Your 3 Favorite Finds Of 2019. Here's Mine

[Gerry in Idaho]

We take pride in our finds and many of us display them in a man caves, on our work desks or even give some away as gifts.  But we also enjoy sharing the fruits of our labor and the photos bring back so many memories.  Now that the 2019 detecting season is over, I'd like to share my 3 favorite finds from the year.  But what is even more cool is seeing your hard work and efforts show up for everyone to see.  Yes I realize a few folks think it has all been found, but we can show them recent finds from the 2019 year.

1st favorite find of 2019 is a really rare Barber Quarter.  In fact IT IS THE RAREST of Barber Quarters minted.  I have not had it professionally clean and right now it looks like crap, but of all the coins I have dug up in 40+ years of metal detecting, this is by far the rarest (40,000 minted).  It is a 1913-S.  it was found with a Minelab EQ-800.

 

2nd is a gold nugget Specimen that weights over 7 ounces and has 3.55ozt of gold in it.  Found with Equinox 800.

 

3rd favorite find has to do with skill and it was given back to the owner.  After 2 different people tried to find a small diamond stud earring with no success, I was called in as a last result.  Actually I had been out of town.  Anyway, this small 1/4 carat diamond stud was lost in her backyard and she had the spot narrowed down to a 5' area.  The EQ-800 with small 6" coil in the Prospecting Mode recovered it.

Lets see 3 of your favorite finds of 2019.

May 2020 be golden in so many ways with many golden grins & glory.

 

[Lunk]

Here's mine: my first ever gold ring, found with the Minelab Equinox 800, a collection of silver firsts, also with the Equinox, and my recent triple-mineral gold specimen, found with the White's Goldmaster 24k.

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve Herschbach]

2019 was an odd year for me. Basically no metal detecting by my historical standards, and the fewest gold nuggets I have found in decades.

I did however reward myself with a trip to England for a couple weeks of nothing but metal detecting to help make up for it. The trip produced what will likely be the oldest relic I ever find, a 3500 year old Bronze Age Axe head. So I have to call that my best find of the year.

Bronze Age (c.1500-1400 BC) cast copper alloy primary shield pattern palstave, dating to the Acton Park Phase

The same trip produced my other two favorite finds. Second place goes to a small Roman bust. It's worn and of indeterminate age, probably 1st century AD going by other Roman finds in the area. Regardless it just tickled my fancy as a favorite find of the trip.

Roman bust

And finally, not my oldest coin of the trip by a long shot, but I liked it for having sharp detail. A 16th century Elizabeth 1st hammered silver penny. I am not sure how true it is but I was told Elizabeth was hated by some of her subjects and so people would purposefully rub her face out on the coins, resulting in many finds where you see just that. Mine luckily is not one of those.

16th C Elizabeth 1st hammered silver penny

[Chase Goldman]

First up was a CW period US Cavalry bit boss found at the site of the largest Cavalry engagement of the Civil War - The Battle of Brandy Station (GPX 4800)

 

The next is an 1830 Mexican First Republic Half Reale (XP Orx)

The third is a purposefully flattened Eagle Coat button used either as a checker piece or Poker chip (Equinox got me into the fire pit where it was buried a along with some other relics including a lead backing to a cartridge box plate, a sword hanger piece, minie ball, and broken glass and dishware).

Honorable mentions...

A gold locket found at the beach in the dead of winter and an antique cross pendant

[2Valen]

Well I have only had my Equinox since about June and my first nice find is my favorite, I still need to get it cleaned and framed.

Then my second favorite is from my back yard, yes it is another Indian Head penny but al little older.

My last find was with a few friends in another state and these are mine, there are 2 1862 and 2 1863 $1.00 gold coins.

I am still trying to write something for the forum about the trip, but don't know where to start.

 

I hope  that I can learn more about my 800 so that I can get a lot better at this.

All of these items are going to be mounted behind glass and placed on the wall.

Have a great and Happy New Year!

[Glenn in CO]

For 2019 it was my best year for Indian Heads, Barbers, Mercury's and Roosevelt's. Best Barbers were a 1908 O and 1908S, found with a White's TDI:

Best Gold find was my crystalline wire gold specimen, found with a White's Goldmaster:

For tokens I found a couple of Stringtown, Colorado tokens, 12 1/2 cents in trade and a Good for 1 Drink, found with a Makro Kruzer:

[GB_Amateur]

On 12/31/2019 at 3:26 PM, Gerry in Idaho said:

1st favorite find of 2019 is a really rare Barber Quarter.  In fact IT IS THE RAREST of Barber Quarters minted.  I have not had it professionally clean and right now it looks like crap, but of all the coins I have dug up in 40+ years of metal detecting, this is by far the rarest (40,000 minted).  It is a 1913-S.  it was found with a Minelab EQ-800.

 

Impressive finds, all, Gerry.  I really like the quarter.  Metal detecting for old coins is a kind of stepping back in time.  Although coin collecting comes in many forms, possibly the most popular (and certainly most affordabe!) is searching through pocket change and bank rolls.  Thus I ask "when was the last time someone found a 1913-S Barber Quarter in circulation?"

Realistically it was difficult to find them ever given their low mintage (~40,000 as you point out).  Coin collecting took off after WWII.  Barbers were no longer in cirulation when I started collecting in 1959 (or at least I never saw one).  So the answer to my question is prior to 1960, and even by then it was very unlikely with ~1950 being a more realistic cutoff.  Metal detecting has allowed you to step back in time by at least 60 years.

 

[kac]

My favorites that I snagged for 2019.

[Gerry in Idaho]

16 minutes ago, kac said:

My favorites that I snagged for 2019.

Kac,  Those finds are really nice.  I like the patina on the 2 bigger green MX coins.  The small white coin is it from Philippines.  Is the ring Tungsten? Thanks for sharing?

[Gerry in Idaho]

GB,  Since you have been collecting for so long, you realize the rarity of the 13-S Barber.  It is by fare the rarest coin I have found including my many trips detecting in England.  Not sure if you know, but how would you go about getting it professionally cleaned and then graded?  I realize PCSG will mention it has been cleaned, when they slab it, but as is, most folks would not take a 2nd look.  Heck I even thought about getting all 3 cleaned and displaying them together as they all came from the same hole. I realize your input is only advice, but since I am not a serious coin collector, thought I'd ask since it is more of your profession.  Once I figure out how to get the video to upload to Steve's site, I'll be able to share it.  I tried, but it says it is not formatted correctly.  There again, not my specialty.