1955 South African Chopmarked Bronze Coin

[dadams]

Picked this up the other day and am curious as to the chopmarks. Were chopmarks still being used as late as 1955? Why chopmark this coin? Can anyone help identify the marks?

-dadams

[Conder101]

I don't think it's chopmarked, I think it is graffitied

[World Colonial]

I have collected SA coins since 1998 and most of my collection is from the Union series which includes this coin. I do not see any chopmarks either and I have never even heard of a chopmarked coin from this late of a date. I agree with Condor.

[JKK]

I wonder also if that scraping on young QEII's cheek, while in a high wear point that would tend to attract damage, isn't vandalism (motive possibly political, or possibly just a bored kid in Soweto). It looks fairly deliberate and targeted. While I agree about graffiti v. chops on the reverse, the graffiti looks like potentially clear and carefully done Chinese characters. It would be interesting to see what they might say.

[dadams]

Many thanks for the replies,

 

I don't think it's chopmarked, I think it is graffitied

I agree with Condor.

 

I don't know much about chopmarks, but I agree with the consensus.

 

While I agree about graffiti v. chops on the reverse, the graffiti looks like potentially clear and carefully done Chinese characters. It would be interesting to see what they might say.

 

The graffiti does appear to be deliberately placed and is clearly defined. I would love to know what it says.

 

Picked this out of a dealers foreign junk box as a curiosity hoping to learn more about it, now instead I'll have to start picking up some chopmarked silver. Joined the Chopmark Collectors Club yesterday and have been reading like mad!

 

Thanks!!

 

-Doug

[JKK]

Chops can be fun. I just picked up a 1798 8R that has at least a dozen on each side, including little swastikas. I scanned it but am always afraid to try directly incorporating pics, lest they be too large and cause admin grief and slowdown.

[shirohniichan]

It's a Korean countermark of some kind and not a Chinese chopmark.

[dadams]

It's a Korean countermark of some kind and not a Chinese chopmark.

Thanks shirohniichan! The marks do indeed look like they originate from the Korean Hangul alphabet. A bit closer to learning the mystery . . . yet so far

 

[ChrisHagen-migration]

The first character looks like 기 - the second one looks like 팅.

 

This transliterates to "giting", which is south-east asian slang for being high, stoned, blazed, whatever.

 

Definitely a fun graffiti coin!

[dadams]

The first character looks like 기 - the second one looks like 팅.

 

This transliterates to "giting", which is south-east asian slang for being high, stoned, blazed, whatever.

 

Definitely a fun graffiti coin!

 

ChrisHagen - You Rock! I knew someone would come through for me with a translation. First thing I thought when I read your translation and the fact that the graffiti was carefully placed on the sails was "High as a Kite".

 

Many thanks!!! -Doug

[HiHoAudio]

Interesting coin and thread.