1851 Large Cent With Countserstamp + Tombstone Arizona Tok.

Dont quote me Russell Rulau did all the work....I just own a book and can read....


BTW, I believe the cathouse token is just a modern fantasy/tourist piece.


edit....speelllingg

Oh yes ol The book gets the mention , and you get the thanks

@ amida... I wont mention anything here as I got the boot the other night for trying to give away a US cent error... They interpreted it as a sales attempt.. I will say this ebay will be the venue when its time...

The Hilliard counterstamp is a very good item; especially so, as the host coin bears the town. Gunsmith and silversmith counterstamps are among the most popular issues of this collecting genre; this, given their cross-collecting appeal. The other initials may be an inspector's mark. Note that my avatar, also the issue of a gunsmith, likewise bears initials. These counterstamped coins, in addition to their use as advertising pieces, may have also been used to validate the gun markings.

My guess is that the Hilliard piece with CORNISH could fetch %150-$250 or more on ebay. I paid %85 for one without CORNISH, some years ago.

The so-called "saloon" token is a modern-day, fantasy piece. These are typically peddled at flea markets to unknowing yet hopeful buyers. They are wholesaled, assorted varieties, in bulk for $2-$3, each.

Glad to be of help, Artdio. There's no gray sheet on counterstamps, and prices can be all over the map. I once bid well over $700 on a particular counterstamp on ebay and lost out to a higher bidder. A few years later, I spotted another example on ebay and won that item for $225. I thought it would go much higher, as did the previous example.

The patina that you refer to, Artdio, is likely artificial coloring, staining or toning; this, done to give the appearance of age. The purveyors of these modern fantasy tokens may also add circulation marks in order to make the item appear old. I believe that these/similar fantasy pieces were initiated in the 1980's and are still produced in fairly large numbers. Just a few days ago, I saw some of these in a jewelry shop in Florida, priced at $1, each.

There's a good book on tokens in general by Stephen Alpert, dating back to about 1992, as I recall. Stephen devoted a few pages to these fantasy tokens as well as many other categories or genres. While the prices are out-dated, and the illustrations leave much to be desired nowadays, it remains a fine study guide for tokens in general.

The book is: "Tokens and Medals", First Edition, 1992, Paperback, Stephen P. Alpert and Lawrence E. Elman. They typically sell for under $20. Copies sometimes appear on ebay and can be found in a Google search.

That is correct ... Not genuine. That is why it's previously been described as a "fantasy" token in this thread. Fantasy tokens are those that never existed during the era in which they seemingly represent. Sometimes, the modern day creators of these token concoctions make mention of historic places, old west towns like Dodge City, the OK Corral, etc. At other times, they make mention of things that did exist, like saloons, the Butterfield Stagecoach, etc. Given these buzzwords, the fantasy tokens then take on an air of credibility for prospective buyers who may shell out good money for fool's gold, so to speak.

@ mack... thanks and I have all the token info now.. Lets just hope I get lots of guys who want the large cent

Brunk (2003)and Rulau (2004) each listed two varieties. One variety simply has a D.H. HILLIARD counterstamp on an 1834 large cent. The second variety shows D.H. HILLIARD / CORNISH / NH counterstamps on an 1820 large cent. This 1851 specimen is the second known example with the town, but others may exist. The fact that this specimen is dated 1851, being the latest date, these coins were most likely stamped that year or not long thereafter. The 1850's decade was the heyday of counterstamping, so to speak, when the practice was most prevalent. As more counterstamps surface over the years, more knowledge follows.