1877 Indian. WOW

[NJ Marty]

I havent been out in about 4 weeks due to my busy work scedule but had some time to clean some recent finds (Indians). Me and my dectecting buds have found many indians in this spectacular park ( witch is now banned to detecting). we would get 15- 30 each an outing. My best indian day was 34 and my friend Randy had a 42 indian day. Needless to say we accumulated quite a few, I myself have about 900 from this now off limits park. The east coast is horrible to Indians so I would just place them in a holder for later cleaning, most are common dates but some are the goodies. I would guess this Indian came from one of our May 2008 hunts because it was near the top of my pile of coins to be cleaned. This 1877 came from a 2 sandwich coin find (i always leave my sandwiched coins together till home and I just put a bunch in olive oil for cleaning and when I broke them apart i was sooooo happy to see the elusive date. The back of the coin has that east coast rock hard deposit on it. I cleaned the front of with a toothpick and olive oil an it cam clean quite easily, the back appears to be a much harder job. It has a full liberty and i would like to get it all cleaned up. Are there any professional places to clean this coin and maybe get it slabbed? I dont want to damage the back with my toothpick trick and I have tried 0000 steel wool in the past but this coin is too pretty to try that on. Any ideas on the way to get this coin back to its full beauty would be helpfull. I enclosed a pic of some of my uncleaned indians, what a job I have ahead of me but now I am driven.
NJ Marty

 

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[Captn SE]

You have found the most rare Indian Head...

It's not the rarest IH in terms of mintage (1909S is the rarest), but that is one of the most expensive IH's to add to your collection. Major congrats to you.....I imagine after finding over 900 of them at your park, a few would be really prized ones. That's insane!!!!! You said 900...right?

The obverse of your coin looks great, the back of your coin, I can't make out a thing. I'm curious to see how/if NCS will conserve your coin. Many of their examples on their website are conserving silver/gold coins...I saw a few nickels conserved too, but not as heavily encrusted as the reverse of your coin is.

Still, a fantastic find!! If you could get 2K for that coin, I'd sell it!!

Congrats,
CAPTN SE
Dan

 

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[JerV3]

Nice find Marty.

I'm still looking for that 77 myself. It would take alot of power to keep me away from a park like that. Lot of sloppy hunters out there that ruin it for the rest of us.

HH Jer

 

[wagbert]

Oops! It's "jrmorro" who sells the cleaning chemicals for encrusted coins on ebay.
Good Luck Everybody !!

 

[N.J.THer]

Congrats on an awesome find....it stinks that NY just pulled two parks off their approved detecting list. I received a letter from the NY park commission about the change about two months ago.

NJ

 

[gold fish]

Start experimenting on the common dates.

 

[Indianhead Jones]

Marty, that's one S-W-E-E-T indian!!! Congratulations on this scarce recovery!

Larry

 

[toolman61]

I wonder if you were to write the park commission a letter and asked them if you were to pay a permission to hunt fee if they would change the law or just screw up all the other free hunting areas? It sounds to me though that pretty soon all the parks will probably be off limits due to the inconsiderate few out there that give our wonderful hobby a very bad name. Well good luck finding another sweet spot. HH Tom

 

[treasurefiend]

I cant beleave this isn't on the banner yet!~!!!

Whats going on

 

[weasel606]

WOW thats awesome

 

[NJ Marty]

I wonder if you were to write the park commission a letter and asked them if you were to pay a permission to hunt fee if they would change the law or just screw up all the other free hunting areas? It sounds to me though that pretty soon all the parks will probably be off limits due to the inconsiderate few out there that give our wonderful hobby a very bad name. Well good luck finding another sweet spot. HH Tom

I think the park is gone for good. Whenever we were there we were so bummed at the amount of unfilled holes and knew it was a matter of time. I filled in hundreds myself and actually approached 2 guys one day leaving unfilled holes. One of the guys got very violent and wanted to fight and waved his digging tool in my face. I told myself it wasnt worth it and retreated to detect. I remember having a good day but was very disturbed and knew the dectecting privelage would not last long. The letter I got with the new updated permit basically says dont bother coming here- detecter will be confiscated.

