hit twice.

 

Yeah, I'm thinking maybe they hit it crooked/off-center the first time and got a partial impression (bottom line and part of the middle line), then hit it squarely a second time.

 

Reminds me, I found a counterstamped Buffer in the wild last week that might have a military connection to it - have to image and post to see if anybody knows what it is.

 

buy an "N" metal stamp and stamp it. lol just kidding.

 

I saw that coin on eBay too Amanda and couldn't read it either. It's definitely double struck or maybe even triple struck. You'd have to see it in hand to tell for sure.

Bruce

 

An "E. SCHWARTZE / ALAMEDA / CALIFORNIA" is listed on this page...

http://www.exonumia.com/art/cmd.htm

 

I did a little looking around for E. Schwartze and found him in the 1916 Polk-Husted Directory Co.'s Oakland, Berkeley and Alameda, CA directory. Emil Schwartze was a jeweler at 1325 Park in Alameda. The style and size of the stamp is right for a jeweler so it all fits. I hope he did a better job of stamping his jewelry than he did on this coin.

Bruce

 

...Then here comes Bruce laying it down.

Actually I saw this one too. I'm pretty sure the same seller had a trade token I was bidding on and didn't win.