The Lyall Collection of Cut and Countermarked Coins

Virgin Islands – Tortola, Presumed c. 1800+, Black Dogg (valued at Threehalfpence), a counterfeit Cayenne 2 Sous, obv. countermarked incuse ll (Long Look Estate), 1.30g/20.1gr (cf. SNC May 1982; Prid. – ; KM. –). Coin poor and heavily corroded, countermark fine, the only recorded specimen £200-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Lyall Collection of Cut and Countermarked Coins.

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Provenance: Bt K.V. Eckardt 1978 [from Eugene O’Neal, a local resident and historian of Roadtown, Tortola, who found the coin on Tortola].

It is not possible to date this countermark, but the most likely time might be 1795-1805. Long Look Estate was owned by the Quaker Samuel Nottingham. Slavery was not compatible with his religious beliefs and he returned to England. The slaves were freed in 1776 and the estate gifted to them and their descendants. A report from 1823 mentions that six of the original 26 former slaves were still alive and the population had grown to 43