 

[NJ Marty]

You have found the most rare Indian Head...

It's not the rarest IH in terms of mintage (1909S is the rarest), but that is one of the most expensive IH's to add to your collection. Major congrats to you.....I imagine after finding over 900 of them at your park, a few would be really prized ones. That's insane!!!!! You said 900...right?

The obverse of your coin looks great, the back of your coin, I can't make out a thing. I'm curious to see how/if NCS will conserve your coin. Many of their examples on their website are conserving silver/gold coins...I saw a few nickels conserved too, but not as heavily encrusted as the reverse of your coin is.

Still, a fantastic find!! If you could get 2K for that coin, I'd sell it!!

Congrats,
CAPTN SE
Dan

Thanks CAPN SE I have always admired your posts and detecting skills and can only imagine the silver and colonial items you would be finding here on the east coast. Yes 900 is correct. we were getting 20 to 30 each visit, the explorer just zoned in on the indians and alot of 3-4 or five indian head pocked spills. My record indian pocked spill at this park was nine. Also we were going every weekend and at at that pace they added up. And the 2 centers were around also My total at this park is 16, before that my detecting career netted me 4. This park was a gem and hope they change there mind on the ban.
NJ Marty

 

[Michellets]

Wow I haven't found any Indians from the 1870's. I guess they were really scarce, in coinage and in reality during those years! I guess if you are gonna find a penny that is one that sure does make it worth it!!!! Congrats... HH M

 

[Bum Luck]

I wonder if you were to write the park commission a letter and asked them if you were to pay a permission to hunt fee if they would change the law or just screw up all the other free hunting areas? It sounds to me though that pretty soon all the parks will probably be off limits due to the inconsiderate few out there that give our wonderful hobby a very bad name. Well good luck finding another sweet spot. HH Tom

I think the park is gone for good. Whenever we were there we were so bummed at the amount of unfilled holes and knew it was a matter of time. I filled in hundreds myself and actually approached 2 guys one day leaving unfilled holes. One of the guys got very violent and wanted to fight and waved his digging tool in my face. I told myself it wasnt worth it and retreated to detect. I remember having a good day but was very disturbed and knew the dectecting privelage would not last long. The letter I got with the new updated permit basically says dont bother coming here- detecter will be confiscated.

1: Go to a park commissioner and suggest a detecting permit with a fee. Agencies like that, since it helps fund things they'd like but can't get in their budgets. It also shows revenue, so politicians like that.

2: Call me the next time you go there.

 

[N.J.THer]

There was a group of detectorists that went to one of the parks that were shut down a month or two before it was taken off the approved listed to work with the park staff to fill holes. I was unable to go because I was out of town but I heard it was very successful. They were able to get Home Depot to donate materials such as soil and seed. They did all the manpower of filling in the holes and seeding. From the feedback it seems like most of the holes they filled showed evidence that it was animals not people that actually dug them.

There was a big push by the local detecting groups/clubs to try to convince the commission not to take the parks off the list but they made their decision and there was no changing their minds.

I can't believe there is still people out there digging holes them leaving them unfilled. I sometimes take my 5 year old daughter to detect in the tot lot woodchips since it is easy digging and even she knows to fill her holes. When we are driving to a site and I'm going over the rules with that one she always says 'I know, I know fill my holes...' I always laugh at that but I have a tendency to hammer home certain points.

