1800 Draped Bust Dime!!!!!!!!!!!!

1235CE

Hero Member
May 23, 2006
663
195
The Beautiful Berkshires in Western Mass.
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White's DFX
Hello all.......I cannot believe what I found tonight!!!!!.........well, let me back up 3 years to let you know how I ended up swinging a loop where I did after work tonight......my brother works with a guy who happens to own about 500 acres of hay fields (all neatly divided by old stone walls) in Western Mass. (The Beautiful Berkshires)

He learned of our hobby and said (3 years ago) to help yourself to checking out my fields anytime you want and we hit the fields hard for the first year with only a Buffalo nickel to show for our efforts. The next year (2007) I took a friend of mine out into the very middle of one field and completely out of the blue we found 3 Large Cents within about 10 feet of each other (1801,1803 Draped Bust and a really nice 1787 NJ Copper)........and so we POUNDED that one particular field for the rest of that summer and NOTHING else. I mean literally coming home with clean hands.

I did not even hit these fields at all last year and then last week, lacking for a new place to go, I decided to back to the "Large Cent Field"........this time something caught my eye near the edge of the field.......it was 4 square field stones, in the shape of a square (maybe a 20x20 shack, house, cabin, who knows?......and this "foundation" was about 200 feet from where the Large Cents came from.......so I start focusing on this area and I immediately get an 1906 Indian Head at about 4 inches and then 5 feet from that I get a quarter signal (+87 on my XLT) also at 4 inches and I was THRILLED to pull out an 1918-s Standing Liberty Quarter........it's been a REALLY slow year for me and this was only my 6th silver all year........so yes, I was VERY HAPPY!

Was thinking about that spot all week and finally got a chance to go back tonight and grid out a larger area, moving away from the 4 stones, getting closer to the spot where the large cents came from........with clean hands and daylight going away fast I was really just roaming around a little, getting ready to head home when I get a +74/+75 reading and when I checked the depth it was coming up around 5 inches.........hmmmm......that's a deep Wheat Cent I thought and dug my plug..................it fell right out of the very bottom of my plug into my hands.........thought I had Spanish silver at first until I saw "Liberty"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..........knew exactly what it was and with trembling hands and knees somehow drove home..........This is my very best find of my life and I am sooooo happy to be able to share it with you all!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a couple questions and please feel free to chime in with any grade and/or value you may think.......I am thinking Fine but that is really just a guess.........and does anyone see something odd with the "18" in the date......maybe a re-cut die?.........also, are Draped Bust Dimes attributed like other coins? I'm very curious if someone can put a rarity or variety number on this.........thank you all for reading this and looking at the pics, may you all stumble across something like this very soon.

HH all!

Greg
(yes, I'm going back to that field in the morning :-)
 

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Upvote 19

Don in SJ

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May 20, 2005
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The die is the same die as one of the best known condition 1800 Draped Bust JR-1 is from. Besides the obvious flattening of your features and numbers from wear, the die chip mark to the left of the 8 is in the exact same position on both coins, thus both coins from the same Obverse die. Also, all the denticles line up exactly against the numbers on both coins.
This was verified by a knowledgeable numismatis.
Link for the AU-58 JR-1
http://www.bowersandmerena.com/auct...No=&SearchString=&VideoFlag=&zoom=1&lotno=436

You can look at any 1800 Draped Bust Dime to compare, regardless of variety, since both varieties used the same die, there will be slight differences due to wear and how it wore and if struck earlier in the use of the die or near the end, but regardless, all 1800s seem to have the die chip to the left of the 8, indicating same die...

I am including photos of Nine 1800 dimes, Greg's dime is in the center, regardless of being a JR-1 or JR-2, all were made from the same die and all have to one degree or another the die chip to the left of the 8.

I hope this puts to rest the wild hopes of it being a new variety.

Don
 

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OP
OP
1235CE

1235CE

Hero Member
May 23, 2006
663
195
The Beautiful Berkshires in Western Mass.
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White's DFX
Don in SJ said:
I hope this puts to rest the wild hopes of it being a new variety.

Don

Thank you Don, I didn't realize this thread was bothering you. You're right, absolutely no need for a 2nd or 3rd opinion, You have spoken and I don't have a new variety, nor do I care. Was just trying to learn, which I did.
 

