Victorian Collectors

[Geordie582 18]

I have this sixpence of William IIII 1834 that is counterstamped what appears to be "MAB".

I was wondering if anyone has come across information of a collector with those initials, probably Victorian?

[TomGoodheart 434]

Matthew Alfred Brigg (d 1937) but I know nothing more about him other than at least one of his coins went into John Brooker's collection of Chas I coins from the Glendinings sale of 23 May 1939.

But that may just be a coincidence. It appears that lots of Victorians and Edwardians were not adverse to stamping their initials (or those of their company) onto coin of the realm! I'm not sure we can conclude it was a collector (would YOU stamp a coin Geordie!?)

[Geordie582 18]

No way! But we have a different perspective on things. The Victorians were obsessed with possessions and wished to show it!

I do like to keep odd bits of information on the coins I have!

Edited September 24, 2006 by Geordie582

[TomGoodheart 434]

I do like to keep odd bits of information on the coins I have!

Not to the extent of writing on them in Indian ink like some Victorian collectors I hope!!

[scottishmoney 51]

There reside in many a coin cabinet in a museum here and tither that have ink marks as per noted previously. It was a common custom, objectionable by our standards, but okay by theirs. But then someone 100 years hence will surely ponder what the hell made people tomb their collectable coins within corrosive plastics?