Chopmarks vs. Counter-stamp

In that case it boils down to acceptable wear or what the buyer wants. In the case of a BoE dollar I would have thought that a coin with a scratch would sell for less based on eye appeal. I would even dare say (totally off he cuff here) that a VF planchet with the GIII stamp without scratches would sell for more than an EF scratched planchet. Obviously in that scenario anything that makes the host coin more or less desirable would make an impact on the value.

 

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How many "Best Answers" have you received? You are probably too modest to tell but put this with them Hopefully this should end all the "What if..." posts on this subject.

 

Maybe not necessary, Jack, but they often are. Even if not, the condition of the counterstamp itself is important to a serious collector. Steve Hayden, for one, always lists coin / counterstamp grades in his sale listings. I do the same on my 2x2s, but I don't approach it in a technical way. I estimate it by eye appeal only, since there are no recognized standards for grading counterstamps.

On that note, two serious collectors that I know have been working on a 100 point "rating" system for some time. It includes eye appeal, substrate (coin, token, etc), sharpness of strike (counterstamp), rarity of both coin and stamp, attribution or no, historical significance, etc. It's pretty comprehensive and well thought out by them. I was honored to be asked to evaluate their system, which I'm working on now. Maybe this will become the gold standard for the future.

Bruce

 

You're fight, Insider. It doesn't matter a wit to me. Maybe we can just describe them as purposeful damage.

Bruce

 

Hmm...So here's the issue for me - has the original coin be damaged in some way? Yes - ok. To me, a counterstamp or counter mark is damage but doesn't effect how collectible it is.

 

Yep, that should satisfy everyone AND very often the countermark or counterstamp will raise the value of a piece significantly.

 

I think the only one who cares about this discussion is iPen

 

Ok from what I've read, damaged or not, it would still be highly collectible - that's what makes the most sense to me.

I was thinking that if PCGS or NGC were to treat damage to the base coin made prior to the counter-stamp as damage to the coin, and give it a Details grade, it may not be treated as damage years later by the same TPGs when a shift in philosophy occurs. (I'm unsure how they treat it now). So, it's all a matter of perspective, and would make counter-stamped coins collectible, and a "Details" grade moot except when you're trying to sell it.

 

IMO, they don't deserve to be the #2 grading service for this stupid policy. I guess collectors need to send their laminated and struck thru coins elsewhere.