The CRAZIEST day I have ever been part of: Spanish silver, 6 colonial coppers, relics

VTColonialDigger

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Oct 13, 2016
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I don't even how to start this absolutely nuts story off...

Today, My friend invited me to a hay field he has pulled colonial relics and coins out of before. We arrive at the field and as I'm putting my bigger coil on my machine, he pulls out this beautiful trime.

1852trime.PNG
The trime is an 1852

My friend told me that the area right near where we stepped onto the field he had found old coins before, so I searched in this area first and soon found my coil over a nice high-70s tone. I dug the hole and popped this out:

kg1inthdirt.jpg
copper in the hole
after a few wipes I realized what I had just found: a King George I halfpenny, my oldest coin ever!!
backofkg1.jpg
after the King George copper, the things slowed down for a little under an hour until I found this early 1800's button on top of a knoll in the field. 1800'sflatbutton.JPG
After my flat button, my friend moved over to the same area where I was and pulled out a few 18th and early 19th century buttons.

Then, after a little while, I moved around the hillside, dug a good signal, and pulled a toasted KGII copper out of the ground Kg2copper.JPG

I went down the hill to go into the shady edge of the field and get out of the blazing sun, when my friend shouted that he had finally found a copper. I ran to see what it was. Unfortunately, it was in bad shape and had a corner cut off a long time ago.

I moved back into the shade, my friend follows, and we work our way along the edge of the field until we get to the "coin patch" area I mentioned above, when my friend tells me that he has a great signal. I go over to see what it is and he proceeds to pull out a Nova Constellatio!!! We were both so amazed!!

I go back to where I had left my machine and began detecting again. I walked a few feet and get an alright signal that's ringing up REALLY deep. I thought that it might be trash but I am SOOOO glad that I decided to dig it because when I finally got it out of the hole and saw what it was I was so thrilled, mindblown and excited all at once: I had just dug a 1782 1/2 real, my first Spanish Silver coin ever found detecting!:hello2:
1782spanishhalfreal.JPG 1782andACE400.JPG
I was so happy to get one of these coins because this has been the top thing I have wanted to find pretty much since I started metal detecting.
BUT IT GETS BETTER!!!! (How you may ask?)

Well as I was still marveling over my 1/2 real, my friend, who was about ten feet behind me, says he thinks he has another copper. I walk over and watch as he digs ANOTHER NOVA. At this point we have totally lost our minds. Just to put this in perspective, 2 Novas and a Spanish silver coin have come out of the ground within 15 minutes!!!

After these crazy back-to back digs, we keep going for about an hour more and my friend digs his 4th and final copper on the day, a 1787 Connecticut!
We are absolutely beside ourselves by now!

I don't want to keep rambling on, and this was the last incredible find of the day.

4coppersfoundjuly18th.jpg crazydayfinds.jpg
Here are my friends 4 coppers and all the finds from today. My finds are on the left and my friends are on the right. We are starting to think that there is a chance there could have been a cache buried in the "coin patch " area because of the amount of coins we found there. We think that the coins were spread out from the plow, as before the field was used for hay, it was plowed.

Thank you for reading this incredibly lengthy post, I can't think of words to describe today except WOW,WOW, WOW! I am AMAZED!

VTColonialDigger
 

Last edited:
Upvote 40

sheep.dog

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Wow thats an amazing day! I got my first ever Spanish Silver in Sounthern VT on Sunday. Where in VT are you from?
 

gheenoe78

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That's a fantastic hunt. Any one of those would be a memorable find. Congrats!
 

CASPER-2

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Nice haul - I don't believe there was a cache - My friend and I (as well as many others) have had days like that - youre hitting a spot that they been farming
for 300yrs - I'm sure if you go back you will find more and if you go back next year when they turn over you'll get even more
just think of this - if ...one coin was lost every year there (which is feasible) - then there could possibly be 300 coins there
some yrs none may have been lost - others more than a few -
colonial pockets were non existent or poor in early pants. Look at movies - most times they used a pouch or purse or you see guys pulling a coin from a
vest pocket which were small - many that have been at this a while may know already - many may not - when you find a coin (most times
small Spanish silver) with a hole in it - it was because they sewed them to the inside of their coat/jacket or vest - most likely with a single
piece of thread so they could pluck off easily - probably why (as a whole) find a lot of them
continued good luck
 

cheffer

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Holy cow, what a hunt. Lot of old coppers coming up on the forum lately, I love those Nova's. Definitely post some close ups if you get a chance.

Silver right off the bat is usually the kiss of death for me, glad your day only got better!

Steve
 

DocBeav

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Awesome day! Congrats!
 

Oct 5, 2014
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Great day in the field...double congratulations! :occasion14:
 

Steve in PA

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Definitely a great day the likes of which don't come along that often! What is the large disk to the left of the brown bottle, horse rosette?
 

Hawks88

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You certainly had a great day with the Ace 400. You and your friend did very well. Very rewarding hunt for the two of you. Congratulations.
 

Javadroid

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Exciting story and thank you for bringing us along. Very nice pics of your terrific finds. Congrats mate! :occasion14:
 

OP
OP
VTColonialDigger

VTColonialDigger

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Oct 13, 2016
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Wow thats an amazing day! I got my first ever Spanish Silver in Sounthern VT on Sunday. Where in VT are you from?

Thanks, and congrats on your first colonial silver. I'm in central Vermont.
 

OP
OP
VTColonialDigger

VTColonialDigger

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Oct 13, 2016
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Nice haul - I don't believe there was a cache - My friend and I (as well as many others) have had days like that - youre hitting a spot that they been farming
for 300yrs - I'm sure if you go back you will find more and if you go back next year when they turn over you'll get even more
just think of this - if ...one coin was lost every year there (which is feasible) - then there could possibly be 300 coins there
some yrs none may have been lost - others more than a few -
colonial pockets were non existent or poor in early pants. Look at movies - most times they used a pouch or purse or you see guys pulling a coin from a
vest pocket which were small - many that have been at this a while may know already - many may not - when you find a coin (most times
small Spanish silver) with a hole in it - it was because they sewed them to the inside of their coat/jacket or vest - most likely with a single
piece of thread so they could pluck off easily - probably why (as a whole) find a lot of them
continued good luck

That explanation makes a lot of sense, thanks CASPER.
 

Ogre1190

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Wow. Just, well...WOW!!!!!! 😱 🙌
 

OP
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VTColonialDigger

VTColonialDigger

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Oct 13, 2016
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Definitely a great day the likes of which don't come along that often! What is the large disk to the left of the brown bottle, horse rosette?

Yup, it's a rosette-plain brass front with a lead back. It gave a great signal I thought I had another copper, still a cool find though.
 

BTV Digger

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Great day! I have to agree with CASPER-2, probably not a cache. Just a place where commerce occurred way back. It could have been a vegetable/fruit stand, a spot workers were paid, or a homesite in which the folks had some money. You may not ever know, but checking old property records at the town clerks office (time consuming) may enlighten you on the original owners of the site. I had a day almost identical to yours earlier this spring: 7 coppers, 1/2 reale etc. They're out there and I'm sure there are more coppers lurking if you return. You'd be surprised. Two of my virgin sites this spring have produced 15 and 16 coppers respectively and I know there's more there. Congrats again to you for finding one of those types of sites! Man, gotta love New England huh?

John
 

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