Counterstamps

COIN / (D)(eagle)(bust) GEO.DOTY / D. CARSON & Co. / MULFORD & WENDELL / WILLARD the last two in box punches on the obverse and HALL HEWSON & CO in a box punch on an 1798 Draped Bust large cent. Brunk-Unlisted, Rulau-Unlisted. Host coin Good.

This is evidently a test piece for silversmith punches. All the names on this coin are silversmiths from New York. George Doty was a silversmith working in Buffalo, NY, in the late 1830s, then Detroit, MI; John H. Mulford & William Wendell were silversmiths working in Albany, NY from 1843 to 1860; William Wallace Willard (1808-1876) was a silversmith, jeweler and watchmaker working in both Cazenovia and Syracuse, NY circa 1833-1869; Green Hall, John D. Hewson and S. Douglas Brower were silversmiths working in Albany, NY from 1839 to 1842. The time period seems to be around 1840, perhaps the maker of the punches used this coin to test his punches before their use by his customers. A very interesting item!

From the Steve M. Tompkins Collection.

Estimate: $ 200