Update...Find Of A Lifetime!!!!!! 1792 Half Disme!

[Marc in VA]

Back in October 2006 My buddy Dale and I went relic hunting at a freshly cleared construction site. The first few hours were fairly productive as we were digging both union and confederate bullets and a few buttons. The finds were becoming few and far between so I decided to move on to another area of the large site. I saw an area that had many holes dug from the previous weekends hunters so I thought I would see if they had missed anything. Right away I dug a deep Gardner bullet, then another, and another. A foot away I received another bullet signal on my Explorer and I dug a hole fully expecting another Gardner. I was shocked to see a small silver coin on top of my dirt pile. I picked up the coin and first thought it was a Spanish half reale. Then I looked more closely and realized it was an American coin and then I saw the date 1792. I wasn't sure what I was holding but it was old. I knew I had seen the bust before but where. I flipped the coin over and found the reverse very worn but I thought for sure I could read Half Disme. I called my buddy over and we looked at my find for a few minutes and then went back to detecting. I tried hunting some more but I couldn't concentrate. I just had to know what I found. I walked to my truck and called my wife. I asked her to get my red book and look up the coin I had just dug. She said that the half dimes started at 1793. Thats when I realized what I had dug. I told her to go to the colonial section and she found it. When she told me what it was worth I about died. Needless to say my day of digging was over.
I spent the next few days searching the internet and learning about the history of the half disme. The half disme was the very first coin ever minted by the United States. The silver used in these coins was donated by George Washington mainly in the form of Martha's silver serving set. Three thousand 1792 half dismes were minted in a basement in Philadelphia. The US mint building was still under construction. After the coins were minted Thomas Jefferson personally took them to Monticello and then delivered them to George Washington at Mt. Vernon. From there George gave many to friends and dignitaries and many others were put into circulation. Between 250 and 300 1792 half dismes are known to exist today.
I never thought I would ever dig a very rare coin and I had no idea what to do. I consulted with many people and received lots of good advice. I first had it authenticated and then came the hard decision as to sell it or keep it. I knew that coin prices were at their peek and there was always the chance that more 1792 half dismes could be found and come on the market which would drop the price. I also thought that such an historical coin did nobody any good sitting in my safe. It needed to be in a major collectors collection or in a museum. I decided to consign my half disme to Stacks Rare Coins in NY City and it was auctioned off at the Baltimore Coin Auction in March. Do I regret selling it? Not really. I have the memories, the pictures, the Coin World article, and the W&ET Best Finds issues and award. My advice to anyone who digs a valuable coin or relic is this. Seek advice from reputable people. Dint rush into anything. Be prepared to make a very hard decision, to sell or not. And if you decide to sell do your homework. Ebay is not the place for rare coins. Go with a trusted and reputable auction firm such as Stacks. Thank you for looking and I hope everyone someday makes their find of a lifetime.

Marc

[jeff of pa]

Thanks Marc.

That is the Holy Grail of U.S. Coins !

You Must be Flying !

CONGRATS !

Jeff

[j.d. in missouri]

shes a beauty Marc!! wtg i love finds like that!! what a day buddy

[comfyinvermont]

Marc, what a find. Make sure you submit it to best finds. Congrats on an outstanding find...Lance

[diggummup]

I wanna go detecting with you!!!!! Please,pretty please! Sweet coin,Looks like one for the record books! Or at least "best finds"! Get that sucker graded and slabbed!Congrats.

[romeo-1]

Outstanding! Sounds like the Holy Grail!

[Blackjack77]

Wow- a MDer making a profit!!
Nice find- I would have been
doing a happy dance too-LOL
Congrats

[JerV3]

Congrats on a awesome coin.

That is for sure a find of a lifetime. Never seen one before today.

HH Jer

[mountainplayer]

I'm new enough to treasure hunting that I thought you'd misspelled DIME!

[jeff of pa]

Definately Submit it to W&E Right away !

[Mona Lisa]

Congratulations, Marc in VA, on a find of a lifetime. I bet you're floating on air right now.

Now.....what are you going to do with it? Keep it or sell it?

[lucky1777]

Congratulations on the most amazing find I have ever seen on this site. Just holding that coin and knowing that Jefferson carried it is just amazing.

[Hardy]

That is definitely a find of a life time!! you did it bud and congratulations on a dig well done!
just remember to start breathing!! two thumbs up!!!

[Skrimpy]

H.S.! That's one of 1500? Hurry up and get that sucker graded! I'de love to see what it grades and what it's worth! Got any close ups or high res pics?

[The Seeker]

Bar none!!!! ...........That is one for the Tnet History Books! Great , Great Find.........

[Bobby S]

Very Nice

[daytondigger]

Noyhing I can say except,

[Mirage]

Holy $$ $$$. A very rare coin. $10,000+. WOW. Now that is what you call treasure.

Thanks for posting.

Mirage

[Gypsy Heart]

I am pretty sure I would have still been passed out cold if I had found it....What an ultimate reward for you! You need to get that in Bests right now! Many Many congratulations !

[Gribnitz]

Well, I think that qualifies as a magazine find To think Thomas Jefferson actually held that coin is history in itself. Congrats on that one. It will be hard to ever top that one.