Anxiety With A Great Coin !!!!

[dogodog]

Well I decided to hit a new spot this morning, a 1770's farm house and barn  turned industrial building. This will soon be torn down for another housing development. My buddy was hunting a small maybe 50' x 40' back yard that has overgrown flower beds, while I was hunting the perimeter of the house with cut lawn. After two hours of only a clad dime and a quarter, I decided to see how he was making out. I asked what he got 2 early wheaties was his reply. while talking I swung the 800 on the edge of a flower bed not expecting to get a signal. But I did a jumpy 21 22 23, Jokingly I said how did you miss that. He responded I didn't get there yet. Thinking I was digging a wheat penny, I proceeded to pop the plug. I checked it with the coil, Not in the plug. But now I was getting a jumpy 29 30 31 32 in the hole. Thinking big silver or copper, After digging to around 10'' out pops a very thin copper which I thought was a KG. My buddy (which I hope he still is, seemed a little flustered) came over to look at it with younger eyes, And told me I just dug a 1788 Vermont copper. Well now I started to feel a little sick for swinging in his spot, It was not how I wanted to find a bucket list coin. I offered it to him but he said no, He was glad I found it. Still I didn't feel OK, but knowing we hunt together a lot and we trade good and bad days made me realize how much you would rather your friend find something than yourself. So now I have 3 of the 4 state coppers, all with the equinox after years of detecting with other machines. Luck maybe but I'm leaning towards how you trade info on your machine and technique's used with your detecting buddy.

[Valens Legacy]

Great find again, and I wish you luck on finding more to complete the collection.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Great play by play post,  and great pix !

[Joe D.]

   So, that's the coin I saw a picture of!!😁 Very nice! The guilt will fade, since you were forgiven! "Friends Before Fortune"  And may it always stay that way after!!👍👍

[Rick N. MI]

Great find! How did you clean it?

[rvpopeye]

You were just priming the pump for him !

Nice rare one too !

[kac]

Imagine what you guys miss with numbers that jump more :0

Nice one!

[dogodog]

I always dig jumpy 20 to 33 numbers usually a coin on edge. Could be silver or Copper, Sometimes good, most times crap.Just can't take a chance on passing up a decent coin. As of recent the 800 has been producing some great coins and rings with some weird numbers, But the tones do not lie. I always dig the tone, not the number. (thanks Tesoro!!!) Sometimes I get a faint really bouncy signal with a decent tone, That's when  I switch to pinpoint mode and dig. Again most times junk but you will hate yourself if you think you passed up a deep coin.

AS for cleaning the coppers. Just rub them on your glove or pants, Let them dry out and rub your face with your hands to pick up a little oil from your skin and massage the coin with your fingers. That's it. DO NOT CLEAN WITH WATER, You will end up with a ruined coin. A very small amount of coin grade mineral oil will sometimes help, But will darken the old coppers. Practice on a dud wheatie to see if you like the outcome. As for the silver coins, Water only!!! pat with a dry cloth. Rubbing, scrubbing and Tarnex are a no no. Rings when cleaning are less likely to be ruined. Clean and polish as you see fit. I have quite a few rings that never make it to be sold, Thanks to my wife. Just remember when in doubt leave it alone.

[GB_Amateur]

On 6/19/2021 at 5:32 PM, dogodog said:

So now I have 3 of the 4 state coppers

Excellent find, double d!  Which states are the four and which three do you have?

I'm sure you'll return the favor for your detecting pal, but it's good that you are concerned for him.  AFAIK there are no clear rules on where a person's personal detecting space is but as long as you are on good/friendly terms with that person it shouldn't matter.  Seems your friend agrees.

Can you explain why water damages a copper coin that has been in the (at least occasionally damp) ground for many decades?  We need a resident chemist on the forum!

 

[dogodog]

The four original state coins are New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts. I have found the first three. 

I think the soil types, wet or dry can help or hurt old copper. Just guessing that it might be a PH thing. The key factor for me is being washed with water and then exposed to air.  I believe that it makes the surface more fragile. In my early days of hunting I would start out with a decent coin, Wash it and a week later it was unreadable and the surface was crusty. Not a chemist but air exposure might be the main factor. Since I stopped washing my coppers, I have ended up with much better coins.