St. Louis road trip to a POUNDED park gave me a $1000 dime. A shocker 1916D Merc

[silverfreak]

I'm still shakin...seriously.

My buddy Phil and I road tripped to St. Louis over Memorial weekend to hit some parks.
We met up with the "sammie king" himself...Nick Papageorgio.
I've been looking forward to hunting with Nick again for over a year now so I knew it would be a blast whether we found anything or not.

We started out at one park where I spotted a nice looking area that had some shade trees along it.
The tree line set up on a small hillside overlooking a ball diamond a few yards away.

It wasn't long before we started getting overrun by clad hits...everywhere.
I just slowed down and tried my best to concentrate for a deeper "warble" to come through the clad hits.

About 30 minutes into the hunt I got nice HEAVY sterling silver man's band from about 8" down.

I plugged along for another hour or so then got a very sweet "warble" that was buried on the depth meter.
I called over the Yeti so he run his coil over it... and was happy to see the 6 x 8 SEF coil he had on was nailing it too. He agreed...deeeeeep silver dime!
We were both wrong. From nearly 10" down came the sterling silver cub scouts ring.

After 2 more hours of scorching heat...2 bottles of Pepsi...and a SWEET ham/turkey/roast beef "sammie" provided by brother Nick ...we decided to vamoose to another park.

We arrived at one park and it was just simply too crowded...so we headed to another.

When we got there Nick asked me where I wanted to hunt at...but I don't know my way around the park...so I just told him to keep driving until I flagged him down.
What a big mistake that was because traffic was backed up inside the park for nearly 45 minutes.
After driving around the park some more...I finally saw the spot I was looking for. I had no clue where it was...and no clue how to find it...but I knew as soon as I saw it...that it was the spot I had hunted a few years back that had produced some oldies.

We all spread out and began pounding the turf. I chose to pound an area that looked like it would have been the LEAST promising to past hunters.
After about 30 minutes I got a deep wheatie and a couple of shallow clad quarters...then nothing for a while.

About 45 minutes went by until I came upon a big tree with about 3 feet of turf on the outside strip...so I just continued my path towards it.
I got a nice deep warbly hit which almost buried the depth meter. It hit okay from a couple of angles... but broke up somewhat from the other 2 angles.
Anyway I dug down about 8" and then ran the probe. It sang nice and clear...and from right at 9" down...out popped a worn Merc...SWEET. My first and only silver coin of the day...but without my glasses on...it was just another worn Merc.

I continued on hunting... holding the merc.. wheatie...and 2 clad quarters in my left hand as I hunted.
I then got an iffy injun hit so I stopped to investigate it.
Right before I started to dig the hole..I called the Yeti (Phil) over near to where I was.
I chucked the worn Merc about 10 feet his way and asked him if he could read the date to me because I didn't have my glasses on.
He was no help either and his response was "it's a worn Merc...that's all I can tell ya' because I don't have my glasses on either".
He then chucked the Merc back to me and I just plopped the coins on the blade of predator and listened to them "clank" as they came to rest. 8)

I then remembered I still had to check the injun hit...so I set the coins on the grass as I dug.
The hit turned out to be a nice little piece of wire which frustrated me. I was also starting to get eaten alive by mosquitoes...so I told Yeti we needed to bum some bug spray off of Nick.
I headed Nick's way...all the while clutching the 4 coins in my hand...not concerned about the lonely worn merc being jostled around with the clad quarters.

I got to where he was and asked him if he had some bug spray we could use. I then gave him the merc and asked him to see if he could make out a date.
He quickly said it was a 1916...and my heart raced a little...but I didn't think much of it. Not until he turned it over anyway...and said it had a mintmark.
I then became a little excited because heck...I know it goes through EVERYONE'S mind...the goofy thought of actually hitting the big one...but still truthfully didn't think much about it.

I yelled at the Yeti and said... "Nick says it's a 1916...and it has a mint mark".

We headed to the car...and I didn't get any false hopes up about the dime.
Nick handed me the bug spray and I sprayed some on while he looked at the reverse of the dime through a magnifying loop.
He then said "Holy freakin' shi#...I think I see a $%^*ing D"
I replied. "Oh bull...don't mess with me bro..seriously...what does it say"?
He then blurts out. "Dude...I'm serious...I swear I think that's a #$%^ing D"

I then started to accept the possibility of what I might have.
Nick called me over to view it through the magnifier...and I nearly loaded my shorts. There it was... a D mint mark. My hair started tingling...my head started pounding...my stomach started churning...and I seriously had to crouch down and collect myself.

After chucking this Merc 10 feet to the Yeti (Phil) ...carrying it inbetween 2 clad quarters ...and banging it off the end of the Predator digger ...it turned out to be the coveted 1916D Mercury dime.

Just an incredible moment in time that I will never forget...and it was made so much more special being able to share it with Nick and Phil.
I can only hope they don't think any less of me after I nearly got overwhelmed with emotion...nearly getting sick
I truthfully don't think they do...especially since Nick yelled out as loud as he could..."That's why they call him the freak" ..and Phil promised to entertain us with the "Yeti dance". (Some type of Sasquatch happiness ritual )

In all the price guides I have looked at...and from the info I have been given by many people...it's worth anywhere from $1000 for the AG-3 grade....to $1500 for the G-4 good grade. I'm not a collector or grader...but almost everyone is telling me this is a G-4 coin. It doesn't matter to me what grade it is

1916D or not though...my favorite and most meaningful Merc is hanging from my neck.

