Any information on this countermark would be greatly appreciated. 1823 George IV shilling. Many thanks.
Welcome to Coin Talk Steven. The closest I can come to your counterstamp would be what's called a "broad arrow" mark. Broad arrow symbols were used by the English to mark Crown property. Munitions inspectors used the mark, in addition to personal identifiers, to stamp weapons who's quality they approved of. The symbol was also used on numerous other objects, including prisoner's uniforms. The standard broad arrow, however, didn't normally show the arrow head filled in like yours. It was represented simply by two lines like in a "stick figure" for want of a better phrase. The arrow did have a very short shaft like yours though. I suppose this design might represent a variation that I'm not aware of. If you want to find out more about them, just search "broad arrow" on the internet. There's also a possibility that someone simply stamped the symbol on George's portrait as a political protest of some sort. Defacing the Monarch's bust has always been a common form of protest, even today. Generally, they're applied over the face though in a more "rude" fashion. An interesting counterstamp Steven. Thanks for posting it. Bruce
Apart from the counter stamped Spanish pillar dollars with George III head,I'd say the only stamp marks you'll find on British coins are just random punch tests. There was no practice of stamping coins as a commonplace thing, unlike Chinese 'chop' marks. Dud coins might get nailed to the shop counter as a warning, but in general the coinage was trusted to be what it was supposed to be, and a couple of hundred years without any debased coinage was the reason for that.
You're right, afantiques, official or governmental British countermarks weren't generally employed, but private issues were quite common. American merchants were, by far, the most prolific issuers of counterstamps, but British merchants were very active as well. As a matter of fact, the government eventually outlawed the practice in the late 1890s as they were becoming a nuisance...particularly from prolific stampers like "Pear's Soap" and others. Earlier in the century, Sheffield cutlers commomly stamped heir mark and name on large Pennies and Half Pennies. Not to be deterred, companies started the practice of counterstamping French, and at times Italian coins that circulated freely in England. A slick way around the law you know. Bruce
Quite right, I had ignored the numerous advertising stamps on coppers. And for that matter the frequent defacement of George III on the cartwheel penny and twopence. And for about 60 years there was a de-facto common currency in Western Europe with the Lira, the Franc, the Mark and the Shilling and their related values all of equivalent value rather like today's Euro, but much longer lasting. When I was a child, in southern England you'd still find Italian and French penny sized coins circulation as pennies, occasionally.
Thanks for the information afantiques. That's what I like about counterstamps and researching them...plenty of history involved. Steven: I'll attach a picture of a coin I have with broad arrow stamps...at least I hope I can. Been having a bit of trouble posting photos on here lately. These are all examples of inspector stamps. Looks like a couple of the boys were bored at work one day. Bruce
