@1993Z .... Sorry for the late arrival! I only just spotted this thread.
I had spotted your
J.T. DAVIS c/s on
ebay. While I liked the host coin, an early and less often seen 1845 quarter, I passed on it. I like that the c/s was carefully positioned above the date. Given the size and plain style of the c/s, it may be a jeweler's retail mark.
From my perspective, it's gonna prove a very difficult c/s to positively attribute. Davis is a relatively common name. The first initial, "J", is perhaps THE most commonly seen initial. The middle initial "T" is the best clue to perhaps discovering the issuer. Should a matching c/s be found with an occupational or city/town stamp, that would help.
Brunk listed four coins bearing the J.T. DAVIS c/s in his last book, 2003. The catalog # is D-144. The pieces listed are as follows: an 1876 dime; an 1876 quarter; an 1884 and 1889 dollars. Brunk lacks pics of this issue, so any, all or none of the four may match the c/s on the 1845 quarter.
Attributing c/s's has long been a passion of mine. It's only by virtue of positively attributing a c/s that true history can be attached to a piece. I've long viewed attribution in four categories, given a burden of proof:
1) Potential (three or more prospective issuers apparent)
2) Possible (two prospective issuers stand out)
3) Probable (narrowed to one issuer being highly likely)
4) Positive (precise evidence beyond circumstantial)
I rate each piece in my database, numbering the level of proof, 0-4. This helps me focus on where I'm at with each file.
Brunk and Rulau had hundreds of contributors offering opinions about attribution on many thousands of pieces. I'd venture that perhaps 10%-20% of the attributions were founded upon insufficient evidence. Then too, at times when the author simply offered a possible attribution, that would eventually get "morphed" to a positive attribution at a point of sale. Now, I see that NGC has slabbed some counterstamped coins that are misattributed by virtue of morphing.
To sum it up, Brunk offered no positive or even possible attribution re the J.T. DAVIS c/s's. Having seen no pics of the reported pieces, he couldn't ascertain whether any/all of the c/s's were from the same issuer. Even if he had mentioned a few, I've no doubt that I could find dozens of potential issuers listed in nineteenth century directories. More clues are needed for this one to be solved.
Posted 07/18/2019 4:50 pm
