1874 quarter SAGE'S CANDY COIN counterstamp. NICE!
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Classic SAGE'S CANDY COIN countermark -- a great example! Always one of the most popular counterstamps to own, the meaning of the imprint on this coin has never been adequately explained. David Bowers thought the coin might have been a prize given away by a candy company, but I have my doubts. No real evidence of this has ever been found. And it doesn't really make sense...a box or bag of candy in those days wouldn't have been more than a few cents to purchase. The countermark is found only on quarters, half dollars or Trade Dollars. Back then, a quarter was worth a lot!I think Brunk's original thesis as published in his 1987 reference makes more sense. He suggests the coin was meant to promote a patent medicine produced by R. V. Pierce of Buffalo, NY under the name of Dr. Sage. We know many patent medicines were sold as "candies" (i.e. Nelligan's Worm Candy and Jordan's Cough Candy). Dr. Sage's catarrh remedy was well known in 1874 and extremely popular -- selling for 50 cents a bottle. These coins would have been great advertising for his remedies and would have offered a "free trial" based on the selling price of the medicine. Many other patent medicines used quarters and half dollars for this purpose.Anyway, who knows for sure...no one has proof one way or another that I'm aware of. This is still a great counterstamp to own
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