I thought I'd start a thread portraying coins or tokens featuring silversmith counterstamps, retail marks , or touchmarks. Other "fine craftsmen" would include goldsmiths, watch and clock makers, jewelers, pewterers, whitesmiths, etc. Examples from all countries are welcomed as the small number I have are mostly from American makers. I'd love to see yours.
I'll start with one of the older ones in my collection, a piece I bought at auction 6 or 7 years ago. The host coin is an 1803 American Large Cent. The stamps include two "A & G Welles" stamps in oblong depressions struck in an X-shape surrounded by four spread eagle touchmarks. As American silversmith counterstamps go, this one is quite early...sometimes between about 1804 and 1811.
Alfred and George Welles were brothers. George was born in Gilead, Connecticut in 1784, but details of Alfred's birth are unknown to me. Their parents were John Howell Wells and Mary Bills.
The "A & G Welles" smithy was founded in Boston in about 1804 and survived only until 1811. From whatever reason the partnership was dissolved at that time. George then partnered with a man named Hugh Gelston in the firm of George Welles & Co...later named Welles & Gelston. Apparently, they imported jewelry and military regalia but were not silversmiths. Their shop was at 56 Cornhill in Boston right next door to the old A. & G. Welles shop at no. 55. A third partner, Horace Porter, joined the firm in 1825 and it was re-branded Welles, Gelston & Porter. The partnership ended with George Welles death in 1827.
The fate of Alfred Wells is a bit sketchy after the dissolution of the partnership with his brother. Apparently, he continued in business as a jeweler until his own passing in 1860. But further details of his business were uncovered.
The stamps on the A.& G. Welles coins are too large for silverware, especially the eagle stamps, so there products were likely limited to larger items such as tankards, tea pots, pitchers, etc. I have attached an image of a server c1805 made by them
Only two of these stamped coins are documented, my example and a second on an 1802 Large Cent. Interestingly, the second example has two additional stamps, "G. Libby / 1790" applied to it. While the identity of Libby is uncertain, it has been speculated that he may have been a maker or importer of military equipment retailed by W & G. The date stamp resembles that of a model number or type found sometimes on firearms and swords, and thus the speculation. Libby has not been positively identified.
Bruce