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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;BRandM, post: 2190279, member: 22729&quot;]Thanks, KoinJester, I didn&#039;t see the thread.</p><p><br /></p><p>That&#039;s a really special coin, Michael. If it&#039;s a legitimate Civil War dog tag...and it seems to be...then it has some good value to it. It looks counterstamped as opposed to being engraved. Either way, coins used as dog tags are exceedingly rare. Nearly all the ones you see are on struck brass tokens and adorned with patriotic themes or the bust of a famous general or politician. Generally, the soldiers name, home town, state, and military unit he served with are included in the inscriptions. Some of these were made by the regimental sutlers that traveled with the army, while others were bought through the mail.</p><p><br /></p><p>The only potential problem I see with yours is proving that Mallett actually carried the piece while on active duty with his unit. There&#039;s a possibility that he had it made after he mustered out, which would make it a memento rather than a dog tag. Yours has no hole so it could be worn around his neck or on his person somewhere. He certainly could have carried it in his pocket, so wouldn&#039;t need to hole the coin. If it were holed though, the condition of the hole might give a clue as to it&#039;s use. Yes, collectors do look at these small clues when evaluating the legitimacy of a dog tag.</p><p><br /></p><p>While dog tags produced from prepared blanks are often seen, and valuable in their own right, counterstamped or engraved tags on coins are almost never seen. Honestly, I know of less than half a dozen legitimate pieces, one I&#039;m lucky enough to have in my own collection. If I can find a picture of it, I&#039;ll post it here.</p><p><br /></p><p>Again, a great piece of history. Thanks for sharing it with us.</p><p><br /></p><p>Bruce[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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