🥇 BANNER AMAZINGLY rare variety 1652 Oak Tree Threepence - Find of a lifetime!!!

Dirtwisher

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Nov 1, 2013
513
882
MA
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Wow. I've been preparing to write this since I found the coin, but I couldn't even concentrate enough to get my thoughts down, let anyone perform my professional or family duties. Let me set this up a little first though. During the course of the past few years, it has become an obsession for me to ponder the infinitesimal probability of finding of a MA tree coin on every property, park, beach, foundation or town square I drive by. When I saw Abe's incredible pine tree shilling a while back, the possibility seemed somehow more real. Here was a guy in what used to be part of Massachusetts, a guy who puts so much effort into his research and traveling to remote locations in search of old dirt, and he found one. Maybe, just maybe, I could find one too. But usually after five more hours in a field with nothing but a couple shotgun headstamps and some melted lead to show for it, the hope seemed to dim just a little more each day. You can tell this is going to be a long post, can't you...
Then came yesterday afternoon - my second day on a new permission, a smallish field that had an original late 17th/early 18th century home nearby. I had seen it last year, but only got up the nerve to ask permission last week when I was getting very discouraged at my usual spots. I hunted three hours the first day and man, what a letdown. I lost track of how many mangled aluminum cans and pulltabs I unearthed. No shoe buckles, no harmonica reeds, no buttons, not even many square nails, and basically no hope. Then I decided to move to a different smaller field and got a toasted large cent in the path that connected the two fields. I was a little more upbeat then, but could manage nothing else but some more garbage.
I came back yesterday though, because the large cent had stoked the fire just enough. I couldn't write this place off after one day, could I? Well, yesterday was pretty much a carbon copy of the first day. Found a bunch of modern junk, then popped what looks like a toasted KGII from a grassy slope adjacent to a stone wall on the high side of the field. Hmm.... Two coppers in 5 hours... but then two more hours of nothing. I realized what time it was and I had to go home and start making dinner for the kids, so I figured I'd swing by the spot I nabbed the copper and head from there to the car. Yup, the ol' trip to the car story! Sure enough, 20 feet into the corn stalks, I had what rang up at 69 on the Deus. Pretty much figured it was a pulltab, and I was pretty beat from two days of yardwork, but you know how you dig it all when you're on the way to the car? I took one shovelful and it was not in the hole. The pinpointer said it was in the dirt, but I couldn't find it. Then I had something round and SMALL in my palm, so I figured it was part of a beavertail. I picked it up and wiped off some dirt off one edge. The dirt was fairly hard to remove, but I thought I saw and N and an E. I thought, could it be? NO way, don't get your hopes up, so I turn it over and give it a soft, spit-laden wipe. Do I see branches? I DO! Wait, these are NOT pine tree branches... What the heck do the other branches on the MA silver coins look like? I couldn't remember because I thought if I ever found a tree coin, it would be the most common variety of pine tree. By this point I'm shaking, I'm down on one knee, resting the coin on my thigh, trying not to die of excitement. I let out a couple loud "YES! I finally did it!" yells, then got back to absorbing the enormity of the moment. I had to go grocery shopping, do all the dishes and that kind of stuff, so I had to wait until tonight to make sure I had my thoughts together. Here's the proof! Sorry the pics are screenshots - hard to remove GPS info on my laptop...
oaktreefield5.png oaktreefield4.png oaktreefield9.png oaktreefield12.png Oaktree1.jpg treecoin3.png
Now comes the BEST part - I got home with the coin and tried to figure out what exactly I had found, but I couldn't find any examples anywhere on any website. I thought that might be good, that it might be rare or super rare, but maybe that was my imagination running away with me again. Then my wife sends me to the grocery story so the kids will have something to eat at school. So there I am, last night in the cereal aisle at Stop and Shop, texting Abe pictures of my coin and asking if he can help with an ID and variety. Like the amazing guy he is, he says he will look it up today for me. I never expected what he would text me though. He said he found it in his book, that it is an NOE 26, 4-A.2 Oak Tree, and there are likely BETWEEN 5-8 OF THESE KNOWN!!! Are you kidding me!!!
Oaktreeinfo.jpg I just found one of the rarest freaking coins in the United States!!! I ran downstairs and told my wife to get off the treadmill and tell me who her daddy is. Then I called Abe, who allowed me to go on like a schoolgirl about the find (he encouraged it, actually) and he expressed the most sincere happiness for my find. What a guy. Here's to you, buddy. Sorry for the super long post, friends. I never thought I'd get this opportunity.
Best of luck to everyone. I can't express enough thanks to everyone on T-net for reading, and to whatever force miraculously led my coil over this coin!

