Product Details

🔥 Civil War-era treasure! This 1864 Two-Cent Piece features the iconic Union Shield obverse (first U.S. coin with “In God We Trust”) and classic wheat wreath reverse. But the standout? A crisp, privately punched large “8” right in the shield’s center—a classic counterstamp! Counterstamping history in a nutshell: In the mid-19th century (especially during/after the Civil War coin shortages), merchants, businesses, and individuals often hand-punched coins with numbers, initials, or symbols. Why? Advertising, inventory tracking, promotions, tokens, or simple accounting. These “merchant-marked” pieces turned everyday currency into personalized exonumia—raw slices of American commerce history! This unaltered host coin shows honest circulation wear, making it perfect for type collectors chasing the iconic Shield design and exonumia hunters who love counterstamped oddities. Great display piece with real story! #TwoCent #Counterstamp #Exonumia #CivilWarCoins #ShieldTwoCent #TypeCoin