Keyboard or Bruce,
The 'infamous' Gotham vertical was base loaded with a coil
about the size a typical 'BugCatcher's, something in the
50 - 90 uH range. The usual advertisement showed a grounding
stake used for a ground, maybe the water pipes. The Gotham
company started in New Jersey, later moved to Florida where it
branched out into other things, then folded. It was a fairly
'cheap' antenna for the time.
If you plan to use one don't expect any more performance
than you would get with a 'BugCatcher', which isn't much on
80 meters when compared to many other antennas (non-mobile),
but certainly better than 'nuth'n'. Also expect to have to use
more than a single ground rod or the water lines for a ground.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it was junk, but it sure came
close... Good luck!
'Doc