Jeff
 

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Mi$terG

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Jan 25, 2013
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Very cool. I too am a descendant of William Brewster. Also George Soule, John Billington(hung in 1630 for murdering his neighbor), and John Alden. My mom is the genealogy queen so I get educated often about these connections. We are going to Wales, Scotland and Ireland soon to visit some of the towns that our ancestors came from....can't wait!!!!

Why not- I'm piling on here. Abe and I have spoken a bit on this subject- but I'm also descended from a number of the original pilgrims of the Plymouth colony, including George Soule, William Brewster and John Alden. Amazing to read of so many common ancestors on this forum!
 

Ahab8

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Oct 15, 2013
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Topsham, Maine
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Are you taking your detector??

Of course lol. Cru, Robfinds and some of the others don't know it yet but I'll be on their front doorsteps like a lost puppy.... "Ah hey good morning. Ahab8 from Maine. I bought the coffee....you ready to go????" I think that'll be my approach. The sneak attack lol
 

Ahab8

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Oct 15, 2013
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Topsham, Maine
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Why not- I'm piling on here. Abe and I have spoken a bit on this subject- but I'm also descended from a number of the original pilgrims of the Plymouth colony, including George Soule, William Brewster and John Alden. Amazing to read of so many common ancestors on this forum!

Glad you did buddy. These connections really bring it all home for me and makes it so much interesting and personal. I hope others chime in. What a perfect thread to do it on
 

OP
OP
Dirtwisher

Dirtwisher

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Nov 1, 2013
513
882
MA
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XP Deus 9" and 11", AT Pro, Propointer
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I love this! Cool stuff to share with each other. Figures that we would get a charge out of this, doesn't it, considering the unique sense of connection we feel when we just find something old. What is cooler than having a direct line to those that made our history - nothing! I think I have some connection on my mom's side and now I'm motivated to look it up!
 

relic lover

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Jul 4, 2006
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Western PA
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Wow that's really something else. You better go back and find the rest of the spill LOL. Hopefully your wife does not make you sell it. Man it's hard to Fathom someone finding the coin so rare as this. Congratulations
 

Donnie B from VA

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Apr 2, 2014
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I know this is an old post but I had to comment. Simply amazing find. Congratulations!
 

btjbtj

Bronze Member
Aug 27, 2016
1,546
1,412
Massachusetts
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Garrett AT Pro with NEL Big Coil DD. Garrett Pro-Pointer Plus.
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Amazing! We are also in Mass, and you've given us hope of one day finding our own tree coin! Congrats!! -Lisa & John
 

Underwonder

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Jul 31, 2017
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White's XLT Spectrum, TRX Pin-pointer, Garrett AT Pro Pin-pointer, Eagle II SL with Bigfoot, Equinox 600, Equinox 800
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So is the excitement still high even over a year later? It was fun to read this thread soI am happy it resurfaced..AND gives a RIer hope to dream[emoji6]. Congratulations on the find of a lifetime!
 

HEAVYMETALNUT

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Dec 8, 2008
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amazing coin! huge congrats!
 

washingtonian

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Sep 26, 2005
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Puget Sound
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Equinox 800, Whites DFX
I don’t think I commented on this back in the day so here’s a belated congrats on a stellar find!!
 

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