Sunday Phil and I went back to St.Louis to hunt with some of the fellers' at our annual Midwest Coinshooters club hunt.
There were about 20 of us and we all just spread out at the beat up park chosen for the event.
I told the Yeti we would be lucky if we dug one keper from this place..and i wasn't far off for what the day would produce.

Well after nearly 2 hours I finally dug my first coin..an 1881 Injun from 8" down.

I then plugged away for nearly another 2 hours before getting another decent hit.
It was another one of those hits that I can't explain the sound on. If it was a normal sound...it wouldn't have still been in the ground awaiting someone to pop it out.

As I set the SE down and bent over to dig...I heard this sick slobbering sound off in the distance. It sounded like a bunch of cattle chewing grass...so I glanced over my shoulder to see what it was.
I just busted out laughing as I saw none other than the Yeti... his mouth was flapping and slobber was flyin'. He was off in the distance grazing on wild berries. I kid you not...he was seriously picking and eating wild berries from the grass like the Yeti he is

Meeting friends and hunting...SWEET. "Sammies" provided by Nick Papageorgio....MIGHTY TASTY. Digging a $1000 dime from a pounded park...AWESOME. Seeing the Yeti off in the distance grazing on wild berries...PRICELESS.

I yelled..."Dude...what the freak are you doing"?
He responded..."I didn't get no desert at McDonalds...I'm hungry"
He then babbled something about warning me not to eat the wild strawberries...as he spit seeds and grass from his mouth.

After collecting myself and coming to the realization of exactly why I gave Phil the nickname of "The Yeti"...I started to dig a plug.
I got down about 6" and off to the side of the hole was a big rusty bolt. I showed the Yeti how it was lodged in the side of the hole and there were little pieces wedged in there too.
The probe then screamed about 3" deeper...so I dug out a clod and out popped an 1892O Barber dime that had been masked by the iron all these years.

What a fun couple of days. Yeti got some silver and injuns...and Nick got some nice goodies too.

All in all...probably the best weekend of metal detecting I've ever had in my life. I was able to road trip...get 2 full days of hunting in...meet up with brother Nick and his "sammies"...enjoy this wonderful hobby...and dig every silver coin hunter's ultimate dream...the 1916D Merc.

Thanks for viewing and sharing this with me.

[Jerry1NJ]

Great find!!!!! A++++++

[Kyle PA]

Awesome 1916-D Mercury dime, Bryce! That is a find of a lifetime and a banner find indeed. I have nominated it for banner! Outstanding dig, buddy!

Kyle

[etrac007]

awesome finds and a great story

[lasttoknow (Tim)]

no @#$%$#@ way..... LOL.... congrats man on a nice find....

[itbeepsidig]

BANNER....BANNER....BANNER

You ARE the SILVERFREAK.
I don't remember seeing one of these posted before. Congratulations

[RPG]

I've only one thing to say...BANNER.

[Kirk PA]

Hey, buddy, it is good to see such a venerable character such as yourself dig an awesome coin! You definitely deserved it, my friend!

Keep the passion high!

Kirk

[gxray]

WOW!!!!...Awsome find and awesome story . Congrats on the dime. Truely amazing!! I vote Banner!

[Moonshadow]

That was a really long story Bryce, and I enjoyed every single word of it!! Congrats on your once in a lifetime find....it was definitely your day!!

HH,
Moon

[MarkinIa]

Holy cow, what a SWEEEEET find.

[silverfreak]

no @#$%$#@ way..... LOL.... congrats man on a nice find....

Thanks Tim

awesome finds and a great story

Thanks buddy

Awesome 1916-D Mercury dime, Bryce! That is a find of a lifetime and a banner find indeed. I have nominated it for banner! Outstanding dig, buddy!

Kyle

Thanks buddy. I nearly needed a "Banner" of toilet paper once I realized what I had

Great find!!!!! A++++++

Thanks Jerry

[silverfreak]

Hey, buddy, it is good to see such a venerable character such as yourself dig an awesome coin! You definitely deserved it, my friend!

Keep the passion high!

Kirk

Thanks Kirk. I appreciate it. Now go dig me some "coppas" buddy

I've only one thing to say...BANNER.

Thanks RPG

BANNER....BANNER....BANNER

You ARE the SILVERFREAK.
I don't remember seeing one of these posted before. Congratulations

Thanks Beep.

[silverfreak]

Holy cow, what a SWEEEEET find.

Thanks Mark

That was a really long story Bryce, and I enjoyed every single word of it!! Congrats on your once in a lifetime find....it was definitely your day!!

HH,
Moon

Thanks Moon.

[stoney56]

WTG silverfreak! Looks like the hunt was worth the trip!

Hey Nick, tell silverfreak no more sammies, he owes you dinner @ Acero's!

[dfx willy]

man bryce you sure have a thing for mercs! maby we sould call you merc master now. willy.

[gibsondan]

You are a true metal detecting celebrity. Awesome post! Congrats on the rare Mercury dime.

[allen]

congrats on that beauty !!!!!

[hogge]

CONGRATULATIONS BRYCE! I'm glad your hunt with " The Godfather" turned out so well. I know you hunt very hard, and now the reward, with a rare coin, IS YOURS. I can't think of anyone more deserving than you. My BANNER vote is in. The mods better give you this! Your T-Net Friend........ Hogge

[EpsilonMinus]

Awesome story, man! Like you seem to be implying, the adventure and time spent with your friends made the trip as worthwhile as the cool finds themselves. Thanks for sharing this, great stuff!