(Ca. 1824) George Washington Countermark on an 1821 Dime. Musante GW-115, Baker-1053, Brunk GW-245. AU-58 (PCGS). An outstanding example of this rarely offered and tiny countermark. The impression is slightly uneven, with the upper border indistinct, but it is deeply impressed otherwise with complete execution of the portrait (facing right) and GEORGE / WASHINGTON at left and right. Also visible is a fairly substantial crack that bisected the punch, extending from the rim below the first G of GEORGE to the rim over S of WASHINGTON. While these marks were suggested to date to the 1840s by Musante, Rulau and Fuld believed them to be contemporary to the 1824 return visit of Lafayette to the United States. The mark is found on several different hosts, among them at least two 1820 dimes, an 1818 quarter, a 1794 Spanish-American 2 reales, an 1818 English shilling, an 1804 Netherlands East Indian coin, an 1807 half real, a 1766 counterfeit Irish halfpenny, and perhaps others as yet undocumented. What is common to all reported hosts is that none is dated after 1821, so we have no reason to believe that Rulau and Fuld were not correct in their suggested 1824 dating. Another interesting detail worthy of mention is that examples of the 1820 and 1821 dimes are in fairly high grade, suggesting that they were not in circulation long by the time they were punched and saved. As the embossed area on the reverse is not worn and still shows the rough texture of whatever material was used to back the coin when it was countermarked, we know this piece did not go back into circulation for any length of time. In contrast, the lower grade 1820-dime example The host coin is the large date variety (JR-1, Rarity-2). It has pleasing deep olive and gray patina. Within the punch will be seen mottled rose and blue. In terms of the quality of the host coin, this is one of the nicest examples of this countermark we are aware of. From the E. Horatio Morgan Collection.
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