The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 26, June 25, 2006, Article 12

COUNTERSTAMP INFORMATION SOUGHT: ROBERT(S) DYE WORKS, F. VOLZ

George Kimmich writes: "As Nick Graver assured me, I have indeed
enjoyed reading my first three issues of The E-Sylum.  Noting your
wonderful collection and recent sale of counter-stamped coins was
of particular interest to me and reminded me of two questions I
have regarding counter-stamped coins in my possession.  Perhaps
you or a reader knows the answers.

The first item is an 1845 Victoria farthing bearing the
following counterstamp:

ROBERT
DYE WORKS
    436
E.WATER ST.
 ELMIRA, NY

The references that I have for this kind of item show counterstamps
that have the word ROBERTS with an S.  There is no trace of an S
after ROBERT on my coin.  The S in the word  WORKS is visible but
quite faint because most of the counterstamp is over a raised portion
of the image of Britannia on the reverse of the coin, but that S fell
on a flat unraised portion of the planchet.

I wondered if the missing S on ROBERTS was due to a similar problem,
but with considerable magnification I see no evidence that the S
was present on the stamp used to create the counterstamp.  With the
exception of the S in the word WORKS the entire counterstamp is very
vivid.  The 3rd Edition of Russ Rulau's 'standard Catalog of United
States Tokens 1700-1900 (page 623) shows an 1883 farthing that has
the S on ROBERTS and makes no mention of any token he has examined
that lacks the S.  He also mentions several dates that have been
examined, with the earliest being 1847.  Apparently most of the known
tokens are from the 1880's.  A small hoard discovered in the 1970's
is mentioned, but without identifying whether they were early or
late examples, or any unusual versions.

My questions:  Are other tokens known that have a missing S?  Is it
possible that my token was the result of a first attempt by the
counterstamp device maker who neglected to include the S?  I have
always wondered if I have a unique example (or nearly so) of this
counterstamp.

The second item I have is an 1838 O Seated Liberty Dime bearing
the counterstamp F VOLZ.  I can't find a reference to this counterstamp,
although I don't have access to the major reference book on counterstamps.
Can anyone provide information on the merchant?  Thank you."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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