New Jersey State Copper Counter Stamp?

I don't know if it is a recognized counterstamp. but I found a Connecticut copper with one similar. Your theory doesn't sound plausible though, copper coins just weren't looked at that closely like silver coins were for authenticity. And by the end of the 1780's there was actually a huge glut of copper coins, not a shortage.

@lcutler
Yes I know copper coins were not looked at like silver. Also yes there were a lot of copper coins. That's not what I was talking about here.

At some point the New Jersey state copper became worthless. You were able to trade that coin for an equivalent coin before the end date of the Jersey coin.
Now when we look at this coin there is a obvious counter stamp on it. We all know why coins counterstamped. Even though it's not a silver coin and copper coins were not looked at his heavily as silver coins. that is besides the point because there counter stamp on this coin. when checking the authenticity of a coin usually the counter stamps were quite detailed making them easily identifiable. If you look at this coin it's counter stamp is simply. Easly made with little effort. The clip on the coin could possibly be part of the verification process because there were a lot of fakes go around. Men with money keep meticulous records. These men will also need a way to identify money that has already been exchanged.

Now I don't see where my theory is so far-fetched. But it's only a theory and comes second to the original question. Can anyone identify this mark?

I, too, have seen a few oddball colonials with a rosette or flower type punch, as well a couple of early large cents, but have never seen nor heard any explanation as to what the marks were punched for, nor who might have done so.

Colonials are far from my area of expertise. I know only the basics. That would be a great question to ask C4 (the colonial club) members -- they would be much more knowledgeable than I.