🥇 BANNER The find of a lifetime! 1652 Pine Tree Shilling!

[Donnie B from VA]

This past Sunday I found the find of a lifetime, a 1652 Pine Tree Shilling at a site in Connecticut. I don't post much on here but thought I would share it with you.

 

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[Donnie B from VA]

Thank you for posting this recap of our American history and basically the Birth of American coinage! We don't often stop to realize/ ponder how truly scarce early American coinage was prior to the Civil war. Here are our forefathers bringing in precious metal items to have them struck into coinage so we actually had a means of trading goods for currency other than Foreign coinage. The civil war required the printing of paper fractional currency because coinage in the 1860's was still very scarce. There was not enough of it to available to make payment to soldiers. I can't help but think about how truly scare the Pine trees are. A very small colony making currency out of what they brought over from England. Does anyone know how many were actually minted? In the grand scheme of our current footprint this has to be miniscule. Proving that this truly is a Banner find and truly is a HOLY GRAIL. Just the site of one of these in pictures makes my heart elevate. I cannot imagine the site of seeing one pop out of the dirt and knowing that it belongs to ME. You are now the Proud owner of the HG. I would never let it go. I would make a shrine for it or at least sleep with it at least 3 times per week! Not enough congratulations and well wishes can be given you Sir.

I know this sounds terrible but I still watch the video every day. I can hear the excitement in my voice, and smile. I will never let it go. I may provide instructions in my will to bury me with the coin. I may need a Shilling for the Boat Man.

 

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[Ahab8]

Congrats on making banner. I didn't get my vote in on time (last night), as I first wanted to read the entire thread, which kept going, and going, and going. Anyway, I suspected that you had plenty of momentum to make it to the top owing to such a worthy find in pristine condition. Thanks for some of the details on the recovery. I've had some recent success searching in the woods, but most of my best finds have come from fields. Your impressive recovery from the woods offers a lot of encouragement to keep hammering those cellar holes. In regards to having your coin authenticated (slabbed), conserved, and other possible considerations, time is on your side. Get as much feedback from others who have been through the process and then make an informed decision after deciding what you hope to achieve. Congrats on a huge find!

Would you like to share your experience with the grading/slabbing/authentication experience? That really hit home for me and I realized that there is certainly no rush with these decisions.
Btw I'm still waiting to see those Wydah butt cap pics my friend. They just had that display in Portland. Wish I had a chance to get there

 

[Ahab8]

I know this sounds terrible but I still watch the video every day. I can hear the excitement in my voice, and smile. I will never let it go. I may provide instructions in my will to bury me with the coin. I may need a Shilling for the Boat Man.

Donnie I hate to admit this but for that coin I would consider digging you up lol

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Would you like to share your experience with the grading/slabbing/authentication experience? That really hit home for me and I realized that there is certainly no rush with these decisions.
Btw I'm still waiting to see those Wydah butt cap pics my friend. They just had that display in Portland. Wish I had a chance to get there

I will follow-up here and send a photo of the pistol butt cap on your O.P. later this evening.

 

[Dirtwisher]

My goodness what a nice example of a highly sought-after coin. My oak tree Noe 26 was R7 and I was ecstatic about that but I have always had the nagging OCD wish that it were in better shape! So hard to get both condition and rarity, but that's what keeps us searching. Once you feel that the first time, you sure want to feel it again, and even more the next time if you can get rarity and condition. Congrats on the banner. It had been a long time since there was MA silver up there.

 

[Indiana_Brandon]

Wow!! Amazing save!!! Congratulations buddy!! HH

 

[Donnie B from VA]

My goodness what a nice example of a highly sought-after coin. My oak tree Noe 26 was R7 and I was ecstatic about that but I have always had the nagging OCD wish that it were in better shape! So hard to get both condition and rarity, but that's what keeps us searching. Once you feel that the first time, you sure want to feel it again, and even more the next time if you can get rarity and condition. Congrats on the banner. It had been a long time since there was MA silver up there.

Thank you! I just read your Banner post on the Oak Tree. Congratulations on an awesome coin and piece of history! The grin on your face says it all!