MUD(S.W.A.T)

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Apr 15, 2005
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Hi, :hello:


Awesome find, I would basically die if I found one!! :notworthy:

I hate to be the one to do this but seems know one knows any facts, here are some facts... :read2: I think you should know the truth before your disappointed later after grading. If you get a dug coin from the ground and send it to get graded it will grade as Dug or Environmentally Damaged. :icon_scratch: If you clean it, it will grade as Cleaned or Environmentally damaged. If your very very lucky it will grade as AU-50, but that's about as much of a chance as finding it. :dontknow: It has to have no evidence of Earth Damage or Cleaning damage to get AU-50. Otherwise it is an amazing find and your very lucky to have found it. :headbang: :icon_thumleft:

Keep @ it and HH!! :D ;D
 

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1235CE

1235CE

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May 23, 2006
663
195
The Beautiful Berkshires in Western Mass.
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White's DFX
MUD(S.W.A.T) said:
Hi, :hello:


Awesome find, I would basically die if I found one!! :notworthy:

I hate to be the one to do this but seems know one knows any facts, here are some facts... :read2: I think you should know the truth before your disappointed later after grading. If you get a dug coin from the ground and send it to get graded it will grade as Dug or Environmentally Damaged. :icon_scratch: If you clean it, it will grade as Cleaned or Environmentally damaged. If your very very lucky it will grade as AU-50, but that's about as much of a chance as finding it. :dontknow: It has to have no evidence of Earth Damage or Cleaning damage to get AU-50. Otherwise it is an amazing find and your very lucky to have found it. :headbang: :icon_thumleft:

Keep @ it and HH!! :D ;D

Thanks, yeah, I hear ya.......all I did was hold it under running water (without touching it) just to get the dirt off but yes, it will come back either Environmentally Damaged or Improperly Cleaned.....just the nature of our hobby I guess.......I really don't have a problem if it comes back Environmentally Damaged because I am sure it is.........but it would bug me if it comes back Improperly Cleaned so at this point I may not even have it slabbed but I really would like to get a details grade on it..........I have heard everything from VG to EF.........my local coin dealer actually said it was EF details and said I have a soft strike on the obverse, which I was happy to hear.........thatnks for the congrats......If I can find this coin, anybody can.

HH all!

Greg
 

MUD(S.W.A.T)

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Apr 15, 2005
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Hey, :hello:

Yea who knows what it will come back as in the end. :dontknow: What counts is that you found one its amazing feat in itself. :notworthy: An awesome rare find and should be happy you found it and not worry about the grade. ??? That's just a lame way to keep the rich richer. :tongue3: The fact that you found one to me is better than any grade you can get!! :headbang: :notworthy:

Keep @ It and HH!! :D ;D
 

Golden1

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May 2, 2008
1,061
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Pittsfield ma
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Big congrats to you Greg :thumbsup:

I love seeing such a sweet find like that so close to home :D

Congrats again G1
 

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1235CE

1235CE

Hero Member
May 23, 2006
663
195
The Beautiful Berkshires in Western Mass.
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Golden1 said:
Big congrats to you Greg :thumbsup:

I love seeing such a sweet find like that so close to home :D

Congrats again G1

Thanks G1......Just the luck of the step I took, sincerely......big field ............ I have been hitting this field pretty hard in the last 4 days (wouldn't you??.....lol) and have quite a few buttons, buckles, musket balls, a 4 ringer (if that's what it's called :icon_scratch:) but no more coins since the dime..........(oh, except a Cracker Jack coin that was 20 feet from the dime and came up quarter at 4 inches..........uuggghhhhh......heart-stopper....especially after what was found within 20 feet.........weird field, obviously a lot of activity in a concentrated area over a long period...........I will post pics of all shortly.......

HH all!

Greg
 

birdman

Gold Member
Jan 28, 2005
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Choctaw Beach Florida
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That is one outstanding dig brother!!!!!! WOW. :notworthy:
 

bookfisher

Bronze Member
Jun 18, 2005
1,345
125
Long Island, New York
I just saw this incredible find for the first time, and want to say, that you my friend, are now in a very small and select group of metal detectorists that have found an American Draped Bust silver coin. A truly rare feat! My hat's off to you, and may I also say, that for all of us who hunt primarily for 18th and 19th century coins and relics, your 1800 Draped Bust Dime is a dream find! I'm sure you'll be contacted by Western & Eastern Treasures about having you coin included in the Best Finds of 2009 issue.
 

testing123

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Mar 29, 2009
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If the variety still hasn't been attributed, try posting it on the forums over at PCGS, or with your permission, I will post it.

Thanks and congrats on your find!
 

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