Information Regarding Chopmarks and their Verification

The definitive reference to learn about chopmarks, their history and authentication, is By Weight Not By Coyne: An Introduction To Chopmarked Coins by W. Taylor Leverage. This book can be purchased at Amazon. It is an important resource for anyone interested in collecting chopmarked coins of any type.

There are a number of factors to consider when determining the authenticity of a chopmark.

-How common is it for the type to be chopmarked? Rare host coins exist but they are rare for a reason. Some types are significantly more expensive chopmarked than not.

-Is the chop correct stylistically? Are there similar chops on other coins? Not only is the style important but the size and general design features varied over the centuries.

-Has there been metal moved or damage on the opposite side of the chop indicating a strongly struck punch?

-Do any of the chops overlap other chops? Are any of the chops repeated? Repeated chops are not always indicative of fakery but the shroffs were busy and had many coins to chop. They viewed the coins as bullion and treated them as such.

-Does the patina, wear, and age match the rest of the coin?

-Do the chops appear too squared, fine edged, intricate, or machined? The chop punches were handmade and this should be reflected by the chops.

-Is the chop placed too perfectly? There are many coins with one or two perfectly placed chopmarks (in the field, not obscuring devices) but for borderline chops it should be a consideration.

The best way to become savvy at discerning genuine from imitation chops is to look at many coins over a long period of time. Similarly to coin grading, looking at lots of coins with a critical eye is the key component in building experience and knowledge.