 

[hogge]

YEP....One of my dream finds. That coin is AU. if not UNC. Unbelievable!!!

 

[metalev4]

Congrats on the Tree Coin. Top of many of our wish lists. Condition is excellent.

 

[Donnie B from VA]

Wow!! Amazing save!!! Congratulations buddy!! HH

YEP....One of my dream finds. That coin is AU. if not UNC. Unbelievable!!!

Thank you for your kind comments. Hogge, I was contacted by a representative of a major auction house after they saw one of my posts. He stated that the coin would probably grade EF or AU (Details) based on my photos. My digging buddy, and great friend, Danny, told me that colonists would hoard their better coins and spend the worn or clipped ones. This one was obviously lost very soon after leaving the mint or may have been hoarded and then lost. I would love to go back in time and find out.

 

[colonialct]

Congrats on the banner Donnie

 

[Donnie B from VA]

Congrats on the Tree Coin. Top of many of our wish lists. Condition is excellent.

Congrats on the banner Donnie

Thanks! It's definitely the Number One coin on my bucket list and I never really thought I would find one.

 

[Bob207]

Great to see these coins show up now and then. Gives me hope. As bad as the ticks are here, I might just have to trek into a couple cellars now! Enjoy that fantastic coin and congrats on the banner!

 

[BigWaveDave]

Great to see the Banner has a new resident!

 

[Donnie B from VA]

Great to see these coins show up now and then. Gives me hope. As bad as the ticks are here, I might just have to trek into a couple cellars now! Enjoy that fantastic coin and congrats on the banner!

Great to see the Banner has a new resident!

Thank you for the kind comments! Bob207, I use Permethrin and haven't had a tick bite me yet this year (knock on wood).

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Would you like to share your experience with the grading/slabbing/authentication experience? That really hit home for me and I realized that there is certainly no rush with these decisions.
Btw I'm still waiting to see those Wydah butt cap pics my friend. They just had that display in Portland. Wish I had a chance to get there

I dug a 1652 Oak Tree Shilling back in 2006 (my avatar). I soon submitted it for authentication and grading - twice! I expected that they (Numismatic Guarantee Corp.) would not grade the coin, they would send it back as a no-grade (body bag was the term used back then). Anticipating such a turn of events, I expressly asked that they not send it to me; instead, I asked that they forward it to their affiliate (Numismatic Conservation Services) for a details grade. But they screwed it all up and sent it back to me in a plastic bag (the dreaded body bag), so I had to ship the coin - twice! Was it worth it in the end? The end result was authentication with a Very Fine Details Grade - environmental damage, scratched, but they misidentified the coin's variety! My coin is a Noe-14, Spiny Tree variety - one of the most recognizable varieties, and they got it wrong. And these are the experts? One final thing - I didn't have a problem with the detail grade, environmental damage, etc., until I saw some other Mass Silver coins slabbed by NGC. I can't comprehend their grading practices - way too much variance and more so incompetence. So I say, "Save your money!" Boy, do I feel better! Thanks for letting me get that out.

 

[Ahab8]

I dug a 1652 Oak Tree Shilling back in 2006 (my avatar). I soon submitted it for authentication and grading - twice! I expected that they (Numismatic Guarantee Corp.) would not grade the coin, they would send it back as a no-grade (body bag was the term used back then). Anticipating such a turn of events, I expressly asked that they not send it to me; instead, I asked that they forward it to their affiliate (Numismatic Conservation Services) for a details grade. But they screwed it all up and sent it back to me in a plastic bag (the dreaded body bag), so I had to ship the coin - twice! Was it worth it in the end? The end result was authentication with a Very Fine Details Grade - environmental damage, scratched, but they misidentified the coin's variety! My coin is a Noe-14, Spiny Tree variety - one of the most recognizable varieties, and they got it wrong. And these are the experts? One final thing - I didn't have a problem with the detail grade, environmental damage, etc., until I saw some other Mass Silver coins slabbed by NGC. I can't comprehend their grading practices - way too much variance and more so incompetence. So I say, "Save your money!" Boy, do I feel better! Thank for letting me get that out.

