posted 12-09-2004 11:07 AM            

This thread will focus on the interesting topic of silversmith countermarked coins. This is the continuation of an earlier topic called counterstamped 1810 half-cent, which you may want to read in order to get "caught up".

I will post images of coins here that were countermarked by silversmiths, mostly early American. I will also share what I know about these interesting relics from the past. Feel free to ask questions, and I will try to answer them.

Keep in mind that there is an aura of mystery surrounding all countermarked coins, including those made by silversmiths. Only small amounts of contemporary documentation exist describing why coins were countermarked.

Bob Merchant

posted 12-09-2004 11:43 AM            

Obviously, any examples of his silver work are considered rare; your lovely coin moreso.

posted 12-09-2004 01:24 PM            

BTW Great collection and thanks for sharing!

posted 12-09-2004 11:18 PM            

[Adam]

I've seen US coins with silversmiths' marks a few times before, but they were always silver coins (usually US or Spanish dollars), and I assumed that they had been marked because the silversmith was attesting to their weight and fineness. Obviously, that wouldn't be the case with a half-cent. Are there any theories as to why silversmiths did this? Was it just for advertising?

[Bob M.]

Adam's comment about the stamping of coins as an attest to their weight and fineness is true in some cases. Several 18th and 19th century silversmiths (and goldsmiths) countermarked gold coins after performing an assay on them. The silversmiths' countermark was a kind of assay mark. In these cases, silversmiths were hired on an official basis by a bank or other commercial entity. Gold coins are known to have been countermarked in the U.S., in the West Indies, and probably in other countries as well. There was a book published on this topic in 1987, entitled "West Indies Countermarked Gold Coins", by Ralph C. Gordon. There have been articles published in numismatic journals as well. These coins are *very expensive*. Many of the silversmiths and goldsmiths who worked in the West Indies are still undocumented. A book on the West Indies silversmiths and goldsmiths would be of tremendous value, but as yet none has been written. I have not seen an "assay type" countermark on a silver coin, other than some that are stamped with the word "LIGHT" (for underweight coins).

[BOOKS]

I thought that I would mention the two "bibles" that countermarked coin collectors use, in case any silver collectors are interested in obtaining a copy.

a) "MERCHANT and PRIVATELY COUNTERMARKED COINS", by Gregory G. Brunk. - This is a 2003 update of two earlier books. It contains a listing of all known countermarked coins (as of 2003), including those by silversmiths. The older editions can be obtained inexpensively.

b) "STANDARD CATALOG OF U.S. TOKENS", by Russell Rulau. The fourth edition of this book was recently published (2004). It covers all U.S. tokens, including countermarked coins. Earlier editions of this book can be obtained for a pittance, and they are a good introduction to countermarked coins.

[swarter]

There are a great many names of known or presumed silversmiths for whom no silver is yet known. This could be a great way to "discover" some silversmiths'/retailers' marks that may not yet be known to have appeared on silver objects.

[Bob M.]

Excellent point! I have seen hundreds of countermarked coins that are probably the sole remaining impression of a craftsman's touchmark. This includes silversmiths, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, toolmakers, watch-and-clock makers, etc. These craftsmen are often not listed anywhere, since no manufactured items containing their mark are known. They are the hardest ones to research, but the rewards are greater as well.

[Scott Martin]

I was wondering when counter marking coins seemed to stop?

[Bob M.]

There are several countermarked coins from the first half of the 20th century, but it basically slowed down to a "crawl" during the very late 19th century. Other forms of advertising became much more affordable during the late 1800's, including print advertising and the ordering of custom-made tokens.

[Adam]

I wonder, indeed, if part of the counterstamping phenomenon had to do with the fact that in pre-auto days, the same penny would circulate around the same town for weeks on end, instead of flying wildly around the country as the "georges" do today. As soon as William Ball's half-cent left the greater Baltimore region, it wouldn't do him much good as advertisement, would it?

[Bob M.]

Another excellent point! Most people rarely left their own city or county in those days, so small change would often circulate for many years in the local area. Countermarking a coin gave the silversmith a lot of advertising "bang for the buck". Here is a tidbit of information that I have not yet published anywhere. When I purchase a countermarked coin from a seller who is not one of the dealers who set up at the big coin shows, I have been making a point to ask the seller where and how he/she obtained the coin. I have now identified numerous instances where the coin was countermarked in the area near the seller (who is usually a coin shop dealer). The coin dealers often say that they purchased the coin in a box of items from a local person who walked into their shop! This has occurred too many times to be coincidence. The countermarked coins, after circulating for who knows how long in local commerce, end up in family collections (in cigar boxes, etc), and are only now making their way onto the numismatic market. I believe that there are tens of thousands of countermarked coins in family collections that will eventually make their way onto the coin market.

[Adam]

Most of the non-silversmith stamped coins that I've seen (for grocers, merchants and the like) used incuse lettering. Were silversmiths the only ones who used "silversmith-style" name stamps (raised letters in incuse cartouches), or did others sometimes, also?

[Bob M.]

Another great question! The two main types of marks that I have seen are the incused logotype and the raised letter type. Silversmiths seemed to have been the primary users of the raised letter type of mark until sometime around the 1840's when the incuse mark became popular. I have seen a few examples of other types of craftsman and merchants (and even hotels) who used the raised letter mark, but they are unusual. However, there is one type of raised letter mark that is as common as rain, and that is the "initial" countermark (composed only of a persons' initials). Many old tools are found stamped with these marks, and I have been able to match a few of them up with countermarked coins. But, in general, silversmiths were the users of the raised letter (name) marks - probably accounting for 95% or more from the evidence that I have seen.

