Dont cry for me, TNet!

Lowbatts

Gold Member
Jul 1, 2003
6,573
67
Elgin
Detector(s) used
Fishers 1235X-8" CZ-20/21-8" F-70-11"DD GC1023
Don't cry for me, TNet!

The sidewalk work is ongoing around town, been hitting it relentlessly. It's a far cry from last years street work in terms of return on coil time so far. In the last 20 or so blocks of sidewalks and parkways I've pulled 5 silvers, 2 mercs and three rosies, 3 IH's, no nicks out side of modern jeffs and a buttload of clad. I have gotten a lot of wheaties and one silver ring.

Lots of watch faces, four today. Fronts, backs and innards from Elgin pocket watches litter the area and give the impression of another LC or silver dollar, arghh! Gotten two small round tins, one full of water, the other full of beads with two holes in each that appear to be mechanical in nature, not decorative. There was a winding stem in that one but it hit the street and got lost when I dropped it onsite after opening it to see what was inside. Wasn't going to wait several months for it to loosen up like the one with the four "stones" in it two years ago.

But today was different. Got a signal under a freshly pulled slab. Down about an inch in the oily, cinder-laden dirt a differently colored coin appeared. The back side first showed itself and revealed words that bring glee, hope and tears of joy. SAN FRANCISCO across the top. Looked like an eagle in the middle, both wings spread but dirt obscured the full image. Then on the bottom, the LEGEND you all want to see on any dug coin.

TWENTY D.

Flipping it over, well I could see something different, something you never want to see in a dream but only on a hunt. A beautiful coronet head with a date of 1854. No "LIBERTY" in the headband. No, this had the full "KELLOG & CO." legend.

Kellog & Co. was the premier private mint of the San Francisco gold rush coinage. Everything fit.

It was 7:30 and children on their way to school surrounded me at the corner, talking among themselves quietly about this visage of a man kneeling and LICKING this dirty coin while bowing up and down and mumbling, "Can't be, MUST be, Can't be...". What?!? You think I was gonna rub it?

I tried to take pics with my camera and send them to everyone on the my contact list. Failed. Twice.

What to do? Who's awake? Called Mark, AKA Watercolor. In my usual unmuted defiance of reality boldly proclaiming my find. As I talked to him details became clear on the front and back of the coin.

The rest is, how do you say? Oh yeah... "Crap happens."

Skates, it should have been your find. Or Neil. Or ANYONE but me. Sometimes you just gotta quit chasing that dream.
 

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aa battery

Gold Member
Oct 11, 2006
10,620
3,240
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Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

HOray dang that hurts
 

metman

Jr. Member
Jul 28, 2010
57
0
Metamora, IL
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

Great find and nice play-by-play!!
The only story that may be better is how it got there.
 

Gimmie The Loot

Bronze Member
May 11, 2010
1,241
45
Driftwood, TX
Detector(s) used
etrac, ACE 250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

How cool! Get out the dremel and grind off any words similar to "copy"! What year do you think that thing REALLY is?

This is almost as sad as the lotto ticket I bought last weekend. Matched my number all 5 times and ended up with $10.
 

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marinedad

Bronze Member
Dec 14, 2009
1,642
45
pisgah forest, n.c.
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
minelab e-trac and equinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

DARN THAT FOUR LETTER WORD.
 

jsandman

Jr. Member
Dec 8, 2010
49
0
Schiller Park Illinois
Detector(s) used
E-Trac
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

Great story ................cool find!!

Looks like you have done awesome with pulled sidewalks. Being a newbie I wouldn't have thought about the
sidewalks. Makes good sense.

James
 

OP
OP
Lowbatts

Lowbatts

Gold Member
Jul 1, 2003
6,573
67
Elgin
Detector(s) used
Fishers 1235X-8" CZ-20/21-8" F-70-11"DD GC1023
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

Thanks for the flowers and cards!

Yeah, it is a cool find after all, in my book. (mumbling like Yosemite Sam again)

I'll be back out there tomorrow. The mem cents don't look so bad right about now...
 

Tuberale

Gold Member
May 12, 2010
5,775
3,446
Portland, Oregon
Detector(s) used
White's Coinmaster Pro
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

You still alive, Lowbatts? If it had been me, I don't think I would have made it. ("I'm coming to join ya, Elizabeth!" while clutching heart.)

Thanks for posting.
 

dirtyJohn

Hero Member
Nov 30, 2007
643
47
Whiskey Junction, IL
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75 LTD2, Tesoro Tiger Shark, DetectorPro Uniprobe, DetectorPro Pistol Probe
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

Ouch!
HH
John
 

treasurefiend

Gold Member
Mar 17, 2008
7,445
93
Chicago IL
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Excal_II Minelab_Explorer_SE_Pro w/ SunRay pinpointer & Garrett_Ace250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

Oh man that hurts!!!!!! :-[
 

OP
OP
Lowbatts

Lowbatts

Gold Member
Jul 1, 2003
6,573
67
Elgin
Detector(s) used
Fishers 1235X-8" CZ-20/21-8" F-70-11"DD GC1023
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

Okay fellow dreamers, pony up with the vote.
Should I:
A. Have it cleaned and replated, and change the headband legend to "Lowbatts" and rebury it somewhere in Chicagoland?

B. Throw it away?

C. Shoot it through the middle and scrawl, "Killed by Lowbatts" on it?

D. Just let it go and get some therapy on the remaining sidewalk digs?
 

Dirt fishing Wolf

Bronze Member
Dec 29, 2009
2,198
420
G P, Illinois
Detector(s) used
DFX, Nokta Makro Simplex +
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

D- for now, A- your winter project, Spring challenge to jump start The Illinois BANNER 2012.
 

Clad the Impaler

Hero Member
Jan 11, 2010
756
94
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

JEEZ!! I take a few days off to go out of town and look what I miss!! Man that stinks!! Although, I gotta say, you're probably the most likely IL T-netter to find a REAL one given the history of your area...
 

aa battery

Gold Member
Oct 11, 2006
10,620
3,240
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

E. keep it good for future stories :read2:
 

NaturalJWL

Hero Member
Jul 19, 2007
577
46
NC
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

Option E:

Put it in a small jar with your story from here and bury it for a future hunter to find. :icon_thumleft:

Adding this years coins, with your story, will turn it from a nice to a better find. :dontknow:

And, you will be returning something to the hobby, while you sit back and grin. :tongue3:
 

milco

Jr. Member
Nov 4, 2010
23
3
Re: Don't cry for me, TNet!

I can't even imagine, a cool find nonetheless.
 

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