Counterstamped Shield Nickel

Discussion in 'What's it Worth' started by heavycam.monstervam, Mar 23, 2016.

  1. heavycam.monstervam

    heavycam.monstervam Outlaw Trucker & Coin Hillbilly

    Anyone have any info for this counterstamp?? I don't collect such coins, but found it interesting for $2 @ the LCS today... I believe it reads: J&B Hunt.... Ever seen this one before? Is it a good one? Any and all comments are welcome!! IMAG0971_1.jpg IMAG0967.jpg
     
    BRandM likes this.
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  3. Stevearino

    Stevearino Well-Known Member

    The darn Hunt brothers were around back then, too, trying to corner the market?

    Steve
     
    Cascade, Paddy54, Kentucky and 3 others like this.
  4. Omegaraptor

    Omegaraptor Gobrecht/Longacre Enthusiast

    I don't see counterstamped coins often, but I'd like to own one. They are evidence that they were used in commerce.
     
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  5. buddy16cat

    buddy16cat Well-Known Member

    From my experience, most common or unknown counter stamps generally go for the value of the coin without any deductions for the counter stamp. From what I have been told, the counter stamp collectors look for certain companies.
     
    heavycam.monstervam likes this.
  6. BooksB4Coins

    BooksB4Coins Newbieus Sempiterna

    I do hope he doesn't mind (and my apologies if he does), but I believe this gentleman very knowledgeable in this area....

    @BRandM
     
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  7. jwitten

    jwitten Well-Known Member

    Not really. They could be just someone having fun, advertising, etc. Wear is a better indicator they were used in commerce.
     
    heavycam.monstervam likes this.
  8. brandon spiegel

    brandon spiegel Brandon Spiegel

    2 dollars!!!!!! i would fork over the 2 bucks asap if you have not done yet, even if the counterstamp is no good (I would not know as i am no sort of any kind of expert in chop marks) it is still a great coin for 2 bucks in my opinion
     
    heavycam.monstervam likes this.
  9. heavycam.monstervam

    heavycam.monstervam Outlaw Trucker & Coin Hillbilly

    Thanks 4 the replies so far guys....
    And yes I bought it
     
  10. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    This is a rare piece, the earliest-known advertising for what is now the largest independent trucking company in America aside FedEx and UPS.

    :p
     
  11. heavycam.monstervam

    heavycam.monstervam Outlaw Trucker & Coin Hillbilly

    LoL, I just showed this to a driver for JB Hunt, he was convinced that's who stamped this... Maybe I should call the owner and tell them I have a relic from there kin and founder here:greedy:
     
  12. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    I remember thinking about going to work for JB Hunt back in the 80's because they concentrated on hiring entry-level drivers (for about the lowest per-mile in the industry). Nowadays they have probably 1000+ tractors each dedicated to my employer and our (larger) competitor. Quite the growth story.
     
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  13. BRandM

    BRandM Counterstamp Collector

    That's a nice counterstamp, heavycam, especially for $2. Although this one isn't attributed to anyone that I know of, I would think you might get $20 on eBay for it.

    The legend "J & B Hunt" is most likely that of a company who wanted to get a bit of free advertising by stamping their name on circulating coinage...very common in the 19th century. By the look of the piece, I'd guess the issue date to be the mid to late 1870s. From the 1880s and on the font would likely be more "clean"...without serifs, etc. The wear patterns also suggest 1870s.

    There's a slight possibility that there might be more to the stamp than shows on the coin. Anytime a legend or name is struck close to the edge of the coin you have to consider the possibility that part of it didn't strike up. I don't see any evidence of this on your coin though.

    I'd be happy to look into an attribution for you. I'll do a bit of research and see what I can find.

    Bruce
     
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  14. heavycam.monstervam

    heavycam.monstervam Outlaw Trucker & Coin Hillbilly

    Aaaahhhh thank you Bruce, I really appreciate the time and effort to reply !!! Yes, if you happen to run across any more info I would really be appreciative... As you might guess, googling it pulled up the logistics company JB Hunt, that's Y I love this place!! There's a collector of just about everything:pompous:
     
  15. JBK

    JBK Coin Collector

    Even unattributed that is a huge score for $2. I agree with Bruce that the coin would sell on eBay for much more than you paid for it.

    I will have to visit any local coin stores in my area more often....
     
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  16. heavycam.monstervam

    heavycam.monstervam Outlaw Trucker & Coin Hillbilly

    I've had some great finds @ my LCS lately, a PCI sample slab-paid $1 sold for $25, foreign silver for melt, one was a 1932 Australia 1 florin (key date).. $40 gaming tokens 999 silver for $10..... Now this.....
     
  17. heavycam.monstervam

    heavycam.monstervam Outlaw Trucker & Coin Hillbilly

    @SuperDave
    I just thought of something , legend has it, a few years ago, a truck driver found a bi-centennial 1976D quarter DDO in pocket change- THAT WASNT YOU WAS IT??????
     
  18. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    No, I came to my senses and became a logistics management type, dealing with trucks from the outside rather than the inside. :)
     
  19. Paddy54

    Paddy54 Well-Known Member

    Nice find Heavy for $2 you can't go wrong! Question is the nickel a ray or no ray nickel as I can assure you if if it's ray variety it's definitely worth more than 2 bucks.
     
  20. heavycam.monstervam

    heavycam.monstervam Outlaw Trucker & Coin Hillbilly

    No rays version Paddy, I would have posted the reverse but there isn't any neat cracks or doubling going on.
     
  21. BRandM

    BRandM Counterstamp Collector

    I did some research on your counterstamp, Heavy, and think I may have come up with an issuer. First though, two possible, but not likely ones.

    There was a J & B Hunt Co. located in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington at least from 1899 until 1903. I couldn't trace them any further back, but they were likely in business before them. They were known as "marine engineers" (coppersmiths, ship plumbers, iron workers, and lead burners) and according to a 1901 Advertisement in Wesr Coast Trades, they also supplied and/or manufactured life boats and rafts, and ventilators to the maritime industry. They seemed heavy into U.S. Navy contracts. Their address in Tacoma was 716 Pacific Ave. I've pretty much discounted them, however, as they were far too late to have issued these stamps.

    The second is a company that I know almost nothing about. I saw a legal notice in an official document of some sort in regard to "J & B Hunt" of Fleming Co., KY. The partners were John Sr. and Basil Hunt. Their business wasn't specified, nor did I understand the nature of legal complaint. I discovered nothing more about the company. The date of the notice was 1799, so I discounted them as a player as well.

    The one find that is promising is a stove and tinware manufacturer using the title J & B Hunt. I found them in the 1866 /67 Indians State Gazetteer and Shippers Guide. They were listed as doing business in Bloomingdale, Parke Co., Indiana. I did a fairly comprehensive search for more information on them, but wasn't successful. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the partners names with certainty, but did come up with a decent possibility.

    The 1870 U.S. Federal Census as well as Indiana burial records turned up the name of Jasper Pleasant Hunt. He served in the Civil War with Co.B of the 85th Indiana Infantry Regiment. He was born in September, 1826 in North Carolina and died in Bloomingdale in April, 1907. The 1870 Census records list him as a resident of Bloomingdale, Parke Co. He was also buried in Bloomingdale in the Bloomingdale Friends Cemetery. His occupation was listed as carpenter, but that doesn't necessarily disqualify him as the issuer. Who the "B" would have been in the partnership is unknown to me. I didn't come across a relative with a name starting with a "B". I'm fairly confident that your coin was stamped by this Indiana company, but am less sure about Jasper being one of the partners.

    If I come across anything more, I'll be sure to post it here.

    Bruce
     
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