What's your Rarest Find

[ken135]

It's been a while since anyone has posted on the Finds - Indiana forum so I thought I'd post my rarest find to date.

I found this about 21 years ago on the SW side of Indianapolis near an old 1870's church. I had no idea what it was, but later found some information on the internet at an auction site (see below).
It turned out to be an 1855 George Washington Mechanical Brass Medal...still intact and working.

 

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[ken135]

1855 California Gold Half-Dollar (BG-432)

One of the unexpected and exciting things about metal detecting has been the discovery of so many items from the past that I had no idea existed. About five years ago, I found something round and gold colored but much smaller than the US $1 gold coin. So I didn't get too excited, perhaps the back piece to an earring? I yelled over at my hunting buddy that I found something gold. He ran over, looked at it, got excited and told me I found a California fractional gold coin. Never heard of them and thought he was joking.

Well, he was right. I gently blew off some of the dirt and could see the California & Half. In the excitement, he told me to get a picture of it in the hole with the detector.





When I got home I gently cleaned it, did some research online and was able to identify the coin as BG-432. Also learned there were over 400 different types of California gold coins of the quarter and half dollar denomination. You don't see a lot of these being found or mentioned on MD'ing forums. They are so small it's hard to believe someone would carry them in their pocket.





Here are some useful links for those who want to learn more about these coins. Very interesting history.

https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/category/territorial/california-fractional-gold-1852-1882/1659
https://cgobr.com/rare-coins/territorial/california-fractional-gold-1852-1882/
https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-explorer/california-fractional-gold-pscid-84-desig-ms

Detector setup ? response information:
This was the first time I used my new G2+ and this was the first coin I found with it. Right place, right time, I guess. We had hunted this site many times previously finding trimes, trickles, half-dimes, dimes (bust and seated), half reales, shield nickels, etc.. The gold coin was about 6-7 inches deep. My setup was no discrimination, 2-tone with V-break at 35 (most iron hits less than 40). The gold half dollar air tests at 46-47. Reference: Shield nickels at 55-56.

I'm sure there are many unusual and/or rare finds by Indiana MD'ing hunters each year. We don't live in an old Colonial state or Europe with their ancient coins, but there are some nice items being found in Indiana. Please share your discoveries and stories to the Indiana Forum.

 

[fishstick]

1855 California Gold Half-Dollar (BG-432)

One of the unexpected and exciting things about metal detecting has been the discovery of so many items from the past that I had no idea existed. About five years ago, I found something round and gold colored but much smaller than the US $1 gold coin. So I didn't get too excited, perhaps the back piece to an earring? I yelled over at my hunting buddy that I found something gold. He ran over, looked at it, got excited and told me I found a California fractional gold coin. Never heard of them and thought he was joking.

Well, he was right. I gently blew off some of the dirt and could see the California & Half. In the excitement, he told me to get a picture of it in the hole with the detector.

View attachment 1933301

View attachment 1933302

When I got home I gently cleaned it, did some research online and was able to identify the coin as BG-432. Also learned there were over 400 different types of California gold coins of the quarter and half dollar denomination. You don't see a lot of these being found or mentioned on MD'ing forums. They are so small it's hard to believe someone would carry them in their pocket.

View attachment 1933304

View attachment 1933305

Here are some useful links for those who want to learn more about these coins. Very interesting history.

https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/category/territorial/california-fractional-gold-1852-1882/1659
https://cgobr.com/rare-coins/territorial/california-fractional-gold-1852-1882/
https://www.ngccoin.com/coin-explorer/california-fractional-gold-pscid-84-desig-ms

Detector setup ? response information:
This was the first time I used my new G2+ and this was the first coin I found with it. Right place, right time, I guess. We had hunted this site many times previously finding trimes, trickles, half-dimes, dimes (bust and seated), half reales, shield nickels, etc.. The gold coin was about 6-7 inches deep. My setup was no discrimination, 2-tone with V-break at 35 (most iron hits less than 40). The gold half dollar air tests at 46-47. Reference: Shield nickels at 55-56.

I'm sure there are many unusual and/or rare finds by Indiana MD'ing hunters each year. We don't live in an old Colonial state or Europe with their ancient coins, but there are some nice items being found in Indiana. Please share your discoveries and stories to the Indiana Forum.

First off; KILLER find!!!!!!!! Second, that's a great pic to show how small those really are and last did you find that in Indiana? If so that's even better

 

[creskol]

I don't know how rare it is, or how old it is, but this is one of my favorite eyeballed finds.

 

[ken135]

First off; KILLER find!!!!!!!! Second, that's a great pic to show how small those really are and last did you find that in Indiana? If so that's even better

fishstick - yes, I did find it in Indiana. Montgomery Co

 

[fishstick]

I don't know how rare it is, or how old it is, but this is one of my favorite eyeballed finds. View attachment 2068255

That's a crazy one there, would luv to see more pics of it. What's your thoughts on it?

 

[Cobradude22]

fishstick - yes, I did find it in Indiana. Montgomery Co

Ken, have you been to the “fairgrounds“ lately? I have permission to go out there. We tried once and I didn’t find anything lol. I remember meeting you out there when I was cruising in the cobra. It would be interesting to take one of the new detectors out there with an increase in depth and see what turns up.

 

[dognose]

Nice find, SW Indy has some old sites.
congrats on that amazing find.

 

[ken135]

Ken, have you been to the “fairgrounds“ lately? I have permission to go out there. We tried once and I didn’t find anything lol. I remember meeting you out there when I was cruising in the cobra. It would be interesting to take one of the new detectors out there with an increase in depth and see what turns up.

Yes, I remember you stopping by with your cobra. That site has been well hunter for 40+ yrs. When you do find something, it usually is something good. I stopped by there last month on one of those warm days. Worked a different spot way back from the road. It had a lot of trash mixed with hot rocks and iron. Very challenging. Only found one Indian Head penny. Not sure a deeper detector would work well in that situation. I've been using the improved "old tech" with the DeepTech X detector. I could tell by sound the difference in hot rock, iron, trash or coin. Good luck if you get out there with a new deeper detector. Let me know how it goes.

 

[Exhuminator]

I didn't find it, but this very recent find has to be insanely rare:

2,000-year-old bronze nude figure with a huge hinged PHALLUS

Paul Shepheard, 69, was at a detector rally in Haconby, Lincolnshire in 2022 when he made the find in a stubble field.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[sadsack]

Hi Ken