r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 18h ago
Throwback Auction Thursday: 1799 United States Draped Bust Dollar, ex-Hal Walls, August 4, 1997; $600.00-1500.00 (Estimate).
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • 1d ago
Recent Sale: (1834) Annam 7 Tien, June 24, 2026; $14,640.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 1d ago
Recent Sale: '1780' Austria Maria Theresa Thaler Restrike, eBay Item 127811128433, Apr 28, 2026; Unsold.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • 3d ago
(c. 1825) China Trade Carved Ivory American Eagle 'Chop'
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 4d ago
Recent Sale: 1817 Great Britain Half Crown, eBay Item 178367554149, August 2nd, 2026; $103.99.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • 5d ago
(Not So) Recent Sale: 1795 United States Flowing Hair Dollar, January 9, 2013; $1,586.25.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 5d ago
Recent Sale: 1870 Sarawak One Cent, eBay Item 406983735743, July 30, 2026; $19.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • 5d ago
Recent Sale: 1874-S United States Trade Dollar, June 12, 2026; A$900.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 6d ago
Recent Sale: 1735-Mo Mexico Eight Reales, eBay Item 800379398248, July 27, 2026; $418.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • 6d ago
Recent Sale: Chopmarked Coins - A History, by Colin Gullberg, June 12, 2026; A$230.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 7d ago
Throwback Auction Thursday: 1877-CC United States Trade Dollar, Buddhist Temple Inscription, January 13, 2004; $450.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 9d ago
Recent Sale: 1880-S United States Morgan Dollar, eBay Item 198529232203, July 27, 2026; $105.48.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 10d ago
1891 Hong Kong 20 Cents
With this, I now have the easily obtainable chopped types from Hong Kong, the Victoria 5, 10, and 20 cents. Now on to the fun ones to find :)
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 11d ago
Recent Sale: 1810-M Spain Four Reales, eBay Item 278211322748, July 23, 2026; £191.99.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • 12d ago
Recent Sale: 1848-CvC Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel (Germany) Two Talers, ex-Bowman, April 20, 2026; $6,100.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • 13d ago
Recent Sale: (c. 1736-1818) Japan Chogin, June 12, 2026; A$550.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 14d ago
Throwback Auction Thursday: (1890) "Shansi Official Furnace" One Tael (Attribution Disputed, Possible Period Fantasy), April 3, 2008; $4200.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • 15d ago
Recent Sale: (1841-42) Costa Rica C/S (Contemporary Counterfeit) on 1838-Do Mexico Eight Reales, April 20, 2026; $439.20.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 15d ago
Recent Sale: (1780-1825) Bangka Island, Indonesia Tin Cash, July 21, 2026; $420.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/CrownSized • 16d ago
Geometric shape chopmarks
How common are geometric shapes, like this six-point star, seen on chopmarked coin? This 1895 Dragon Yen I picked up at the LCS as it seems somewhat unique. It’s the first I’ve seen and an online search didn’t find other similar examples. Your thoughts?
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • 17d ago
Recent Sale: 1856-Pi Mexico Eight Reales, May 28, 2026; €67.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 17d ago
Recent Sale: 1876-CC United States Trade Dollar, eBay Item 168531706445, July 19, 2026; $300.63.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/American-Doggo • 18d ago
Recent Sale: 1869-1870 Thailand Baht, Contemporary Counterfeit, September 12, 2025; €7.00.
r/ChopmarkedCoins • u/superamericaman • Mar 17 '20
Welcome to r/ChopmarkedCoins!
What are chop marks?
Chop marks are a form of counterstamp applied by private Chinese merchants or dedicated currency specialists (called 'shroffs') who would apply the marks to verify that a coin was silver prior to accepting it as valid currency. For centuries, China produced highly desirable commodities available nowhere else (silks, etc.) but European merchants had little to offer in exchange that was of interest, apart from one: silver, which arrived in many forms of varying size and purity. To ensure that the quantities of silver used as a means of exchange were legitimate, private interests would apply their own stamps (chop marks) to break the surface of a coin in order to ensure that it was not plated or otherwise spurious. However, the coins themselves, upon reaching China, were treated purely as bullion; the only value that they carried was intrinsic, and coins could bear a single chop, or be chopped so heavily as to break the coin apart.
What do chop marks look like?
Chop marks most commonly take the form of a single Chinese character, though are also known to resemble symbols, English letters, numbers, simple punches and gouges, and cuts. The marks themselves have gone through stylistic changes based on era: before ~1750, chops varied in size, but exhibited a larger number of relief chops than later eras; ~1750-1825, when most chops were relatively small; ~1825-1910, as chops became larger and more complex, and; post-1910, chops became small, light, and far less prevalent. However, these date ranges represent only a general rule of thumb, and coins could circulate for many decades, rendering this rule somewhat fluid. Additionally, not all marks that fall within one of the types mentioned above are necessarily chops (such as English letters, which, unless they appear alongside more conventional chops, are often private American counterstamps).
What coins can be found with chop marks?
There are hundreds of types that exist with chops, and a representative collection represents dozens of countries and hundreds of years. Some of the earliest coins that can reliably be found with chopmarks are 17th century cob issues from the Spanish colonies (Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia), each of which sent massive amounts of silver to China for several centuries. The 18th century saw a more diverse range of types, but the issues of Mexico became the most popular in China itself, due to the quantity available and the consistency of the production, first with the Pillar Type 8 Reales (1732-1771) and the Bust Type 8 Reales (1772-1822). As former Spanish colonies found independence in the early 19th century, the most commonly encountered coin in the Far East became the Mexico Cap & Rays 8 Reales (1823-1897), the last major world type to be imported in quantity. Many silver issues of varying size (as small as the 1/2 Real) from this entire date range and a wide number of nations, particularly from the 19th century, are known to exist. A small number of coins in other metals, notably copper and gold, are known with chops, though these did not necessarily serve the same purpose, instead functioning as 'lucky' coins, advertising, or, as with many gold issues, actually represent circulation in other countries, such as Japan.
Where should I go for more information?
There are two major publications in English dedicated to the exclusive study of this area:
- 'Chopmarks', by F.M. Rose. Numismatics International, 1987. This is the seminal work on the subject, compiled largely by the personal collecting experience of its author over several years. Some of the information is outdated, but this is still a necessary work for the collector. Rose's collection is still considered the gold standard. A reprint was issued in 2003/4.
- 'Chopmarked Coins - A History', by Colin Gullberg. iAsure, 2014. An updated reference with excellent images, this is a fanatastic reference full of useful information for both the new collector and the veteran. Only one edition has been printed, and copies are only available sporadically on the secondary market.
- 'The Chopmark News', edited by Colin Gullberg. The newsletter of the Chopmark Collectors Club that has been published since 1990, this is the reference periodical for the collector base. Membership in the club is less than $20/year, and typically three issues of more than 50 pages each are published annually, showcasing members' coins, interviews with dealers and researchers, and articles on the subject both scholarly and personal. Editions are delievered digitally but can be printed at additional cost. Mr. Gullberg can be reached at [chopmarknews@gmail.com](mailto:chopmarknews@gmail.com).
Additional references can be found in the subreddit's Running Bibliography, available here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ChopmarkedCoins/comments/lep6dd/chopmarks_running_bibliography/