The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 31, August 1, 2004, Article 14

THE ENIGMATIC COUNTERSTAMPED QUARTERS

  Regarding last week's item about the  "E" and "L"
  counterstamps found on the obverse of many 1815 and
  1825 U.S. quarters, Tom DeLorey writes: "I tend to doubt
  this theory, on the grounds that the counterstamps
  apparently were done in the Mint with the coins resting in
  the reverse die to prevent distortion of the reverse surface
  during the counterstamping.  The same thing was done with
  the 1848 $2-1/2 "CAL." counterstamp, with the coins
  resting in the obverse die during the process. A private
  organization would not have had this option available to
  them, unless one of their members was a Mint employee
  with high privileges.
.
  My personal theory is that the "L" was meant to
  commemorate the widely heralded visit of Lafayette to
  America in 1825. However, I have no idea who "E"
  might have been. Does anybody have a good account of
  Lafayette's tour that might prove a visit to Philadelphia,
  and if so does it mention a traveling companion with the
  initial "E"?

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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