D2 Scores More Great Finds

[F350Platinum]

2 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

Not quite as much fun as you as I did not score any epic 1700's US coins or silver this time out  (Congrats Mr. G), but it was an epic hunt nevertheless and was happy with my finds.  Probably my most productive day since we first hit that farm last winter.  Nothing like doing the research and finding that second home site we knew was there somewhere.  We waited a long time to be able to get out there and hit this side of farm and it paid off.  Now to solve the next mystery at that site.  Looking forward to further exploration adventures there now that we blazed our shortcut back out of the woods.    Thanks again for the great digs.  Let's do it again, and again and...

Thanks Chase,

You're always welcome no matter who finds what. I don't envy you the trip, but I thought you found some really cool stuff! 👍 Think you might have got more buttons which are always great to find. Those tack decorations are cool, sometimes they represent families. Layers of history... 🤔

[Chase Goldman]

1 hour ago, F350Platinum said:

Thanks Chase,

You're always welcome no matter who finds what. I don't envy you the trip, but I thought you found some really cool stuff! 👍 Think you might have got more buttons which are always great to find. Those tack decorations are cool, sometimes they represent families. Layers of history... 🤔

I’ve collected coins since I was 10 years old and have enjoyed learning about military history from that age, as well.  So to be totally honest, finding old coins or specific military artifacts in my mind is practically always going to overshadow generic relic finds, regardless of provenance.   I’ve done archeological digs where the archeologist gets excited about the type of square nail I’ve dug or a chunk of iron like a piece of hardware from a threshing machine, that reveals context of what was going on at a site.  But I tell you what, if someone recovers a coin or a US military relic everyone (all the archeologists) come a running to see it like we just recovered the Ark of the Covenant.  I think the reason for this is because coins have a date and they were minted from what was generally considered the most precious metals at the time.  Similarly, military artifacts readily point to specific time periods of historic significance.  There’s something about finding an old coin or military artifact at a relic site that makes a hunt seem more complete to me regardless of all the other incredible relics I’ve dug that day.   There’s always a twinge of disappointment when I am personally unable to pop an old coin from any historic site, especially one that has obviously not been hit previously - it's an extremely rare opportunity for me be somewhere where old coins can actually be recovered.  So for better or worse, I look at it as a missed opportunity because the coins, if they are there, disappear pretty quickly, thereafter.  

So I will have to live vicariously through you this time, Bob. Congrats again and thanks for giving me the opportunity to dig history and I'm sure there is a coin or two still hiding there in all that iron, but wow, a pre-1800 US coin, that's rarified air.

Like I said, I was happy with what I did dig and it's always fun to be digging a lot of keeper targets.  Probably the first time I dug two thimbles in the same day and I do have to figure out the interlocking brass ringlets.

And the beauty of the countryside in your neck of the woods makes for a scenic and relaxing drive.

[GB_Amateur]

19 hours ago, F350Platinum said:

I had to sidelight it to get the date to stand out, it's a 1798 Draped Bust Large cent.

Uh, hold the phone! 

You are going to be pleasantly surprised when you notice your error.  Look at two things:  1) the last digit of the date; 2) that triangular shape attached to the rear of the head.  I'll buy a nice 1798 and trade you for that one!  Let me know when you get your feet back on the ground from floating in air after re-iding this.  😀

[Chase Goldman]

27 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

Uh, hold the phone! 

You are going to be pleasantly surprised when you notice your error.  Look at two things:  1) the last digit of the date; 2) that triangular shape attached to the rear of the head.  I'll buy a nice 1798 and trade you for that one!  Let me know when you get your feet back on the ground from floating in air after re-iding this.  😀

Yowza.  You are right, Chuck!

[BigSkyGuy]

Wow! Only 11,056 minted of the 1793 cap.

[F350Platinum]

3 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Uh, hold the phone! 

You are going to be pleasantly surprised when you notice your error.  Look at two things:  1) the last digit of the date; 2) that triangular shape attached to the rear of the head.  I'll buy a nice 1798 and trade you for that one!  Let me know when you get your feet back on the ground from floating in air after re-iding this.  😀

😅 Thanks GB, but after reading that with even more than two syllables 🧐 I discovered the truth, which I discussed with another forum member who nailed the ID on my 1607 KJ1 in less than 5 minutes while I was in the field.

I sidelighted the coin yet again, and photographed this:

Then I went to this site and got these images for comparison:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/an-introduction-to-the-u-s-large-cent-part-1.362560/

I downloaded these two images, first the 1798:

And then the venerable and more valuable 1793:

Believe me I would love it if it was the 1793, but the endowment of the lady in question is almost off the coin in 1798 as opposed to the more modest 1793.

Apparently, sidelighting can be gaslighting too, lesson learned. 🙂 Thanks for the fast heartbeat! 🤣 

What remains now is discovering which of the hairstyles she has. 🤔

[F350Platinum]

18 minutes ago, BigSkyGuy said:

Wow! Only 11,056 minted of the 1793 cap.

Thanks BSG, I wish. 😅 I'll take it though, it's a great find nonetheless. 🙂

[GB_Amateur]

31 minutes ago, F350Platinum said:

Thanks GB, but after reading that with even more than two syllables 🧐 I discovered the truth,...

Ah, I see what you are talking about.  The '8' (what I thought was a '3') digit is quite confusing, as is the hair braid (pseudo cap).  I've been trying to tie the reverse of yours to that of the 1793 and was having trouble finding a good match; now I see why.  The 1798 reverse you show is much better in sync with your find.

These copper coins, especially the 100% copper ones (as all half and large cents were/are) with so much time in the ground can add material (loosely thrown into the corrosion category) which further increases the confusion.  And then there is the lighting/shadows needed to bring out the detail photographically.  That also can be misleading which is why numismatists (like geologists) really want to see a specimen in person.

I was guilty of wishful thinking.  I guess you didn't get to walk in the clouds after all.  😏  You'll just have to wait longer for your (true) rare coin find.  (Lots of company there....)

 

[Chase Goldman]

Any pre-1800 US minted coin is still worth cloud walking as far as I'm concerned.  

[BigSkyGuy]

Oh well. Great find anyway!