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1857 & 1858 counterstamped coins advertising Ben F. Wyant May Flower Saloon, No 137 Main St., Memphis, Tenn.

Strange a saloon would stamp a coin that's such a high value. A half dollar then is equivalent to something like $20 of purchasing value today.

 

counterstamped on 1857 and 1858 O Seated Half Dollars

 

Listing in an 1860 Tennessee business directory for Wyant Benjamin, May-flower saloon, 137 Main. [Memphis, Tennessee]

 

Seems another example of these comes up on ebay every six months or so.

 

Either this saloon distributed an incredible number of these or someone is taking plain and greatly worn old half dollars and putting this stamping on them to sell today for $200+ a pop.

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Uploaded on November 4, 2011
Taken on November 4, 2011