1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree Threepence and more from virgin 1660 homesite!

oxbowbarefoot

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May 25, 2011
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What an incredible day at a 1660 virgin homesite in Massachusetts! My first find was a huge Brown Bess musket ball. Nice way to get the day started. My next target was the best find of the day, and one of my best finds ever, a 1652 Pine Tree Threepence! It's either a Noe 36 or a Noe 37 variety. Unfortunately the tree side is tough to make a definitive call. Either way, it's well over a $1000 coin��. Then came a sweet George I Farthing. Next find was an Abraham Lincoln related thing, not sure what it is yet. Right next to that was a colonial gold broach. After an early ox knob and a a bale seal came a great goulcher lock or dog lock off a musket or rifle. All in all, a fantastic day!

Thank you Dr. R.M. Gramly for the tip on the location!

Updates:
The Pine Tree Threepence is a Noe 36/Salmon 2-B, Rarity 4, only 75-200 known!
The "dog lock" was actually just part of an old cap gun, darn!
The Lincoln item is a ferrotype campaign button from the 1860 election :)

18343f66-3187-46a7-9793-6891b39c48c0.jpg 36713acf-5b98-4270-934c-2bc97d0b9371.jpg
 

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Last edited:
Upvote 83

Ahab8

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Oct 15, 2013
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Dude I'm going to get my butt to that site. I cannot let you get too big of a lead on me lol. Actually I feel extremely blessed and fortunate to have found just one. That was #1 on my lifetime list. If I never find another Ive been blessed for sure. But let's just say my new list has a couple of 1652 silver coins on it....and they are a bit more rare than the other I found. We are both very lucky to have decent condition. Not an easy thing to do. I truly hope you find a few more in the years to come. You are one that obviously has a ton of respect for the history and the stories behind these amazing pieces
 

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oxbowbarefoot

oxbowbarefoot

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Dude I'm going to get my butt to that site. I cannot let you get too big of a lead on me lol. Actually I feel extremely blessed and fortunate to have found just one. That was #1 on my lifetime list. If I never find another Ive been blessed for sure. But let's just say my new list has a couple of 1652 silver coins on it....and they are a bit more rare than the other I found. We are both very lucky to have decent condition. Not an easy thing to do. I truly hope you find a few more in the years to come. You are one that obviously has a ton of respect for the history and the stories behind these amazing pieces

Its funny how when we find that top of the list coin we're somehow able to raise the bar for the next number 1. Higly copper or Willow/NE coinage next, but then what? Brasher Doubloon? Although I'm perfectly happy to continue growing the forest.
i don't think you have to worry about my lead growing too much. It's Rhodehog and Stealheadwill that are way ahead...
 

treblehunter

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Jun 18, 2013
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Great finds!
 

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oxbowbarefoot

oxbowbarefoot

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The coins are awesome too. I went out today and only found two coins. We went to a local beach which didn't yield anything. My metal detector would show a hit but the pinpointer wouldn't pick anything up in the hole. It was weird. I keep going out because I love the hunt. Posts like this one help a lot too. Thanks for sharing these amazing finds. As far as the Fairbanks house goes I know they had archeologists out there a couple of years ago. I haven't really heard if they found anything significant or not. I am pretty sure that they had to seal up the well that was on the property though.

It would be interesting to see if they made a display of finds they made. I'm sure the people who used to detect there pulled most of the obvious stuff out, but I'd bet there are some deep items left in the ground. I might have to visit the museum one of these days.
 

Bill D. (VA)

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Oct 7, 2008
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Its funny how when we find that top of the list coin we're somehow able to raise the bar for the next number 1. Higly copper or Willow/NE coinage next, but then what? Brasher Doubloon? Although I'm perfectly happy to continue growing the forest.
i don't think you have to worry about my lead growing too much. It's Rhodehog and Stealheadwill that are way ahead...

Don't forget that Hank Phillips from up your way has a nice handful too .....

hanks tree coins.jpg
 

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oxbowbarefoot

oxbowbarefoot

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Don't forget that Hank Phillips from up your way has a nice handful too .....

View attachment 1293002

wow! That's an impressive handful. It reminds me that I still need to find my first cob. Ahab, you've got me beat there so far!

Bill, I'm sure you'll find another Mass silver down in VA. That cut pine tree of yours is sweet!
 

Ahab8

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Oct 15, 2013
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NO NO NO!!!! This Mass silver is not slipping away. It's going up top where it belongs. Guys these Mass silvers are such a special find. Think about the history that goes along with a coin from the Mass Bay Colony. I've seen somebody find a couple and not get a BANNER. It breaks my heart man. These suckers are special!!!! I just found out awhile ago that one of my ancestors was John Alden who came over in 1620 on the Mayflower. If you've seen the movie Salem you know who I'm talking about. Pretty amazing stuff
 

Ahab8

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Oct 15, 2013
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wow! That's an impressive handful. It reminds me that I still need to find my first cob. Ahab, you've got me beat there so far!

Bill, I'm sure you'll find another Mass silver down in VA. That cut pine tree of yours is sweet!

Not gonna lie man....when the Mass silver and cob came out I thought I might have hit the mother lode!!!! Lol
 

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oxbowbarefoot

oxbowbarefoot

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Thanks, Abe! I was counting down the minutes all week until I could get back to the site. I drove straight there after work and got in about an hour and a half before it got dark. Found a KG copper, tombac and sweet trade token. I'll post them after tomorrow's hunt.
 

OutdoorAdv

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Apr 16, 2013
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Stopped by for my 10th or so look at the threepence and the picture of your silver tree forest collection. :thumbsup: Hope you did well hunting back there man... Looking forward to what else turns up.
 

cjon455

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Jun 4, 2012
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Just an amazingly old coin!, fantastic find!
 

A2coins

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I would love to hunt that site great finds!!!
 

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oxbowbarefoot

oxbowbarefoot

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Thanks everyone. I'll write up a post for my finds from Friday night's and yesterday's hunt at the site. Got some neat early finds. I'm still hoping to get permission to the the lawn around the current house.
 

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oxbowbarefoot

oxbowbarefoot

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Group shot of my favorite finds from about 10 hours at this site since last Sunday. New to the group from this weekends hunt, 1699 William III halfpenny, King George II halfpenny, 1811? Large Cent, trade token, 2 silver quarters and a War Nickel.
image.png
 

Scrappy

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Dang it! This is a banner coin and I would really like to see it on top. My vote is going in, late, but it'll be there.
 

Ahab8

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Oct 15, 2013
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Dang it! This is a banner coin and I would really like to see it on top. My vote is going in, late, but it'll be there.

Don't get me started man. I'd love to know what percentage of everybody that swings a detector finds a Mass silver?....let alone 3? But in my opinion this is beyond worthy.
 

Scrappy

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Don't get me started man. I'd love to know what percentage of everybody that swings a detector finds a Mass silver?....let alone 3? But in my opinion this is beyond worthy.

Funny you should mention percentages. On my Banner vote comments I mentioned that any Mass silver is rare, but this denomination and type is less often seen than others. At any rate it's a super-rate find.
 

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