1829 Half Cent - What Was Done To It ?

This coin has been in my coin box a long time. Does anybody know what this means. Maybe for use in connecticut or maybe just some guy messing with a hammer?

I agree with Bio! Two things, first it kind of ruined the numismatic value as a coin but, second there is a good size collector base for counter stamped items. Thanks for showing, always neat to see something fun.

Bowers collects some counterstamped large cents but the only book he has written on the was about one particular issuer Dr Wilkens and his Water Cure. The book you are thinking of is by Brunk.

First Edition for $40 from the place I buy all my books:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Boo...=30&x=48&y=9

I'd offer a few more thoughts on this thread. The Brunk books are great, and I have both editions. They'll not tell you much about this particular c/s; nor will the Rulau book. The Brunk books hold more appeal to the advanced collector who plans to venture down this avenue of specialized exonumia. My suggestion would be to buy or borrow one of Rulau's 19th century token books, first. Some of the older editions (there are four editions) can be had very cheaply. In addition to listing most of the well known c/s's, Rulau lists a fair representation of Hard Times and Civil War tokens, too. It's a very handy reference work, even though prices and assorted info is outmoded. The 4th edition, latest, has a wealth of info, and it can be found for under $40.

In my humble opinion, Brunk's second edition is pound-for-pound worth spending the extra bucks on. Skip the first edition.

Regardless of the author or ebay seller, be wary when it comes to the attribution of counterstamped coins. There's often a possibility of error and/or exaggeration. Both Rulau and Brunk have made many corrections in their subsequent editions. This area of collecting is yet in the pioneer stage; fun, as it is.

Hi Upstate. I actually signed up for the site many months ago. Since I didn't see much conversation about exonumia from the 19th century, I didn't write. This is certainly an impressive site, and your question did prompt me to chime in.

You made a good purchase. Like you, mine were purchased some years ago at modest prices, what with their being damaged coins in effect. Even though the issuer is unknown, these fancy logo pieces tend to command a premium over what the average-graded host coin is worth. Checking my database, at least one of these has sold for $85, and I'd expect that most decent examples would fetch $60 or more. Pictorials tend to heat up the competition for c/s's. Ideally, those having a name, an address and a pictorial are prized by c/s collectors.

There's quite a bit of history that can accompany a c/s. Yet, the history can be factual or fanciful. When you impulsively bought this c/s'd coin, you likely sensed a story, some history. Your curiosity was piqued. That was the enticement for me to start collecting these bits of history. It's often said by collectors, "If only this coin could talk." Well, c/s'd coins can very often talk of their travels and reveal something about someone who once possessed them. Who knows, perhaps you may be the one to unravel the mystery of the "smoking unicorn" and yourself make a mark in numismatic history? Your story's unfolding as we write ...

Look for the most recent, 4th edition of the Rulau book first, then the 3rd. They are larger than the phone books of most cities. There's a lot of history crammed therein; the sort that gives one insight into what it was like to live in those times. The medallic artistry of our 19th century engravers, mostly German, is sure to catch your eye. You may well see how the token designs have influenced our coinage. Lessons in science and economics can be had, too. It's funny how but one coin can set us on a journey, isn't it? Enjoy ...

Hi ExoGuy,
thanks for the correction on the unicorn, I can see that now
I felt like I was taking a Rorschach test on this one and it was nice to have your informational contribution