Fathers Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

kimsdad

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Apr 17, 2008
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Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

Last night, after family went home, I decided to visit one of our local grade schools strictly for a clad hunt. I was getting a lot of signals in the grass 2" or 4" deep, and popping the shallow ones out with a small screwdriver. I was continuing down along a sidewalk that bordered a play equipment area when I got a penny/dime signal 2" down. I probed with the screwdriver, found the target, and popped the coin up. What I was holding in my hand took a moment to register, but staring back up at me was my first Mercury dime - a 1944.

I have found three Rosies at old parks I hunt, but the Merc had eluded me, and was on my want list. I figure one of three things happened. The coin was brought in with fill dirt, it was churned up when the playground area was redone about 8 years ago, or it was a recent drop. Either way, I'll take it. I guess it just goes to show you that you never really know what's down there until you bring it up, and you can always be surprised.

I know it's not the greatest find, but it got my blood going & I had to share. I'm still thrilled by it today. Didn't do too badly on the clad either - picked up $6.97 (and a pound of trash from the field). Thanks for looking at her....
 

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bootybay

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

ahhh thats a nice one... so far the only ones I have found are rosies.. wtg :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 

treasurefiend

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

Congrats, thats a sharp looking coin!!!! :thumbsup:
 

watercolor

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

Neil, congrats!! and she's in wonderful shape to boot :thumbsup:

It took awhile for me to find my first one also. . . good job!
watercolor
 

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kimsdad

kimsdad

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

Bootybay said:
ahhh thats a nice one... so far the only ones I have found are rosies.. wtg :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thanks Bootybay. Yours are coming soon. I can feel it!

allen said:
absolutely beautiful coin...

Thanks Allen & TreasureFiend

watercolor said:
Neil, congrats!! and she's in wonderful shape to boot :thumbsup:

It took awhile for me to find my first one also. . . good job!
watercolor

Surprised the heck out of me, Mark. Thanks!
 

MUD(S.W.A.T)

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

Gratz on you first, nice find !!

Keep @ it and HH!!
 

Goes4ever

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

congrats on the find! the one thing I always worry about popping coins out with a screwdriver is just that you never know what coin is down there and you'd hate to damage it. So far this year I have seen the following coins dug by either me or my partner and 3" or less:
1885 seated dime
5 different IH pennies
1902 barber dime
2 different buffalo nickels
4 silver rosies

so I am always leary about popping coins with a screwdriver, just food for thought, just because it is old doesn't mean it has to be down deep!
 

Natman

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

Congrats on your first Merc..I still remember the exact place I found mine about 13 years ago and will always treasure the memory!

Goes4ever said:
The one thing I always worry about popping coins out with a screwdriver is just that you never know what coin is down there and you'd hate to damage it.

You have a point there..however I actually used a large, slot screwdriver for 12 years and don't recall ever damaging a coin..as long as you know where your target is and dig a safe distance above or below it (or around it :wink:) you shouldn't have a problem..digging with ANY metal bladed tool can damage any soft metal (such as silver or gold) if your target is not accurately pinpointed beforehand.

Nat
 

DPBOB

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

Neil.

Nice Father's day surprise..after all the family hoopla...

Nice looking merc to boot...

As Gomer Pyle would say " Surprise Surprise Surprise "
 

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kimsdad

kimsdad

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

MUD(S.W.A.T) said:
Gratz on you first, nice find !!

Keep @ it and HH!!

Thanks MUD(S.W.A.T.)!

Goes4ever said:
congrats on the find! the one thing I always worry about popping coins out with a screwdriver is just that you never know what coin is down there and you'd hate to damage it. ...so I am always leary about popping coins with a screwdriver, just food for thought, just because it is old doesn't mean it has to be down deep!

Thanks Goes4ever. Good advice. To be "safe" I was digging the deeper signals, and just popping the shallow ones. This is a fairly new school (25 years?) and is loaded with clad. I never would have expected this coin where it was at!

Natman said:
Congrats on your first Merc..I still remember the exact place I found mine about 13 years ago and will always treasure the memory!

Thanks Natman! I'm going to remember this one alright!

DesPlaines_IL_SilverBob said:
Neil.

Nice Father's day surprise..after all the family hoopla...

Nice looking merc to boot...

As Gomer Pyle would say " Surprise Surprise Surprise "

Bob, I got to use the little silver container you gave me to bring it home. I always keep it in my bag. Maybe it carries some of your good luck.....
 

LI Tom

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Oct 19, 2006
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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

Congrats on your first Merc,it's in great shape and they are beautiful coins.I found my first last spring and have found more than 50 since. HH.
 

EDDE

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

I've found a bunch of barbers at 5 inches :thumbsup:
keep going
 

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kimsdad

kimsdad

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Apr 17, 2008
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Moronica, northwest of Chicago.
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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

LI Tom said:
Congrats on your first Merc,it's in great shape and they are beautiful coins.I found my first last spring and have found more than 50 since. HH.

Thanks! You found 50 + Mercs? WOW!!!


EDDE said:
I've found a bunch of barbers at 5 inches :thumbsup:
keep going

Barbers? 5 inches?

Both of you guys have found the right spots to hunt!
 

Jack(IN)

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Re: Father's Day clad hunt brings a nice surprise - my first Merc

Sweet!! Congrats on your first Merc!!
 

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