1899 5c Counterstamp

Interesting - the letters don't seem to be from the same fonts.

I don't think there is any significance except that it may be someone's initials.
Anybody with a punch set could do that to any coin.

Probably 99.9% of random, counterstamped initials like those on the subject coin will forever remain unattributed "maverick" pieces. The person who stamps coins in such a misaligned letter fashion typically does so for whimsy and/or personal reasons.

The counterstamps that are most valued by serious collectors offer glimpses of history, relating to certain individuals, certain places, occupations, events, causes, etc. Many sellers of counterstamped coins often make up or convey hearsay stories to draw attention to their wares. Counterstamped coins, mavericks in particular, often fall prey to this manner of deception. Here's a prime example ....

About a year ago, an article was published in The Numismatist. The writers mused that a coin stamped with the initials W.E.G. could have belonged to the famous nineteenth century statesman, William E. Gladstone. the meat of the article was about Gladstone and his place in history. There was not a scintilla of evidence offered that might possibly connect Gladstone to this counterstamped coin. In closing the article, the two authors casually acknowledged same.

From my perspective as a serious student of counterstamps, the only thing worse than the article, itself, was the fact that America's premier coin journal published this bogus article. Furthermore false information about counterstamps was conveyed therein.

Now that the article has been published, the owner of this W.E.G. stamped coin has added a story, unrealistic though it be, to it. The published story will then add value to the coin. IMHO, this practice is FAKE NEWS, numismatic style. BTW, authors of stories, genuine or not, get paid by The Numismatist.

There are literally tens of thousands of coins stamped with random initials out there. Let's see, might we connect this J.T. stamped nickel to say .... John Travolta?

@ CoinHI .... Brunk listed the J.T. SMITH c/s as S-610; then, noting that two sizes exist. In 2003, he cited one Joseph T. Smith, a jeweler from Schuylerville, NY, as a potential issuer. Brunk noted that, with Smith being such a common name, other prospects were out there. At least a few dozen of these c/s's exist, so Smith, whoever he was, was a fairly prolific issuer.

Another prospect exists in the person of Joseph T. Smith who issued the below pictured Civil War token in 1863. He was reportedly in business until 1883. To my knowledge, the latest dated host coin is 1876.




Here's a pic, one of two Smith c/s's in my collection. Note that it is the smaller size stamp. It's a holed, 1865 CN Three Cent piece. Perhaps, it was once attached to a clock-winding key? One thought I've had on this issue was, if Smith was selling clocks, as the Wisconsin & NY guys were both doing, might they have tossed one of the stamped coins within the clock housing; this, as an expression of good will and/or a reminder of whom sold them the product? This is purely speculation on my part, mind you. Sadly, speculations like this often get promoted to "facts" by eager sellers.



Summarily, the jury remains out on just who issued these c/s's. The only way these can be positively attributed is for a matching stamp to be found on some product OR if another J.T. SMITH c/s surfaces that hosts an added town/address stamp.