A story has been circulating about the Ford Motor Co. awarding a new car to those who discovered an example of one of these counterstamped coins in circulation.There was also a rumor that anyone finding a copper 1943 cent would garner the same prize.(struck only in zinc-coated steel that year). Whether either story is true or not is problematic. Apparently, it was first reported in a 1958 issue of the "Numismatist" the monthly publication of the ANA. There was no mention of the date or source of the tale saying simply it was an "old one." I'm near certain the 1943 copper coin story is false, but not so sure about the ones struck with Ford logos.
Whether that was the purpose for stamping so many coins with the logo or not the fact remains that there are hundreds of examples known made up of a number of varieties.The truth of the matter has been debated for decades and even today there's no definitive answer.
Over time the issue has been divided into two groups, the co-called "originals" and the later "re-strikes." The originals are said to exhibit a heavier strike while the re-strikes are from a shallow, light punch. At what point the coins were first noticed by numismatists is unclear but examples have been discovered on various coins (nearly all US) dated from 1899 to 1963. During my research I moved the date back a bit to 1890 whwn I discovered older examples.
Please know that none of these were actually struck in those early years, as the Ford Motor Co. wasn't even founded until 1903, Also, many of the examples on both older and newer coins show significant wear, whereas the stamps themselves are pristine. This of course suggests that they either didn't circulate much or not all after the logos were applied.
A study of historic Ford logos in an effort to date these pieces was of little help. A wild guess on my part suggests the originals that most closely resemble the logo instituted in 1927 may date their manufacture to that period. The re-strikes on the other hand have some commonalities to the label introduced in 1957. Most of the re-strikes are thought (by Greg Brunk) to have been struck in 1963 but the evidence is far from conclusive.
The varies known include Ford/0, Ford/1, Ford/2, Ford/3, Ford/6, Can/Ford, Ford/Canada, Ford/U.S.A., Ford (micro and large script), and a variety with a broken "F" in the auto makers name. On this variety it's been opined that a worker recovered a damaged die from a scrap bin and struck some off. These are considered re-strikes and were purportedly among those made in 1963. The meaning of the numbers on the first few varities are unknown. It's also not clear whether the numbers were applied separately or were part of the original punch. "Can" is an abbreviation for Canada as Ford had assembly plants there as evidenced by the Ford/Canada Variety. Most all of these stamps are in script but some in the references aren't described that way.
Possible reasons for their manufacture have been discussed. They include the earlier mentioned contest to give away a new car if found in circulation, but other possibilities include their use as souvenirs, for distribution at car dealerships, or made to sell to car enthusiasts at trade shows. The truth of the matter has eluded researchers for decades.
Despite the many mysteries surrounding them, the issue is appealing and they're widely collected by both numismatists and car buffs alike.
Bruce