NEW INFORMATION ON J. L. POLHEMUS COUNTERSTAMPS
The E-Sylum (4/12/2009)
Book Content
Author Dan Owens submitted this interesting item related to the famous counterstamps of druggist J. L. Polhemus. -Editor
In the E-Sylum, Volume 11, Number 34, August 24, 2008, a metal detectorist located a J.L. Polhemus counterstamped French coin and was inquiring about its historical background. The following is an interesting side note to the Polhemus counterstamp on foreign coins which appeared in the San Francisco Bulletin on May 29th, 1859. Some months ago, it will be remembered, says the Sacramento Bee, considerable outcry was made because J.L. Polhemus, (a druggist in its city) stamped with his store-mark all pieces of foreign coin that came into his hands.
Since then the coin has greatly depreciated, and it is said that a cunning financier in Sacramento, is, and has been, engaged for some time in collecting all francs and forty-cent pieces containing the Polhemus stamp, intending to make him redeem them at the rate they were current at when he put his endorsement upon them; and having taken legal advice upon the question, he is confident of calling the druggist to refund. It is said that at least one hundred dollars will be made by the speculation.
Since then the coin has greatly depreciated, and it is said that a cunning financier in Sacramento, is, and has been, engaged for some time in collecting all francs and forty-cent pieces containing the Polhemus stamp, intending to make him redeem them at the rate they were current at when he put his endorsement upon them; and having taken legal advice upon the question, he is confident of calling the druggist to refund. It is said that at least one hundred dollars will be made by the speculation.
To read the previous E-Sylum items, see: QUERY: METAL DETECTORIST FINDS J.L POLHEMUS COUNTERSTAMP ON FRENCH COIN (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n34a09.html)
PHOTOS: J.L POLHEMUS COUNTERSTAMP ON FRENCH COIN (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v11n35a13.html)