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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,193 |
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Pillar of the Community
2087 Posts |
MY latest acquisition has me stumped. Its a pre 1960s restrike 1780 Maria Theresa thaler ( date range identified by the edge). It has a counter-mark I have not run into before( although I was aware it existed) It is identified on Guenters Web site here: http://www.theresia.name/cgi-bin/To...gi?Item=H153as you can see in the link: all Guenter can say is it was acquired in South Africa. I purchased my example from ebay UK for the standard price of a Bullion MTT. The seller described the counter-mark as horses and hills but I think rather than horses it is cattle(Wildebeast?) or antelope( if antelope the execution of the design isn't good) Has any one ever seen this mark before? Alternately does any one know where else I might ask?  Edited by austrokiwi
12/27/2012 08:31 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
I believe that these are springboks. The animal also is depicted on the Krugerrand. Horses do not have horns and Wildebeests are bulky. The springbok is graceful.  |
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Pillar of the Community
 2087 Posts |
Thanks..I had thought springbok except that the horns point forward on the counter-mark. I doubt a South African would depict a springbok so poorly(but any thing is possible)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4212 Posts |
Very nice! 1st post I read this morning & really has me going. You've probaby seen, closest I've come is a Goog search w/a Goldberg auction w/a sprinbok on a Peru(Lima) piece. I can't access it, though. Hmmm...
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Pillar of the Community
United Arab Emirates
557 Posts |
I've searched for this mark under chopmark, counterstamp and assayers mark with no luck. It is a rather nicely detailed mark which is why I think it is an assay mark.
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Pillar of the Community
2087 Posts |
Actually the seller sold it as an assay mark in the title.....( As a result, IMHO, I didn't have much competition for the coin) Certainly as BLadd points out it is very finely executed and is much smaller than one would expect from a counter-mark...at the same time it seems just a tad larger than one would expect from an assay mark....and the placement seems to be far more obvious than one might expect. The reason I am keen to find the background to the mark( lets assume its an assay mark) is it will enable the coin to be pinned down to a specific date range... and will then help me sort out the identification features on the coin so I can then date non assay marked coins. ( One of the reasons I dislike the spurious counter-marks is they destroy valuable numismatic dating info!) The day is still young perhaps someone will know exactly what it is......I did refer to Tardys "World Hall marks on silver but it wasn't listed ( has a picture index) I think tardy dates to 1941( from memory). To make it interesting first person to identify it I will send an Austrian 1st Republic Half schilling( 1925 or 1926)I hope that is allowed in the forum rules
Edited by austrokiwi
12/27/2012 11:26 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
Google has been plaguing me today. Unusual. Youtube as well. Wanted to see springboks in motion.
The location of the mark struck me. Very neatly placed so as to neither mar the fields not obscure
the detail of the portrait.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
Oh my, austrokiwi, allowed if not taken to excess. As you did not start this topic as a contest
I don't see a major problem.
As if we members need motivation to solve a mystery!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5362 Posts |
That counter stamp is also seen in the fake Catalogo of Resellos that was put out in Spain by a forger trying to pass his bogus material on ebay. It is a simple fold over 64 page Xerox cheapo with a color cover. he has this same stamp on a modern MTT restrike. |
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Moderator
 Australia
16816 Posts |
They're not springboks. The animals on the countermark have long flowing tails; springboks don't have much tail, to speak of. And springboks are almost always portrayed in their iconic "springing" position; otherwise they look much like any other antelope or deer.
These creatures look to me like either badly rendered horses or badly rendered greyhounds.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2830 Posts |
horses ... cattle ... Wildebeast ... antelope ... springboks ... badly rendered greyhounds - crikey, you blokes have vivid imaginations.
Obviously, they are unicorns, with a doubled die !
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2605 Posts |
 Q: What has three tails and four spikes? A: Two unicorns. |
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Pillar of the Community
United Arab Emirates
557 Posts |
Peter THOMAS is correct! |
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,193 |
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Posted 12/27/2012 09:18 am
