Boom! First Silver! 1853 Seated Liberty Half Dollar

CmonNow

Tenderfoot
Jan 20, 2020
5
46
Western Wisconsin
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800,
Garrett AT Max,
Fisher F44
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Four inches under the surface, three feet from a paved walking/biking trail and four feet from the base of some support cables for a power pole, not far from one of the main entrances to the county fairgrounds in town. The fairgrounds have been used for that purpose since at least 1895 according to historic maps, and maybe longer based on this coin.

It's pretty well worn, with a lot of the detail gone. But, I knew I had a lifetime event on my hands as soon as it popped loose from the dirt. I saw the edge and a little bit of one side, saw the shine, and knew it was silver. I about soiled myself and passed out. Not only because of the silver, but partly because it was 91 degrees F, humid, no breeze, the sun was pounding me like a professional boxer, and sweat was dripping off my nose.

Yes, I scratched it, right next to the date. Somehow I always knew I would scratch my first silver, and I came to accept that in a dream some time back. But that's okay, it makes it mine. And it wouldn't have been for sale at any price, so it doesn't matter. Well, if it was mint condition and worth $3000, maybe I would have thought about selling it for a minute or two, but I really don't think so.

Found 11 other coins today, all clad and pennies, along with a copper token from Grand Slam Sports, which is a laser tag and "family entertainment" place in Burnsville, Minnesota, about 45 minutes from here. The token rang up like an old penny or a dime. I didn't scratch the damn token. Oh no, of course not, not the token, that looks as good as the day it was struck. 😭

I have probably 20 hours into hunting this fairgrounds and I've found about 40 coins, but this one is the king (queen?). Just by chance, the head groundskeeper came by right after I found it, was pretty interested, took a picture of the coin, and told me that other people detect here from time to time, and drove off on his golf cart. Bad news about other people detecting there (which I suspected because of what I was finding and not finding), but they missed this one, the *******es. 🙂

I bought an AT Max to give some variety from using my Equinox. I found this with the AT Max. It rang up at 87-90 in the ground and 89-90 on the surface. I wish I had found it with the Equinox because it really has a hold on my heart more than the AT Max does, but I made the decision to use the Garrett today, and now I have to live with it. I think I'll be okay.

My life felt complete for about 15 minutes afterward and I was walking on air, but then I realized that that fairgrounds is old, and even though other sad schlubs have been detecting there, there is still more old silver to be found, there has to be. I've only covered about ten percent of the total ground available there, and I will keep at it. I have no choice now.


1853 Seated Liberty Half Dollar - First Silver found 02.jpg 1853 Seated Liberty Half Dollar back - First Silver found 02.jpg
 

Last edited:
Upvote 6

SD51

Silver Member
Aug 24, 2016
4,832
9,956
MI
Detector(s) used
E-TRAC
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Incredible coin, Congrats!
 

OhioTrevor

Full Member
Jan 2, 2020
137
543
Ohio
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
So what's the verdict? AT Pro or Equinox?
 

nuggetdog

Sr. Member
Jan 29, 2014
255
321
Utah
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You have to love that silver adrenaline rush, finding clad will never be the same[emoji1]
 

Tommybuckets

Bronze Member
Mar 2, 2015
1,056
1,894
Bodymore, Metalland
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Excal, Safari, Garrett infinium, Whites prizm 4
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thats a heck of a first silver. I've found hundreds of silver coins but only one seated liberty. 1853 o mintmark. Nice first. May you get many more. Keep looking in those unconventional places where the other guys assumed it was just trash.
 

BigRay

Jr. Member
Apr 21, 2019
39
27
Northeast Wisconsin
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 400
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Great find. Thats a moment that you will never forget. Keep looking im sure their are more around there.
 

PullTabPete

Hero Member
Jun 14, 2012
784
777
Michigan
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Excal II E-trac EQ 800
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Beats my first silver - a 62 Roosevelt by long way!

Congrats and hope you find many more.

Pete
 

billb

Silver Member
Sep 23, 2010
4,673
10,421
New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Excalibur2,,silver sabre
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Four inches under the surface, three feet from a paved walking/biking trail and four feet from the base of some support cables for a power pole, not far from one of the main entrances to the county fairgrounds in town. The fairgrounds have been used for that purpose since at least 1895 according to historic maps, and maybe longer based on this coin.

It's pretty well worn, with a lot of the detail gone. But, I knew I had a lifetime event on my hands as soon as it popped loose from the dirt. I saw the edge and a little bit of one side, saw the shine, and knew it was silver. I about soiled myself and passed out. Not only because of the silver, but partly because it was 91 degrees F, humid, no breeze, the sun was pounding me like a professional boxer, and sweat was dripping off my nose.

Yes, I scratched it, right next to the date. Somehow I always knew I would scratch my first silver, and I came to accept that in a dream some time back. But that's okay, it makes it mine. And it wouldn't have been for sale at any price, so it doesn't matter. Well, if it was mint condition and worth $3000, maybe I would have thought about selling it for a minute or two, but I really don't think so.

Found 11 other coins today, all clad and pennies, along with a copper token from Grand Slam Sports, which is a laser tag and "family entertainment" place in Burnsville, Minnesota, about 45 minutes from here. The token rang up like an old penny or a dime. I didn't scratch the damn token. Oh no, of course not, not the token, that looks as good as the day it was struck. 😭

I have probably 20 hours into hunting this fairgrounds and I've found about 40 coins, but this one is the king (queen?). Just by chance, the head groundskeeper came by right after I found it, was pretty interested, took a picture of the coin, and told me that other people detect here from time to time, and drove off on his golf cart. Bad news about other people detecting there (which I suspected because of what I was finding and not finding), but they missed this one, the *******es. 🙂

I bought an AT Max to give some variety from using my Equinox. I found this with the AT Max. It rang up at 87-90 in the ground and 89-90 on the surface. I wish I had found it with the Equinox because it really has a hold on my heart more than the AT Max does, but I made the decision to use the Garrett today, and now I have to live with it. I think I'll be okay.

My life felt complete for about 15 minutes afterward and I was walking on air, but then I realized that that fairgrounds is old, and even though other sad schlubs have been detecting there, there is still more old silver to be found, there has to be. I've only covered about ten percent of the total ground available there, and I will keep at it. I have no choice now.


View attachment 1838643 View attachment 1838644
Nice find Congratulations
 

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