[swarter]

Belden lists him [D.B. Bowler] as a jeweler in an 1830 Boston directory; his mark is on a fiddle handled spoon. He is not in the Fredyma Directory for Boston, but Flynt & Fales have a Daniel Bowler, silversmith, w. 1815 - 25, in Providence, RI. If the same, he may have moved to Boston later.

[Bob M.]

I believe that these are the same individual. Genealogy research might produce a definitive answer.

[Paul Lemieux]

Bob--I am wondering if there are any makers of whom you have multiple examples. If so, is there any apparent consistency in the coins they chose?

[Bob M.]

The majority of silversmiths who are known to have issued countermarked coins stamped several types of coins. One silversmith (William Levis) countermarked at least seven different types of coins. However, there are a few silversmiths whose countermarks are known on only one type of coin. And many silversmith countermarks are known on only one single coin - the others have been melted, buried, or otherwise lost. But I would say that most silversmiths stamped different types of coins, with a few of them sticking to one type of coin. The images that I have posted are a bit coincidental in that they are all on early U.S. Half Cents.

The most common type of silversmith countermarked coin is the good old U.S. Large Cent. This coin was the commercial workhorse, and they show it. Most are very worn and dinged up. So, in order of appearance, the most common types of coins for silversmith countermarks are: Large Cents, Two Reales, Half Dollars, Half Cents, Quarters, Dimes, other (this ordered list is an educated guess - perhaps I should conduct a survey of known silversmith countermarks).

[swarter]

Bob - Perhaps I should wait to see more of these, but I can't help notice that the ones you have shown so far are each stamped on the obverse, centered within the Liberty Head. Is this a pattern, or simply a favored preference on your part? If consistent, this careful placement would negate any idea of random stamping - could this be a patriotic statement of some sort on the part of the owners of the stamps?

[Bob M.]

It has become clear that silversmiths countermarks are far too numerous to be accounted for by random stamping. Many times the countermark is placed on the coin in an interesting way - usually to make it very readable. I have some countermarks on U.S. Large Cents that are carefully placed between the "ONE" and the "CENT". So, for example, the resulting impression would read "ONE MOULTON CENT" (for the MOULTON countermark that I have). It is always preferred to have the countermark in a nice readable position on the coin. The best stamping position is different for each type of coin. For the large cents and half cents, the best place was right on top of the bust of Liberty. The single best countermark host coin, in my opinion, is the U.S. Seated Liberty Half Dollar.

[wev]

I note in the Brunk list that there are a pair of recorded examples for the firm of BALDWIN & JONES. It seems likely that Baker would have seen them, possibly even made them, if the suspicion that he apprenticed with the firm is true. Do you have copies in your collection? They would make a nice companion piece to the Baker.

[Bob M.]

I do not have any of the Baldwin & Jones countermarked coins, but their coin silverware is certainly obtainable. (I know someone who has at least one of the countermarks in their collection.) This reminds me of another interesting "tidbit" that I discovered a few years ago. I was researching a silversmith countermark, and I discovered that he worked with another silversmith who countermarked coins, who worked with yet another silversmith who countermarked coins, etc, etc.... This "chain link" went on for quite a few silversmiths. So I would have to say that a silversmith who worked with other silversmiths who stamped coins would be much more likely to stamp coins himself. Interestingly, some countermarks are known for silversmiths who stamped coins both with their own mark and with a partnership/company mark.

[Smaug]

...it seems that all these coins...have a commonality in that ... all are copper cents, all US coins, all seem to be from 1800 to 1810, I am wondering if your posts are following any particular order, oldest US to newest, Lowest denomination to highest, etc... Just wondering....

[Bob M.]

No particular order of the image posts, its just a coincidence.

======================================

I apologize again for the long post. I promise not to do it again!

Bob Merchant

posted 12-09-2004 11:19 PM            

This is an 1826 U.S. Bust Half Dollar that was countermarked by William Levis with his banner punch. Levis stamped lots of coins, including at least seven known types, including several foreign coins. He also used a straight-punch mark. I have a couple of pieces of his silverware, and about five examples of his countermarks. He worked in several places within the Southeastern Pennsylvania area.

His maker's mark had begun deteriorating by the time he stamped coins. Some of his silverware also displays this characteristic.

Bob M.

posted 12-10-2004 06:28 PM            

This coin is a 1699 English Half Crown, William III (KM 492.2). The coin has been countermarked on the obverse with "W + SMITH", and on the reverse with "W + S". Both marks are in raised letters within serrated rectangular depressions.

I have not been able to positively attribute this countermark. There was a silversmith named William Smith who worked in New York City circa 1770, but I have not seen images of his known marks to compare them to the countermarks.

This could be an English countermark, but no silversmiths are listed as having used these particular marks. Also, the English marks were tightly regulated, and this type of mark would not normally have been used in England during the 18th century.

Can anyone help with this one?

posted 12-10-2004 09:48 PM            

Here are marks for William Smith, New York City, 1813-1845

From Belden (listed separately, but now thought to be the same person)

and from Darling

posted 12-11-2004 11:28 AM            

Bob M.