Another great find in the park this morning.

[born2hunt]

[size=large]No date, Draped Bust large cent, counterstamped[/size]

Yesterdays honey hole was getting mowed so I wandered to a different spot, I'm glad I did. I love finding large cents and this one is special.

The stamp reads(top line) P. D (middle line) J DEMUTH (Bottom line) WARRANTED

It is listed on exonumia.com But I can't find any other info on it. If there's anyone here who can help or point me in the right direction I'd really appreciate it.

Thanx, Steve in PA

 

[DirtyDeedsDugDirtDeep]

Steve,
Not sure what part of PA your from, but I know that the Demuth name was well known in Lancaster back in the day.
I believe the family made their money in the tobacco trade among other things.
Maybe you can contact the Lancaster historical society about it.
I wouldn't mention you found it with a detector though....

 

[drkp88]

Love that odd-ball stuff. Nice find!
Bruce in Ct

 

[Eddie in Poulsbo]

That is a neat find Steve. Hope you find out what it's all about. GL & HH.

Eddie

 

[DirtyDeedsDugDirtDeep]

Steve,
I checked the Demuth Tobacco shop website,and they have a PDF file of the Demuth history in Lancaster.
There was a Jacob Demuth that was living/running the business from right around the end of the 1700's to the early 1800's.
That would put him in a time frame with the type coin that you found.
Now whether this is a sort of "trade token" or advertising piece,I don't know.
The P.D might stand for "PAID" ????
Heck,it might have been used to plug a hole in some product this guy was associated with.
I've seen old carpenter levels with Indian Head pennies used to plug the ends of the sight glass holes.
Being a history detective is half the fun of finding things like this .
Good luck tracking it down.

 

[born2hunt]

DDDD, Thanks for the insight. I love researching this stuff and that sounds like a great place to start.

 

[TokenDigger]

Very cool find. According to the text "Merchant & Privately Countermarked Coins" (2003) by Gregory Brunk, this counterstamp and similar Demuth counterstamps are known. Rulau (another writer on tokens and other exonumia) states that the Demuth family of gunsmiths worked in Pike & Lancaster Counties in PA from the early 1770s to the 1830s. If these counterstamps are gunsmith stamps then it was most likely that of Jonathan Demuth. Several other people disagree whether he actually made guns or just sold them (in his tobacco shop). Brunk isn't decisive on the gunsmith attribution and feels it could also be another merchant - possibly a tool, lock or stamp maker. He further adds that the Demuth stamp appears on coins with other stamps on them (like your P.D) suggesting he may have been a stamp maker.
Either way, this is a cool piece that is full of history.
Way to go and HH!

 

[DirtyDeedsDugDirtDeep]

Wow,
Didn't think about the gunsmith angle; but I do know Lancaster Co. as well as surrounding areas had a slew of small gunsmiths producing various products.
Again, the local historical society might have all the answers.
Keep us posted !

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Cool Find!

 

[born2hunt]

Thanks Token Digger, for your effort. It is very much appreciated.

 

[stubbs1]

That is a real sweet find Congrats

 

[wraym93841]

Is the lettering raised?

 

[born2hunt]

No it is stamped in.

 

[Hotcz70]

VERY cool find