Went To A West Coast Spanish Site And Dug A Hammered!

[Cal_Cobra]

I've been sick as a dog almost six weeks, and it finally cleared up last week after a heavy regiment of antibiotics.  I haven't been detecting for a couple of months so Tom and I decided to detect one of his back pocket Spanish era western sites. 

The site is getting pretty stingy, but there's still targets here and there.  Right out of the gate I dug an interesting object that looked like a coin, but I didn't recognize it.  Tom thought it was probably a kids play coin.  I threw it in my finds pouch to investigate when I got home.   When I got home, I looked at it more closely in good light and I could see it was dripping with age, but had no idea what I'd found.  I took some closeup photos so I could better see the writing on it, and after some online research discovered that low and be hold I'd dug a hammered token from 1719!!  Here's what I found out about it:

NUREMBERG TOKEN FOR AUGUSTE III of SAXE / MARY-JOSEPH OF AUSTRIA 1719

Diameter: 22mm.
Weight: 0.78g.
Origin: Hérault.
Obverse: AUG III D(eo)G(ratia) POL .REX
Reverse: MARIA IOSEPHA - bottom STADTT (= City of  Nuremberg).

Comment: It is a token minted in Nuremberg in 1719 on the occasion of the marriage of the King of Poland AUGUSTE III of SAXONY, Polish King of German origin, with Marie-Josèphe of Austria, who thus became Queen of Poland herself.

 

Not a lot of other finds, but also ended up with a pewter spoon bowl, a Spanish period ball button (unfortunately NOT a Phoenix ball button ?), a piece of heavy green copper that was fashioned into a kettle/spear point (very cool IMHO), and what appears to be a gold decorative piece of something fancy, not sure what but after looking it over it appears to be period.

Overall a decent hunt, although not brimming with tons of finds, it just takes once good one to turn the tide.  Tom found something cool too, but I'll let him share his good fortune ?

[Tom_in_CA]

That was a fun hunt.   I think you got the most interesting find , of course.   Congratz !

 

I got this heavily damaged 1858 O seated half.   Also a common date, doh !   So this is nothing more than my $7-ish melt value of silver.   But hey, it's hard to argue with a seated half, eh ?  Also pictured is a Chinese cash coin, and some of the black-smithed green copper snippets that keeps us sitting on the edge of our seats there.

[Cal_Cobra]

Tom I'm sure many would be thrilled to dig any seated half, they're not exactly jumping out of the ground these days ?

It was a fun hunt, but I think the site's been relegated to the proverbial B list for now.

[GB_Amateur]

16 minutes ago, Cal_Cobra said:

I think the site's been relegated to the proverbial B list for now.

Until you get your hands on a Manticore?  Nice finds for both of you, and count me as one who would be over the moon finding a 1858-O half in that condition.

[Doc Bach]

50 minutes ago, Cal_Cobra said:

I've been sick as a dog almost six weeks, and it finally cleared up last week after a heavy regiment of antibiotics.  I haven't been detecting for a couple of months so Tom and I decided to detect one of his back pocket Spanish era western sites. 

The site is getting pretty stingy, but there's still targets here and there.  Right out of the gate I dug an interesting object that looked like a coin, but I didn't recognize it.  Tom thought it was probably a kids play coin.  I threw it in my finds pouch to investigate when I got home.   When I got home, I looked at it more closely in good light and I could see it was dripping with age, but had no idea what I'd found.  I took some closeup photos so I could better see the writing on it, and after some online research discovered that low and be hold I'd dug a hammered token from 1719!!  Here's what I found out about it:

NUREMBERG TOKEN FOR AUGUSTE III of SAXE / MARY-JOSEPH OF AUSTRIA 1719

Diameter: 22mm.
Weight: 0.78g.
Origin: Hérault.
Obverse: AUG III D(eo)G(ratia) POL .REX
Reverse: MARIA IOSEPHA - bottom STADTT (= City of  Nuremberg).

Comment: It is a token minted in Nuremberg in 1719 on the occasion of the marriage of the King of Poland AUGUSTE III of SAXONY, Polish King of German origin, with Marie-Josèphe of Austria, who thus became Queen of Poland herself.

 

Not a lot of other finds, but also ended up with a pewter spoon bowl, a Spanish period ball button (unfortunately NOT a Phoenix ball button ?), a piece of heavy green copper that was fashioned into a kettle/spear point (very cool IMHO), and what appears to be a gold decorative piece of something fancy, not sure what but after looking it over it appears to be period.

Overall a decent hunt, although not brimming with tons of finds, it just takes once good one to turn the tide.  Tom found something cool too, but I'll let him share his good fortune ?

Killer Token!

[Tom_in_CA]

Also Brian :  Great sleuthing work and great pix !

[Cal_Cobra]

1 hour ago, GB_Amateur said:

Until you get your hands on a Manticore?  Nice finds for both of you, and count me as one who would be over the moon finding a 1858-O half in that condition.

There's several sites I'd like to revisit once I get proficient with the Manticore.  Tom D's painted a pretty good picture of it, and what could be possible so it'll be fun to put it to the test.

[Doc Bach]

2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Until you get your hands on a Manticore?  Nice finds for both of you, and count me as one who would be over the moon finding a 1858-O half in that condition.

You gotta love those O mint marks!

[abenson]

Nice bunch if finds guys. I'd be happy with either if those coins.