🥇 BANNER My oldest coin, Nova ?, 1783, just dug!

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Had 2 hours this morning, decided to hit the site where I have found LC's, 3 cent nickels and a slick copper. Faint wheat penny signal.
Thought, "cool a token", size of a LC but a little thinner, but could tell it has some design under the crud

Rubbed some dirt off on my glove and saw US, googled Old Large Cents, found no matches. Sent pic to Steve of PA, he said it looks like a Nova Constellatio, no way! A little more rubbing and 1783, ok stopped rubbing.



Can anyone confirm if this is a Nova and type? I think I need to tooth pick some more crud off, seems like it has a lot of detail under the dirt.

Dried, then flaked with wooden skewer pics:

(Thanks for looking!)

Good luck out there!

 

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[Scrappy]

Ok, 10 hours later now and I'm back at home and finished trimming the Christmas tree. My 3 little ones look forward to this day quite a bit.

Sooo, I took a look at the coin again and it had fully dried out from being in the dirt for 200+ years and the dirt just started flaking off. Used a wooden skewer on edge to help some bits.I'm very happy with how it looks now. View attachment 1519475 View attachment 1519476
Not quite as nice as Scrappy's, but definitely not a toasted copper!

Beauty!

 

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Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[Steve in PA]

Ok, 10 hours later now and I'm back at home and finished trimming the Christmas tree. My 3 little ones look forward to this day quite a bit.

Sooo, I took a look at the coin again and it had fully dried out from being in the dirt for 200+ years and the dirt just started flaking off. Used a wooden skewer on edge to help some bits.I'm very happy with how it looks now. View attachment 1519475 View attachment 1519476
Not quite as nice as Scrappy's, but definitely not a toasted copper!

Thad you may not realize how double lucky you you were with this one. To find it in the first place and have it in that condition. I'm very happy for you my friend!

 

[plymouthian12]

Great find

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[Evolution]

Congrats on the Nova. Still waiting patiently to cross that one off my bucket list. .... Maybe someday.

 

[treblehunter]

Just put my banner vote in, Congrats!

 

[l.cutler]

I have several Nova's but wish I could dig one instead of buying, congrats!

 

[sprailroad]

Al right then, that's something to be called a "Keeper". I would not really know where to proceed from here, do not want to do anything to harm it as others had said, learned THAT one myself the hard way. Would? it be good to send that coin in " as is", to be graded and slabbed? I think others would have a better take on that then I.

 

[Carolina Tom]

Thanks Tom! Just coming back from from the Christmas Tree farm with the family, checking out the responses. Just starting to sink in. Thx!!

The cleaned pics are just amazing. The coin is a beautiful example of early US coinage. I was afraid it was going to flake away. Again, big congrats, and I’m voting banner. That would look cool up top.

 

[l.cutler]

Value wise I don't think it would be worth it to have it slabbed. I would just put it in a holder and enjoy it.

 

[gwdigger]

good googa mooga that thing is awesome!

 

[Shakakka]

CONGRATS!!!

As someone who's ruined a large cent or three, don't do anything else to that coin. It's gorgeous exactly as the way it is. Even if you carefully toothpicked away any more dirt, the high point details wouldn't stand out like they do. And right now they POP!

Awesome find!

 

[Truth]

Unbelievable banner!! Congratulations


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[masterjedi]

Here is a recent pic from an article that said they had discovered the oldest know silver US coin made. Look at the date which matches yous. What a amazing find!!! Very happy for you!!!

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

CONGRATS!!!

As someone who's ruined a large cent or three, don't do anything else to that coin. It's gorgeous exactly as the way it is. Even if you carefully toothpicked away any more dirt, the high point details wouldn't stand out like they do. And right now they POP!

Awesome find!

Thx! I've also learned from my mistakes. Definitely leaving it as it is with a little bit of the clay remaining. I'm very happy and very lucky to have been able to save it.

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

That baby cleaned better than most . Wonderful eye appeal .

Wish list coin for moi .

Congratulations !

 

[hogge]

What a Beauty! Crosby 3-C.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Here is a recent pic from an article that said they had discovered the oldest know silver US coin made. Look at the date which matches yous. What a amazing find!!! Very happy for you!!!

View attachment 1519646

Thx Masterjedi! My coin (or some refer to it as a token since it does not have a denomination) is from the same series of coins that were under the direction of Robert MORRIS, but mine is not silver but copper/brass. Basically US government sanctioned just before the first cent coin, The Flowing Hair Cent. Interesting that Robert Morris University is only about 5 miles from this site.

 

[l.cutler]

Actually only the pattern coins had anything to do with the US Government. The regular series of which the found coin is part were privately made in England and shipped to the US. They circulated along side the state coppers and counterfeit halfpence. While the minter in England obviously based his coins on the US patterns there was no official connection.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Actually only the pattern coins had anything to do with the US Government. The regular series of which the found coin is part were privately made in England and shipped to the US. They circulated along side the state coppers and counterfeit halfpence. While the minter in England obviously based his coins on the US patterns there was no official connection.

I'm still learning about this coin, thank you for the correction.

 

[l.cutler]

I'm still learning about this coin, thank you for the correction.

I've been collecting colonials for 45 years and I am still learning too!