St. Bartholomew (1797-98) 2 sous
This specimen was lot 8670 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $960. The catalog description[1] noted,
"SAINT BARTHOLOMEW. Saint Bartholomew - French Guiana (Cayenne). 2 Sou, ND (ca. 1797-98). PCGS Genuine--Environmental Damage, Fine Details; Countermark: VF Details. Crown within shaped indent applied to a 1782-A Cayenne 2 Sous. The countermark is deeply impressed on a well worn host displaying rich mottled brown patina. Close inspection reveals a slightly rough surface texture accounting for the details designation of "Environmental Damage". Despite its shortcomings a presentable example of the type great for the beginner to intermediate collector looking to expand their numismatic holdings.
Thorough research conducted by Frank Olrog strongly suggests several periods of countermarking. It appears that after a failed attempt at obtaining colonial coinage, the islands Governor George Trolles followed the lead of other European colonies of the West Indies and authorized and countermarked legitimate and counterfeit coinage for circulation. Lack of official documentation prevents an exact date for these issues. The contemporary local ordinances of Martinique, St. Vincent, St. Eustatius, St. Martin and Tobago, all relating to counterfeit coinage entering the colonies, seems to place the countermarking action on St. Bartholomew around 1797 or 1798."
The SCWC says these were issued pursuant to a proclamation of July 1834. The island was bought by Sweden from France in 1784 and sold back to them in 1877. It is now administered as part of Guadeloupe.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: billon.
Catalog reference: KM-2.1; AAJ-2; Olrog-IIa.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Byrne, Ray, Coins and Tokens of the Caribees, Decatur, IL: Jess Peters, Inc., 1975.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 NYINC Sale: World and Ancient Coins, featuring the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection and the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
Link to:
- St. Eustatius (1797) stuiver
- St. Bartholomew (1819-21) 18 stuivers c/m on a Spanish pistareen
- Coins and currency dated 1797