Thanks buddy. I was really hoping you'd share that painful experience. I think people just expect that these "professionals" will do a great job. But that's often times not the case. The misidentified variety really hit home for me. How's that possible? Even I can easily identify most of these coins. I know we open ourselves up to criticism sometimes by sharing stories or advice but it's important. It may save the next person from having to go through a similar experience.

 

[Donnie B from VA]

I dug a 1652 Oak Tree Shilling back in 2006 (my avatar). I soon submitted it for authentication and grading - twice! I expected that they (Numismatic Guarantee Corp.) would not grade the coin, they would send it back as a no-grade (body bag was the term used back then). Anticipating such a turn of events, I expressly asked that they not send it to me; instead, I asked that they forward it to their affiliate (Numismatic Conservation Services) for a details grade. But they screwed it all up and sent it back to me in a plastic bag (the dreaded body bag), so I had to ship the coin - twice! Was it worth it in the end? The end result was authentication with a Very Fine Details Grade - environmental damage, scratched, but they misidentified the coin's variety! My coin is a Noe-14, Spiny Tree variety - one of the most recognizable varieties, and they got it wrong. And these are the experts? One final thing - I didn't have a problem with the detail grade, environmental damage, etc., until I saw some other Mass Silver coins slabbed by NGC. I can't comprehend their grading practices - way too much variance and more so incompetence. So I say, "Save your money!" Boy, do I feel better! Thank for letting me get that out.

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I have heard bad things about PCGS too. I'm not in a hurry and, honestly, can't bring myself to the thought of watching my coin leave on a USPS truck while hoping it comes back. I got very excited when I saw that PCGS was having a show last week a few hours from me. At the show, they would be grading and slabbing coins. I called them because I thought that would solve my problem. I could drive the coin to the show, have it graded, and return to the safe deposit box without worrying about USPS. Guess what? PCGS was grading coins at the show, but not colonials! No experts would be on hand at a major show to grade colonials!

Prior to the above, I was contacted by a representative of a major auction house who saw one of my posts. The representative was inquiring as to if I wanted to sell the coin and would I consider their auction house to handle the sale. That representative told me the coin would most likely grade EF - AU (details) and I would only get a details grade because the grading service would mark it with environmental damage from being underground for 300+ years. He also told me not to waste my money by sending the coin in for conservation because it likely wouldn't help the grade.

Thanks again for sharing your experience. It makes my decision very much easier. The coin is staying put while I am out digging trying to find another one!

 

[Rhode Hog]

Just saw this post,congrats on a great find and the banner.You look like a fairly young guy in your photo so you may still have a few more finds of a life time under your coil.As far as what the experts think if your going to keep your coin just enjoy it for what it means to you.

 

[Iron Patch]

I dug a 1652 Oak Tree Shilling back in 2006 (my avatar). I soon submitted it for authentication and grading - twice! I expected that they (Numismatic Guarantee Corp.) would not grade the coin, they would send it back as a no-grade (body bag was the term used back then). Anticipating such a turn of events, I expressly asked that they not send it to me; instead, I asked that they forward it to their affiliate (Numismatic Conservation Services) for a details grade. But they screwed it all up and sent it back to me in a plastic bag (the dreaded body bag), so I had to ship the coin - twice! Was it worth it in the end? The end result was authentication with a Very Fine Details Grade - environmental damage, scratched, but they misidentified the coin's variety! My coin is a Noe-14, Spiny Tree variety - one of the most recognizable varieties, and they got it wrong. And these are the experts? One final thing - I didn't have a problem with the detail grade, environmental damage, etc., until I saw some other Mass Silver coins slabbed by NGC. I can't comprehend their grading practices - way too much variance and more so incompetence. So I say, "Save your money!" Boy, do I feel better! Thank for letting me get that out.

Getting the variety wrong is a huge mistake and could potentially cost someone thousands of dollars. Some things are a judgement call but that sure ain't one of them.