NJ

 

[Skrimpy]

May I suggest something? For the next meeting, get together some of your buddies and draw up a presentation. In that presentation explain to them that when the group helped the city fill in the holes that most of them showed evidence of animal activity. Inform them that you would like to continue to detect the parks and maybe in those parks that are more hunted than others the parks should have a permit program to ensure people fill in their holes. To get a permit you must sign a contract containing "the rules" of which you have drawn up a list but you would be willing to add almost anything they would suggest. The number one rule should be filling in holes and using a towel or bag to contain the non sod diggings so as you don't leave a mess (make sure you make a rule about removing trash if dug...they will like that). In addition it should set punitive measures for those that do not get a permit or are caught breaking the rules (ie can't detect the park anymore if you don't sign the contract that you will fill your holes in and you won't go diggin up any landscaping). On top of that, if they can charge a fee to get the permit, or possibly fines for those that break the rules (which most won't), they might see dollar signs and forget that you are collecting artifacts.

Sweet indian. I hope the back turns out as good as the front cause it's in fan-$#@%!^&-tastic shape.

 

[toolman61]

I'm glad you made the banner you deserved it!!!!! HH Tom

 

[Mark S.]

DO NOT touch that coin with water unless it is a 100% solid coin. Then only after it has sat for a long time. The ground moisture will make them brittle. This will change after air exposure for a while.

If the edges have started to deteriorate at all then water can destroy the coin. Many peole wash them with water and even field clean them with water or spit. Wrong!! Wrap them up and work on them at home. I have tried the peroxide method and was not happy with it myself.

I am from the northeast so I know exactly what you are up against with the old indians. After 30 years of hunting I have learned (the hardway) that you DO NOT hit them with water until you have carefully inspected them. And then I only use a damp (not wet) paper towel to carefully blott the dirt off. Finishing with the toothpick trick. If there is any corrosion or edge damage they go straight to olive oil.

As for the green crud monster. I have no suggestions. I have on occassion used my fingernail to flick off small spots. The problem is that the green is actually a corrosion and the metal could be damaged beneath.

Mark S.

 

[Bartman]

Wow, that is my dream coin to find. Congrats on the banner. Please post some more pics of all the indians you have found there. Any semi-key dates, or silver?

 

[Jack(IN)]

Good Morning!
Now that is an Indian Head ! That has to be the best condition 1877 anyone has ever pulled out of the ground. I think you are wise in being very careful cleaning it. It probably would be worth investing in a professional cleaning, but I wanted to tell you about some products that are available to clean heavily encrusted coins. I have collected coins for many years, and I was curious about those lots of freshly dug ancients offered on eBay. I bought a few small lots, and for the most part, it's a lot of work, and the end results aren't that great. It's just that it's so much darn fun! The ancient metals crystallize and the edges of the platchet chip off. The metal alloys react at different rates, so there is usually a lot of pitting, or you will have one good side and one bad side. Your 1877 cent doesn't seem to have either of those problems. One seller from Texas, jrmorrow on ebay, offers a line of products that are specifically formulated for particular encrustations. They aren't real expensive either. About $5.95/4? oz. bag, plus small shipping fee. I don't have anything to work on right now, but next time I get a bunch of dirty ancient bronze, I'm going to give this stuff a try. He gets a lot of customers who give good feedback for the products, so it must work.
The 1877 is the key, everyone knows that. I had a f-vf years ago and had to sell my collection to pay bills. I thought I'd just buy one back when I got back on my feet. Well guess what? Sometimes
when you have the money, there isn't anything to buy. When there is, it's going to cost you a heck of a lot more than what you sold a similar piece for. So, after all of these years, I am priced out of the market. Your find was better than about anything else I can think of. You have a real prize. Congratulations!!

I once saw a better 1877 pulled out of the ground from a fellow named Tom from Cincinnati, OH that was about as beautiful a coin pulled from the ground could be. BUT, this Indian is a super find and STILL on my wish list and I would take on in terrible condition!! Since you've found one I will also say congrats to you on a great find!!

 

[pennyfarmer]

Great FIND!!!!!!

I am sorry for the loss of another park. I also am contemplating the loss of the parks in my area. I try to confront the idiots who litter the park with their trash. I would like to blame this on Wal-mart and the $50 bounty hunters but I find that its some people with $400+ machines. How disappointing is that?

HH,
Pennyfarmer