5.94 gms. KM-18(for "TIRTILA" basic type), KM-4(for "S" basic type); Prid-42(for double island countermark, Type III, TIRTILA and incuse "S" ); cf.Roehrs-Part I, Lot # 161; cf.Gordon sale-Lot # 38 (for initial "T" countermark); cf.Prid- Lot # 252 (for initial "T" countermark). Type III countermark, TIRTILA. Initial cut quarter segment for early Tortola with incuse "T" prior to 1801, probably by a local act ca. 1798 where is would have been valued at 2 Shillings. Then to St. Kitts where an incuse "S" was applied to each corner by the local act February 3, 1801 and the value was raised to 2 Shillings 3 Pence (2s. 3d.) or 3 bitts. Then back to Tortola where the misspelt Type III countermark was applied between 1805-24 and the value lowered back to 2 Shillings. All on a cut quarter segment of a Mexico City bust 8 Reales of Charles III with assayers letters FF ca. 1776-84. Though unable to locate any specific documents pertaining to the early Tortola "T" countermark sources indicate that it was after 1798, but before 1801 of which only a few examples are recorded and none with this specific countermark combination and as such is probably UNIQUE. While searching through the famous collections of cut and countermarked issues of the West Indies we were able to locate only a few examples of the early Tortola "T" countermark as a type let alone being combined with other islands. Of the examples we could locate with the early Tortola "T", one was in the Edward Roehrs collection part I, lot # 161 as a double island countermark combined with the Montserrat couped cross design as well as the raised "M" in square three times. The second example was in the Ralph C. Gordon collection Lot # 38 as a double island countermark where it was also combined with both the Montserrat coupled cross and raised "M" in square three times. The third example was in the Fred Pridmore collection Lot # 252 as a double island countermark where the early Tortola "T" was cataloged as Trinidad combined with Tortola type I on a 1/8 cut segment of a dollar. The fourth example was in the John J. Ford collection Lot # 131 as a single island countermark where the early Tortola "T" was cataloged as Trinidad on a 1/8 cut segment of a dollar. Both the Pridmore and the Ford example share the same "T" punch and came from the same hoard. Of the utmost rarity in the West Indies cut and countermarked series and highly interesting. Countermarks deeply impressed with light attractive grey toning. Host coin nearly worn slick, "S" and "T" countermarks ALMOST FINE and the type III, TIRTILA countermark gradesABOUT VERY FINE.
