A Lucky Day?(YES) Short Hunt produces a Very Rare Large Cent and a NJ copper

Don in SJ

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May 20, 2005
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The temperature finally dropped to a very comfortable range for hunting in the woods, so I went out this morning with at least the goal of getting the ole swingin arms back into shape after no detecting for awhile. If I found anything good it would be considered a bonus.

I was pleasantly surprised with the results of my 2 hours on a small site that a few years ago produced only a few late 1700s buttons and a thimble or two.

The first find was the button which upon cleaning appears to be a acorn in the center, so rather nice to get one with some design.
AcornGiltbutton.jpg
The second find was a somewhat iffy coin reading, very deep and I was hoping it was a coin and not a large button or other copper item. To my delight a round copper piece appears. This coin after cleaning was identified as a 1786 NJ copper! The variety is a 14-J (common type) Maris 15-L (Common variety)......
1786NJ 14J.jpg
The third find was a reading that was bouncing from a good copper to a iron type reading, but since it was for sure an solid reading I dug and was rewarded with a hunk of rusty something that at once reminded me possibly of being part of a musket. Need help on this one for a possible ID.
MusketPartmaybe.jpg

The fourth find was another iffy reading and it appears after cleaning just to be a round lead disc that someone drilled a hole in, for awhile I thought it might be a counterfeit coin, but I see no details indicating so.
lead disc.jpg
The fifth find was just a brass round ring shaped type relic, no idea, nothing of significance that is for sure. It is in the group shot at the end of this post.
But, the 6th target was the best find of the day and one of my top finds ever for rarity. I knew it was a large cent by the size and thickness and was fairly certain it was a Draped Bust. Upon cleaning, I saw that it had nice details and I would without too much problem be able to attribute the variety. I got out Breen's book on early year large cents and looking at my coin I noticed the cud on the edge of the reverse so I started by looking for one that matched. Sure enough I found one rather quickly, and believe me, there are many varieties of 1797 so I was pleasantly surprised I found my match within minutes.

Well, then I looked at the rarity for this one, and the Sheldon NC-2 for 1797 is a RARITY 6! That is Very Rare and that made me want to get another opinion before I posted here.. I did so and it has been confirmed that it is indeed the NC-2, the cud is the giveaway for IDing it and I have been told only about 22 of this variety are known. Since Large Cent collectors are a large group, that is good news for me. :wink:
I wish it did not have the corrosion damage, but the coin is what the coin is, I did my best to conserve the coin and it is a welcomed addition to my collection.
1797 NC2.jpg
1julyfinds.jpg
So, my short hunt, in July (a July hunt is a rare event for me) made my month for sure. I still prefer the 1793 I got earlier this year for the thrill of the find, but it sure is nice finding another rare Large Cent variety.

Don
 

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Sniffy

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Mar 27, 2009
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Nothin better than seein a draped bust in all her glory up on the banner!
 

mainer

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May 3, 2005
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Great coppers Don! Congrats on the banner! :icon_thumright:
 

kieser sousa/rip

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Thats awesome Don,congrats ! :thumbsup: I found a 1797 last year but I've never looked up the variety.....I guess mabey I might outa do that. If you keep making banner Don we may just want to put up a pic of you on there and keep it updated. ;D
 

CRUSADER

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May 25, 2007
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Well done on the Banner :hello:

I'm always amazed that these low numbers known match the rarity of many of the Celtic Coins I find. Strange that coins nearly 2000 years apart are so similar in numbers :icon_scratch:
 

fieldslayer

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Jun 13, 2010
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YOU DA' MAN DON - Cents this rare in any acceptable condition are a blessing! (as I'm sure you agree). I loved hunting the Pine Barrens , I always brought home more chiggers than coins in summer. Let me compliment you on your coin type researching skills. ....And your biting insect bravery! At any rate, kudos, TERRIFIC find!
 

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Don in SJ

Don in SJ

Silver Member
May 20, 2005
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I usually post photos of the site I find my relics at but a lot of times I try to limit the weight I carry on me and on this hunt, all I had with me was my regular cell phone. I forgot I did take a few photos of the site and finds, quality sucks but since I downloaded them to my computer thought I might as well post them.

LOL, I noticed I forgot one relic in my original post, part of a knee buckle (I think, have to look in my fishing vest pocket, must have missed it when I got home).


Also, even though I don't consider selling my coins, despite value, here is part of a reply I got from a collector concerning the NC-2 variety.

I can also pass along to you that the Noyes/Bland CC book lists 22 known examples making it a solid R6. The nicest is a sharpness 40/net 20 example in ANS. After that it drops off quite a bit. The second nicest is only listed as VG10/net VG 10. There is an example listed as a VG10/netG5 Average minus at #14 in the census. I am guessing yours might be somewhere in there. The prices guides I have vary, and are kind of old, (CQR # 19 and Noyes 2ed.), but they put a coin like this in the $1000-2000 range.


Again, I want to emphasize that trying your best to get every old coin attributed by "variety" can be very important, the difference in thinking you have a run of the mill coin, when it just might be a very rare coin. So proper removal of the dirt that is hiding details for ensuring a good identification does reap rewards in knowing what you really have found. It makes no sense to spend all the time researching a site, hunting and then when you get a find, not trying to find out as much as you can about it...........

I mentioned in my original post about the button with the acorn on it. It was a symbol used back in late 1700s thru the 1800s for a representation of several things, strength, long life, in other words sort of a good luck symbol, so that is cool to know.

Don
 

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