1787 New Jersey Copper. Maris 48-f, W-5270. Rarity-3. Outlined Shield, No Sprig Above Plow--Counterstamped A.K Within Shield--Fine Details--Damage (PCGS).
162.4 grains. 29.5 mm. Counterstamp is Rulau-E: Mav 26K. A fascinating counterstamp! One of two known, both of which are on New Jersey coppers (the other was once owned by Steve Tanenbaum, Syd noted in his inventory). The large, dramatic, and charmingly crude AK mark is within a shield-shaped cartouche that just happens to be pretty much the same size as the shield on the New Jersey copper, and is counterstamped squarely on top of the shield on the reverse of this coin. The coin appears smooth and sharp, where not affected by the counterstamp, though the surfaces have been cleaned and are now a somewhat bright orange shade. The example of this countermark illustrated by Rulau (presumably the one Syd knew of in Steve Tanenbaum's collection) was described as being "excavated in 1989 from a field in Newtown, PA," a town that is within Syd's own home county of Bucks County, PA. From the style of the mark, this was probably used by a maker of hardware and may be identifiable with some luck. It is clearly a very early (late 18th or very early 19th) century mark.
PCGS# 767832.
From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier, ex Enterprise Coins at the August 2006 ANA Convention.