Early Silver Saved the Day!

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,124
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Moonlight and Magnolias
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4
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Fisher F75, Whites DualField PI, Fisher 1266-X and Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hello All,

I am not going to post my usual long and exciting story because I am exhausted and there isn't much to tell. Shanegalang and I got out in the cane fields today trying to track down a new site. We rough gridded a vast area today, jumping from cane row to cane row laterally (6 feet from row to row) and walking miles down some rows detecting and looking for brick and pottery.

We were getting skunked, and it was a sticky, humid day with the temperatures close to 80. By close to dark, we'd only found a couple of marbles, handfulls of can slaw, and a couple pieces of farm junk and random brass. :-\ I had hoped that on such days, the farmer-dropped coins would tide us over, as well as the chance at a plantation token or two.

Not so today.

So I said "Let's detect our way to the truck and call it a day." So we started down a mile long cane row back to the truck. Well, I got a decent, but deep signal on the 1266-X. It was very faint, and soft at the edges (1266 users will understand). If there had been other, stronger signals in that cane row, this one might not have gotten dug, I'm sad to say. If we hadn't already resolved to quit and be skunked, I might not have dug it. But I was in the mood where I figured "What the Hell..."

(When I'm fresh, I'm not like that--but I was NOT in a good mood by that point in the day. :angry5:)

So I dug.

I took out a big scoop of about 8-10 inches of dirt from the side of a cane row. When I rescanned, the signal was sharp and crisp. "This might be something after all" I thought. (Expecting more can slaw)

Then I grabbed a handfull of dirt, and when I did, a small silver disc dropped to the ground.

"I've got another SPANISH!" I yelled.



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When I got it in my hand, I realized that it was too small to be a Spanish silver, and knew I had a half dime.


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Back at the car, I squirted some water on the coin to reveal the date: An 1839-O Seated Half Dime. I am happy with this coin (I'm happy with any early Seated coin!). This is my oldest Seated coin. I have several 1840 Seateds, but nothing earlier of the Seated variety. So, super pleased about this one which saved the day from total loss.

Here are today's finds. Only one keeper that was metal (the coin). Not even any flat buttons. :-\ A marble (modern), and a porcelain underwear button.


3.jpg


Here is the front and back of the coin. The plow monster is brutal in these fields, since they are plowed so deeply and so often. Every silver coin I have dug but one has had some sort of plow damage. Still a decent looking coin though. :thumbsup:


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Best Wishes,


Buckles
 

Upvote 1

JW15

Bronze Member
Apr 12, 2011
1,179
8
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Minelab Xterra 705 w/DD coil Backup- 505,305.
Seated silver saves the day!!! :headbang: Nice one, still looking for one of those :thumbsup:
 

gbpackrfan1990

Jr. Member
Feb 2, 2012
85
197
Virginia
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I actually had the same luck today... I was hunting at a hunted out spot. I found a bullet, two flat buttons, and a half dime just like yours but the date was in rough shape... I took it home to find out it was the rare 1853 O with no arrows. but it was unfortunate that the date was the most worn part. the rest was in good shape. made my day!
 

flakefinder

Bronze Member
Jul 21, 2010
1,151
161
Michigan
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Sure is funny, if the day is not going so good head to the truck , that will change your luck :laughing7: Congrats on the seated , good looking coin even with the bend :BangHead:
 

CASPER-2

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Jan 3, 2012
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umrgolf

Guest
old seated, nice dig.. like seeing the seated "O"s posted, don't see a bunch of them
 

shanegalang

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Oct 31, 2007
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641
Island of Mozambique
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AND it's an Orleans mint mark. :headbang: There's another colonial site waiting for us down there. We will find it!! Shane
 

VOL1266-X

Gold Member
Jan 10, 2007
5,589
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Northern Middle Tennessee
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I have never dug a seated half dime that old and only one 1853 from a CSA camp. The coin is better than your description on the phone. The plow and disk take no prisoners unfortunately. That's a nice coin to add to your collection from the LA plantations. I guess it's Shane's turn Friday? HH, Q.
 

RiverRat3

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Apr 1, 2009
1,360
419
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A Seated coin is high on my find list. Great recovery.
 

birdman

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Jan 28, 2005
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Choctaw Beach Florida
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WTG, a half dime is still on my wish list.
 

hdmech71

Hero Member
Jan 25, 2012
526
83
wv
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OP
OP
BuckleBoy

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,124
9,688
Moonlight and Magnolias
🥇 Banner finds
4
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, Whites DualField PI, Fisher 1266-X and Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
VOL1266-X said:
I have never dug a seated half dime that old and only one 1853 from a CSA camp. The coin is better than your description on the phone. The plow and disk take no prisoners unfortunately. That's a nice coin to add to your collection from the LA plantations. I guess it's Shane's turn Friday? HH, Q.

Out in the field I could only see the big gash across the back and the bend, so my hopes weren't high for the condition when we talked on the phone. But yes, she's an attractive Lady. :)

And in terms of Shane's turn...we'll have to see about that. :wink: He's already thinking about buying an F-75. :laughing9: It's hard to beat a Fisher...except maybe with another Fisher. :laughing7:
 

kuger

Gold Member
Nov 6, 2007
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Dang right bud,nice early Seated no matter the ding....at least you didnt do it!
 

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