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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;leeg, post: 3442591, member: 17073&quot;]Silver Lavaliere and Gold Lavaliere</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/leeg1957/Book%20Project%20Images/Stone%20Mountain/Heritage2A.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/leeg1957/Book%20Project%20Images/Stone%20Mountain/Heritage2B.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; I first started researching the 50 piece series of commemorative coins in 2009. At that time I received a brochure from the Manuscript and Rare Book Library at Emory University in Atlanta that sheds light on the meaning of the ‘S.L.’ and ‘G.L.’ counterstamps. This brochure, which is titled ‘Confederate Memorial Appreciation Contest,’ was produced in connection with the Harvest Campaign, and describes a contest for young Southern women selling Stone Mountain half dollars.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; As it just so happens, Steve Deitert wrote an article for <i>The Numismatist</i>, dated January 2011 and titled, ‘unraveling the mystery of the Counterstamped Half Dollars,’ which verified that our opinions were the same around this subject. Thanks Steve.&nbsp; Steve is a member of the NGC Coin Forum and we had some conversations there about this.&nbsp; Here is the part of Steve’s article about the G.L and S.L counterstamps:</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Mysterious Counterstamps</b></p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; A brochure issued by the Stone Mountain Monumental Association recently surfaced in the Manuscript and Rare Book Library at Emory University in Atlanta and sheds light on the meaning of the ‘S.L.’ and ‘G.L.’ counterstamps. Titled ‘Confederate Memorial Appreciation Contest,’ it was produced in connection with the Harvest Campaign and describes a contest for young Southern women selling Stone Mountain half dollars.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; Conducted at the town, county, and state level, the contest was open to women between the ages of 15 and 25. Winners at the town level were those who sold the most coins up to one week after the municipality met its quota.</p><p><br /></p><p>They then advanced to the county contest, which awarded points for coin sales and ingenuity, and considered factors such as the local economy and the effect of sales prior to the Harvest Campaign.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; The first-and second-place county winners went on to compete at the state level at a governor’s ball or reception to be held by December 10, 1925. A committee appointed by the governor selected two girls (based on their coin sales, charm, beauty and culture) to represent the state at an All-southern Costume Ball in Atlanta to be held January 19, 1926. There, judges representing the entire southern region of the United States were to choose the grand-prize winner. The young woman selected was to receive a trip to Europe and a marble bust sculpted by Lukeman. (A contemporary newspaper account indicated the event, renamed the ‘Grand Appreciation Ball,’ was not held until May 24, 1926.)</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; However, it is the prizes awarded that explain the winners of the county contests that explain the ‘S.L.’ and ‘G.L.’ counterstamped half dollars. The brochure stated:</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp; The two girls making the best all-round records in a county will be declared the county winners. The first girl will receive from the Governor of the State a gold mounted lavalier coin stamped with a number setting it apart and making it different from all other coins. The second girl will receive a silver mounted lavalier coin similarly stamped. With each lavalier coin will go a certificate of appreciation signed by the Governor and bearing the Seal of the State.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This along with the fact that all known ‘S.L.’ and ‘G.L.’ counterstamped coins are mounted respectively, in a silver or gold lavalier (pendant or bezel), or show signs of having been mounted, seems to establish that these pieces were awarded as first and second prizes to young ladies in the county contest.</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; It was decided not to award a grand prize at the ball, but to present each of the finalists a gold medal. The May 1926 <i>Atlanta Constitution</i> quoted Judge William H. Ellis of the Florida Supreme Court as saying, ‘Among the 29 sponsors, each one of whom possesses in eminent degree all the qualities necessary to a successful contest, it would be a mere matter of individual taste to award the prize to any one of them.’</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; So, according to an obscure reference, it seems the ‘S.L.’ and ‘G.L.’ countermarks on 1925 Stone Mountain half dollars identified pieces to be presented to young women for their efforts to sell the commemorative coins. Mystery solved!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>enjoy[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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