1719 Farthing With Counter Mark.

[artyfacts]

I was invited back to the field where I had dug the 1801 draped bust half dime a few weeks ago. I had dug a blowhole button in an area we had walked by in route to a higher ridge in the field. I stopped to snoop around and started hitting signals off toward a smaller rise in the field. The 1719 farthing came out looking great with a counter mark on it that I hadn't noticed. I handed the coin to Jay who very excitedly made me very aware of the counter mark. Curious as to what counter mark this is, and its story. An Irish Charles the second halfpenny, 1680 -1684. A KG 1730 farthing. The moon and stars button is one of my favorites. A silver cufflink with a bunch of smalls.
Looking forward to hunting the well soaked fields after all the rain we are still getting. Art

 

[Ahab8]

Those George 1s are a tough enough find. One with a kick ass counter mark in nice condition with that history is crazy good. I'm super impressed with these finds

 

[OWK]

Wow, thanks for the important info. I cant believe the history associated with the counter mark on the farthing. Great stuff.

I can't be certain the mark belongs to Coney, but it would say it is a significant possibility.

 

[OWK]

I've done a little more playing with your original image. I'll give you some opinion as to why I think the mark looks like Coney's, and the reasons I wasn't as certain.

Silversmith marks of the period were very rarely included letters that are incuse. When I say "letters that are incuse" I mean letters that enter into the depth of the metal. More often a silversmith's mark of the period would have a background that was incuse, and letters which would stand proud of the incuse background. I will include examples of a mark that includes an incuse background (in this case John Coney's marks).....

You will note the similarity in the "IC" with a crown above for your countermark, relative to the above Coney marks. But you may also note that the Coney mark above has an incuse background with proud letters, whereas your mark appears at least initially to have incuse letters. An enhanced image of your mark is included for examination....



Now I would offer a bit of opinion... Firstly, silversmiths generally used their marks until they broke, and at that point they either salvaged them by making them shorter (if the damaged section would allow it), or they made a new mark (which was expensive and time consuming). I have seen examples of the Coney mark above, which do not include the rabbit (coney) below the "IC". I have always assumed that the marks without the rabbit were later in Coney's career (which fits nicely with the date on your farthing).. and that they came from a shortened mark. Imagine the shortened mark looking something a little more like this (although Coney had several marks with slight difference in the letters an crowns):



Now we're left with the question of why your mark has incuse letters, and the Coney mark has almost identical but proud letters.

I have one possibility to offer here. And anyone who has dug enough old coppers from farm fields has seen it. Often when letters stand proud on old coppers (particularly if the letters have very crisp edges) the copper erodes at the base, leaving only a negative image of what were once proud characters. I'd submit that it a possibility here. And if you look closely at the enhanced image, you will see what appears to be the ghost of an incuse background, behind the IC mark.

I think there is a very good possibility that this is John Coney's mark, and that your farthing was countermarked in Boston in either 1721 or 1722.

Just my opinion of course, but I think there's a good case for it.

 

[treblehunter]

Very cool counter-stamp, my favorite is the gun.

 

[artyfacts]

I've done a little more playing with your original image. I'll give you some opinion as to why I think the mark looks like Coney's, and the reasons I wasn't as certain.

Silversmith marks of the period were very rarely included letters that are incuse. When I say "letters that are incuse" I mean letters that enter into the depth of the metal. More often a silversmith's mark of the period would have a background that was incuse, and letters which would stand proud of the incuse background. I will include examples of a mark that includes an incuse background (in this case John Coney's marks).....View attachment 1365280View attachment 1365281

You will note the similarity in the "IC" with a crown above for your countermark, relative to the above Coney marks. But you may also note that the Coney mark above has an incuse background with proud letters, whereas your mark appears at least initially to have incuse letters. An enhanced image of your mark is included for examination....

View attachment 1365284

Now I would offer a bit of opinion... Firstly, silversmiths generally used their marks until they broke, and at that point they either salvaged them by making them shorter (if the damaged section would allow it), or they made a new mark (which was expensive and time consuming). I have seen examples of the Coney mark above, which do not include the rabbit (coney) below the "IC". I have always assumed that the marks without the rabbit were later in Coney's career (which fits nicely with the date on your farthing).. and that they came from a shortened mark. Imagine the shortened mark looking something a little more like this (although Coney had several marks with slight difference in the letters an crowns):

View attachment 1365285

Now we're left with the question of why your mark has incuse letters, and the Coney mark has almost identical but proud letters.

I have one possibility to offer here. And anyone who has dug enough old coppers from farm fields has seen it. Often when letters stand proud on old coppers (particularly if the letters have very crisp edges) the copper erodes at the base, leaving only a negative image of what were once proud characters. I'd submit that it a possibility here. And if you look closely at the enhanced image, you will see what appears to be the ghost of an incuse background, behind the IC mark.

I think there is a very good possibility that this is John Coney's mark, and that your farthing was countermarked in Boston in either 1721 or 1722.

Just my opinion of course, but I think there's a good case for it.

Thanks for digging into this. Another possibility, a separate punch (incuse) was made for the single purpose of counter marking coins. I wonder if there are any other coins out there with this mark.

 

[against the wind]

That Counter Stamp and the research that it motivated is incredible.
Thanks for the post and congrats on some really cool finds.

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on some great finds

 

[artyfacts]

That Counter Stamp and the research that it motivated is incredible.
Thanks for the post and congrats on some really cool finds.

Man oh man, the counter stamp looks correct. Time line is right on. I contacted the museum in Boston and left a message for the coin experts to put there two cents worth into the verification. If this is correct, and the real deal, I don't think I will ever top the history that was stamped into this 1719 farthing. The man that was Paul Reveres fathers master silversmith, oh my. I was thinking that its possible back then he marked his coins to authenticate them with the counterfeiting going on. Or possibly he was hired to authenticate coins for others. He would have been the expert on coinage. If this is the real deal I know I have not dug anything that comes close to the American history this coin carries. keeping my fingers crossed on this rare bird.

 

[reednc]

Good luck with the authentication, I hope it turns out to be a Coney mark.

 

[Diggin Dude]

Totally awesome finds! Great coins nice buttons! Congrats and hh

 

[btjbtj]

Oh wow, this is an incredible haul, Art! The coins are great, but I just love the moon button and the flower fancy button is one of the prettiest I've seen! Congrats! -Lisa