Dug Up a VERY OLD Gumball Machine - And It Was Filled with Coins!

[UnderMiner]

Certainly one of the more unique treasures I've found this year. A 70+ year old buried gumball machine that's clearly been in the ground for a very VERY long time. Still had a nickle in the slot from the very last customer that tried to use it long ago. Watch the live "cracking open" video of me revealing the cache of coins that was within.

In total there were 17 US nickles, a US Wheat Cent, and a South American "5 Centavo". Most of the coins are buffalo nickles, there are a few Jefferson nickles - a couple appearing to be of the silver "War" variety, the 5 Centavo's date of 1920 is very clear to see. One of the US nickles remains in the coin mechanism slot which I removed from the machine and brought home. I'm planning to leave this nickle in place due to its uniqueness.

Initial find - before opening:


Video of the opening (must watch):






The washed but still "uncleaned" coins, war nickles are the darker ones to the bottom right:


The 1920 5 Centavo can be seen on the upper left and a Buffalo to the right of it:


Will update this post when I'm able to clean the coins more and/or reveal any more details about them.

Update 9:45PM!! Conservation of the coins is going AMAZING!! Not only are the coins cleaning up well - but even the dates on the BUFFALO NICKLES are visible! Not only that but I've found a coin that I have yet to identify that is dated 1876! Not sure what it is yet!! The process is slow but the results are fantastic so far!


Some of the newly conserved coins:


Contrast between the conserved and non-conserved coins:


Just confirmed, this "mystery coin" is infact an 1876 Imperial German 5 Pfennig:


Looks like I found silver in this machine after all!
My suspicions have been confirmed - a 1943 silver war nickle!


Silver War Nickle #2! 1945-P!


No way!! Nearly every Jefferson Nickle from the machine is Silver!!
Yet another 1945-P Silver War Nickle! (Note I am posting these as I clean them)


Okay, the grand total is in - out of the 9 Jefferson Nickles in the machine 6 were Silver War Nickles!


The newest coin in the lot was this 1946 Jefferson Nickle, meaning the machine likely went out of service around this year:


Cleaned coins so far include a 1941 Penny, a 1926 Buffalo, 1920 Cuban 5 Centavo, an 1876 Imperial German 5 Pfennig, three 1943-P silver War Nickle, two 1945-P silver War Nickles, one "S" silver War Nickle date unknown, a 1939 Jefferson Nickle, a 1946 Jefferson Nickle, and a 1925 Buffalo. Conservation is still underway for all the coins so expect more updates soon. I've been using a new technique that I will share to all those interested in cleaning coins considered "toasted".

[shootist]

Now that is something Ive never seen dug,have to tell us where you found it,careful cleaning the buffs there is a 3 legged one worth major cash.

[KimberlyV]

I cringed watching you get your dirty, oily fingers all over those sandy coins. Try a plastic container of clean water, and a squeeze bulb on coins like that next time to prevent damaging them when you clean the sand off them off. Take them home in a paper (not plastic) bag.

[nsdq]

Holy gumballs batman

[UnderMiner]

I cringed watching you get your dirty, oily fingers all over those sandy coins. Try a plastic container of clean water, and a squeeze bulb on coins like that next time to prevent damaging them when you clean the sand off them off. Take them home in a paper (not plastic) bag.

I guess I shouldn't have put them in the rock tumbler then...
Rest assured, these coins are already toasted for the most part, most didn't come out of the machine initially because they were actually concreted to the side. Only way to clean them up is to rub them with a little grit otherwise they'll remain unrecognizable. Also thanks alot for calling my fingers oily and dirty - no true treasure hunter should ever have clean hands - if he/she does it means they haven't been digging enough.

[maipenrai]

Looks like someone stole it and couldnt get the money out, so just left it.

[wagbert]

Woo-Hoo! Underminer, what an amazing find! That would be thrilling to come across such an object. My only concern about where you hunt is be careful and don't get cut
or injured out there. You must have a room full of goodies by now. There is a product called "nick-a-lene" that some coin shops sell, and that can be bought on ebay as a last resort, that does a great job on cleaning nickels if used properly. Too bad the Buffs are "shot at and hit". As you already knew, the 5 Centavos is Cuban. Great recovery!
Phil

[jeff of pa]

Now that's an interesting "Treasure" Find !
I'll add my name to the Banner Votes
Thanks so much for the videos of you cracking it open.
I agree with maipenrai.
it was probably impossible to open in mint condition
and discarded .
perhaps they were happy with the gum balls
or unaware of where the money was stored in it.

by the way, I did "wintz" when I saw the Glass beads coming out.
However ...
I would have done exactly like you with my bare fingers
half the fun is right there diggin'
as for cleaning, the Value as an uncleaned Treasure is probably higher.
and no disrespect to anyone meant, But "nick-a-lene" has never worked for me on dug nickles anyway. and all coins that were in contact with steel,
even silver for that length of time, would be environmentally changed.

[ajaj]

What a unique and cool find!

aj

[trapperart]

Very cool find congrats

[against the wind]

Well,, Are you gonna share the gumballs??
Congrats on a cool find.

[Eastcoasthunter21]

What a score. Great hunt ,you just never know what's there !!hh gl

[park pirate]

Very cool Vid, UnderMiner Nice save for sure....

[texjim]

That is an awesome find.

[Trezurehunter]

That is a great find. I have never seen anything like that posted before. Glad there were at least some coins in it for you.