The Frank Rose rarity scale for chopmarked coins
Compiled by Ed Murphy |
Chopmarks consist of Chinese characters and/or designs, which were printed or stamped with punches on the surfaces of both gold and silver coins to signify that the stamper considered them to be authentic. According to Frank Rose, the term chopmark is said to have been first used by the English in connection with India, where the term was chappa or choppa, meaning an official stamp or seal.
Despite being an integral part of the history of the trade dollar, little information is available regarding Chopmarked coins, with Frank Roses rarity scale being the exception. Just as one might use a comparison site like Fool.co.uk to gather facts and compare types of mortgages online, the The Frank Rose rarity scale clarifies the scarcity of various coins, allowing collectors to better decipher their worth. Rose also goes on to describe the various basic types of chopmark within his short publication.
UNIQUE (1 EXISTS)
- Hawaii Dala
- Russia 25 Kopeks
- Russia Rouble
EXTREMELY RARE (2 TO 5 EXIST)
- Argentina 8 Reales 1826
- Australia Half Sovereign 1862
- China Dollar Birds over Junk
- China All Minors with English letter chops unless rated otherwise
- Great Britain Sovereign
- Great Britain 8 Reales w/oval George III counterstamp
- Great Britain Florin
- Hong Kong Cent
- Japan All minors unless rated otherwise
- Korea 5 Yang
- Mexico Escudo 1814
- Mexico 8 Reales Iturbide
- Mexico 8 Reales Maximillian 1866
- Mexico Peso Caballito
- Mexico 4 Reales 1736
- Papal States Scudo 1684
- Holland 3 Gulden
- Holland Guilder 1794
- Mauritius 20 Cents
- Els Salvador Peso 1892
- Spain Half Escudo 1758
- Tibet _ Srang 1909
- U.S.A. Double Eagle 1904-S
- U.S.A. Eagle 1900
- U.S.A. Bust Dollar
- U.S.A. Barber Half Dollar 1914-S
- U.S.A. Liberty Seated Quarter 1839
- U.S.A. Capped Bust Dime 1836
- U.S.A. Large Cent 1855
- U.S.A. Indian Head Penny 1875
VERY RARE (5 TO 10 EXIST)
- China/Fukien 20 Cents Crossed Flags
- Great Britain All minors unless rated otherwise
- Holland 2 ½ Gulden
- Holland Half Ducaton
- Mexico Cobs with dates and readable chops
- Philippines counterstamp Peru 8 Reales 1828
- Philippines Peso 1897
- Mexico Cob - 4 Reales with Sumanep counterstamp
- Mexico 8 Reales 1798 with Sumanep counterstamp
- U.S.A. Seated Liberty Dollar 1849
- U.S.A. Bust Half dollar 1808
- U.S.A. Columbian Exposition Half Dollar
QUITE RARE (10 TO 25 EXIST)
- Austrain Netherlands Thaler 1796
- Burma Peacock Rupee 1852
- Mexico Cobs with dates and unreadable chops
- Spain 20 Reales 1862/62
RARE (25 TO 100 EXIST)
- Argentina 960 Reis
- Austria Maria Theresa Thaler
- Bolivia 2 Reales 1780
- Cambodia Tical 1847
- China/Hupeh Dollar with English letter chops
- China/Szechuan Dollar with 18 circles
- France Ecu de 6 Livres
- France 5 francs
- Holland all unless rated otherwise
- Hong Kong All minors unless rated otherwise
- India Rupee 1840
- Mexico Cobs without dates and unreadable chops
- Mexico all colonial minors unless rated otherwise
- Mexico all cobs except those rated otherwise
- South Peru 8 Reales 1838
- Peru all minors unless rated otherwise
- Philippines counterstamp all unless rated otherwise
- Siam All copper coins unless rated otherwise
- U.S.A. All minors unless rated otherwise
SCARCE (100 TO 500 EXIST)
- All Central & South American with English letter chops
- China all Crowns with English letter chops unless rated otherwise
- Great Britain 3 Shilling bank Token George III
- Japan Yen Meji 3
- Mexico 8 Reales balance scale
- Peru 8 Reales 1822 with 1824 counterstamp
- Philippines counterstamp Peru 8 Reales standing liberty
- Philippines counterstamp Peru 8 Reales Bust
- Siam Tical 1876-1907
- U.S.A. Seated liberty Half dollar
NOT COMMON, BUT NOT SCARCE (IN-BETWEEN)
Spain all minors unless rated otherwise
COMMON (500 OR MORE EXIST)
- China Dollar no birds over junk
- China/Hsien Large coppers 67.6mm & smaller
- China all minors unless rated otherwise
- China Yuan Shih Kai Year 3
- French Indo-China Piastre
- Great Britain Trade dollar
- Hong Kong Dollar
- Mexico 8 Reales Pillar Dollar
- Mexico 8 Reales Bust
- Mexico 8 Reales Cap & Rays
- Peru 8 Reales Bust
- Peru 8 Reales Standing Liberty 1840
- U.S.A. Trade Dollars vary upward in rarity