THE COLLECTION OF CUT AND COUNTERMARKED COINS FORMED BY THE LATE EDWARD ROEHRS (Part I)
36
Provenance: Thomas Hoiland Auction 25 (Frederiksberg), 21 November 2003, lot 7338 (part) DANISH WEST INDIES, Frederick VII, Two Skillings, 1848, edge plain [struck in 1856], obv. countermarked
with sunburst with 13 rays, 1.21g/18.6gr (KM. 3). Coin and countermark very fine, very rare Danish West Indies
The countermarked series from the Danish West Indies is an early, if not the first, series to be subjected to modern fakes fabricated specifically to satisfy a collectors market. Some of these fakes were in the Jules Fonrobert Collection sale in 1878. Variety was the motivating element behind their production and accordingly a wide range of coins of various denominations and from many countries were stamped with a copy of the official ‘crowned FR VII monogram’. Research by Jørgen Sømod, Denmark, has confirmed exactly what the official coins are.
In June 1850 Peder Hansen, the governor of the Danish West Indies from 1848 to 1851, authorised the purchase of $7,700.00 in U.S. minor coins ($2,500 in 50 cents, $2,500 in 25 cents, $1,250 in 10 cents, $1,250 in 5 cents and $200 in cent denominations). The purchase was handled by Messrs Finlay & Co. who charged a commission of 5½ % to cover freight and their commission. Governor Hansen was obviously keen to protect the investment in commission and freight and he states ‘these minor coins will now be slowly placed in circulation and as far as possible to prevent the export from the Island the Half-Dollar and Quarter-Dollar will be supplied with a stamp of the Royal Monogram’.
The first batch of these coins apparently entered local circulation in September 1850. It is likely that by the time subsequent coins were released it was realised that countermarking was ineffective as a measure to retaining the coins on the island; accordingly, the full quantity of half- and quarter-dollars was probably not stamped. This would explain the great rarity of these coins. An example of a half-dollar and a quarter-dollar with the official countermark was sent to the mint in Denmark. This countermark is only known on 50 cent and 25 cent coins dated 1848, 1849 and 1850.
£150-200
37
Authority of June-September 1850, Half-Dollar, U.S.A., Half-Dollar, 1849, obv. countermarked with incuse crowned FR VII monogram, 13.34g/205.8gr (KM. 27). Extremely fine and extremely rare
£2,500-3,000 Provenance: H. Hede Collection, Bruun Rasmussen Auction (Copenhagen), 24 September 1988, lot 522.
The ticket with the coin suggests a provenance back to 1882, including periods of ownership by Emil Gluckstadt and Waldo Newcomer, but this cannot be verified
38
Provenance: Kunst Hallen Auction (Copenhagen), 21 November 1995, lot 41 ——— Quarter-Dollar, U.S.A., Quarter-Dollar, 1849, obv. countermarked with incuse crowned FR VII monogram,
6.67g/102.9gr (KM. 26). Extremely fine and very rare Virgin Islands – Tortola £1,500-2,000
39
8 dwt Standard, c. 1798, Sixty-Six Shillings, BRAZIL, Joseph I, counterfeit 6,400 Réis, 1767, Rio, obv. countermarked MC (or G), raised within a rectangular indent on a large central plug, another smaller plug to the left of centre, both rather crudely done, 12.49g/192.7 gr/8.02 dwt (Gordon 205, this coin; cf. Chalmers, p.74). Coin about fine with quite a rough surface, clipped around part of the edge and with some file marks, extremely rare
£2,500-3,000
Provenance: J.W. Garrett Collection, Part I, NFA/Bank Leu Auction (Beverly Hills), 16-18 May 1984, lot 1231 [from J. Schulman December 1930]
These lots are illustrated on our web site
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73