Ian Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 A Bank of England countermarked dollar issued in 1797. This one features the bust of George III within an oval, countermarked on the neck of Carolus IIII (Potosi mint) eight reales. It is silver...honest! Originally, these were issued at a value of four shillings and nine pence, giving rise to the witticism of `Two Kings' heads and not worth a crown' and the much more poetic `The Bank, to make their Spanish dollars pass, stamped the head of a fool on the neck of an ass'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gxseries Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Originally, these were issued at a value of four shillings and nine pence, giving rise to the witticism of `Two Kings' heads and not worth a crown' and the much more poetic `The Bank, to make their Spanish dollars pass, stamped the head of a fool on the neck of an ass'. Oh Ian, that's so fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccg Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Cool, heard of, but never saw one before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I've read about this but like ccg hadn't seen one before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Double post -- sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu62 Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I love chop marked and counterstamped coins. I too have never seen one of these.What makes it even better is that its from Potosi and not Mexico City.Now if you can find one of those with Chinese chops you would really have a world traveler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted March 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I love chop marked and counterstamped coins. I too have never seen one of these.What makes it even better is that its from Potosi and not Mexico City.Now if you can find one of those with Chinese chops you would really have a world traveler. The Bank of England dollar I posted in the virtual museum is struck over a spanish colonial 8 reales (all BofE dollars were, excepting for the proofs) AND has a bankers mark on George III's cheek. Have a look. ;-) Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu62 Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Both coins are awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu62 Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Now that we are on this subject,The Bak of England also counterstamped US Bust Dollars, although there are people who doubt the authenisity of the counterstamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted March 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Now that we are on this subject,The Bak of England also counterstamped US Bust Dollars, although there are people who doubt the authenisity of the counterstamp. According to Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins a few french Ecu's and American dollars were counterstamped with the oval stamp, as does Spink's Coins of England. These are however noted as being of the highest rarity. The oval counterstamped silver was heavily counterfeited and resulted in the later octagonal countermark being used, and then again by the complete overstriking of the host coins with the BofE Dollar design. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting to come across a genuine oval or octagonal Geo.III counterstamp on a US dollar. It would indeed be prudent to suspect the authenticity of the counterstamp on any that you might come across in the wild. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu62 Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Way out of my price range, nice to contemplate though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamboo Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 he Bank of England dollar I posted in the virtual museum is struck over a spanish colonial 8 reales (all BofE dollars were, excepting for the proofs) AND has a bankers mark on George III's cheek. Have a look. ;-) Hello Ian, I would like to know WHAT mark is on George III's cheek?? Your reply is much appreciated. Bamboo KL, Malaysia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 he Bank of England dollar I posted in the virtual museum is struck over a spanish colonial 8 reales (all BofE dollars were, excepting for the proofs) AND has a bankers mark on George III's cheek. Have a look. ;-) Hello Ian, I would like to know WHAT mark is on George III's cheek?? Your reply is much appreciated. Bamboo KL, Malaysia see image below This is generally referred to as a `chop' mark. They come in all shapes and sizes, sometimes chinese language characters are used Sometimes you come across coins that have been used in trade in China which are literally covered in different `chop' marks. Some collectors see these as `damage' others...including me......are fascinated by these, as they tell a history in their own right. Sometimes you can trace a coins journey on the basis of the various `chop' marks that appear on the coin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamboo Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 This my coin. Pls have a look. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmarotta Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 A Bank of England countermarked dollar issued in 1797. `Two Kings' heads and not worth a crown' ... I got it intuitively, but had to look it up to be sure: 5 shillings to a crown; 12 pence to the shilling; hence 4/ 9p are short. (Was that spoken as "four and nine"? I hear that in old movies in English English. The last time was just a month or two ago, a classic Outer Limits, "The Sixth Finger" with David McCallum. The older sister is berating the younger for not getting correct payment or change.) Interestingly enough the scientist in that was named "Dr. Mallard." ------ Edit: I put the disk in and watched the scenes. "Twelve loaves at one and tuppence and all you bring back is 12 and thruppence? You're holding back one and nine!" The younger girl says that the professor must have given her the wrong change. I watched that scene and it is hard to imagine how. She told him one and tuppence and he said he had it, handed the coins, which she accepted. It didn't look like three Maundy groats and four ha'pence... Now I understand Turing: after base 12 and base 20, what's base 16? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamboo Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Dear All, I forgot to post photo of the side of the coin. Here it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mio49 Posted February 25, 2012 Report Share Posted February 25, 2012 Mine : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccg Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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