1810's Russian copper and 1881 $10 gold

[Cal_Cobra]

A couple of weeks ago I dug a rare $1 1856-S gold coin that I posted here: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...indian-princess-rare-silver-lady-liberty.html

Oddly I guess rare gold coins no longer make the cut for banner here, but last weekend Tom_in_CA and myself got out for some detecting and dang nabbit if he didn't also dig a gold coin!! I dug an interesting big Russian 2 Kopecks copper coin the size of a U.S. large cent from the reign of Aleksandr I, can't quite make out the date, but they only minted the coin between 1810-1830. Great site, unfortunately the nice California weather is already facilitating excessive grass growth, so we were severely handicapped at a significant portion of our site, but we'll definitely be back

Here's the finds:






GL&HH,
Cal

 

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[Steve in PA]

I think that's why you don't see many large cents found out here. Tom has a theory, and I think he's quite correct, that people that were going from the east to the west, were bringing their life savings. They were bringing their heavy lifting funds, and a large gold coin that was the same physical size as a large cent, took a lot less space with exponentially more buying power, so I think the small change was, for the most part, left behind in favor of the buying power of gold and silver. I've now found two gold coins, and seen Tom dig four, and I've observed a few others dig them as well over the years, but i have not personally observed one person dig a large cent. I know they are found on occasion, but I personally have yet to dig or witness one dug.

I like that theory and could add that the San Francisco and Carson City mints produced gold and silver coins, but I don't believe they ever produced copper coins until much later at SF.

 

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[Kravotinec]

Here's my finds Tom_in_CA and I's hunt.

[FONT="]There's quite a few more bits and bobs, but mainly more of the same, bits of scrap copper, and other misc conductors.[/FONT]
View attachment 1810252

View attachment 1810253

Does anyone know what the hook looking thing is on the bottom to the left of the coin? I feel like it might be a gun part??

Thanks for looking, Cal

Hey. I do not think this is a weapon detail. Lock for window or door.

 

[IAMZIM]

GREAT! There are apparently a LOT of gold coins still in the ground. I think we discriminate out a lot of them looking for silver coins.

Thank you, this is what I keep hoping for...but lately i'm on a really dry spell for any coin....lol! I needed this to keep me motivated!!!

 

[IAMZIM]

Here's my finds Tom_in_CA and I's hunt.

There's quite a few more bits and bobs, but mainly more of the same, bits of scrap copper, and other misc conductors.
View attachment 1810252

View attachment 1810253

Does anyone know what the hook looking thing is on the bottom to the left of the coin? I feel like it might be a gun part??

Thanks for looking, Cal

I honestly don't know..but something about it reminds me of something I've seen on an old clock.......

 

[unclemac]

I think that's why you don't see many large cents found out here. Tom has a theory, and I think he's quite correct, that people that were going from the east to the west, were bringing their life savings. They were bringing their heavy lifting funds, and a large gold coin that was the same physical size as a large cent, took a lot less space with exponentially more buying power, so I think the small change was, for the most part, left behind in favor of the buying power of gold and silver. I've now found two gold coins, and seen Tom dig four, and I've observed a few others dig them as well over the years, but i have not personally observed one person dig a large cent. I know they are found on occasion, but I personally have yet to dig or witness one dug.

there is another reason too. I can give you an example from BC up north... The west coast was settled so much later than the rest of the continent and in several instances the flood of folk was caused by a sudden gold rush. In BC during the Klondike gold rush, money was flowing, floating all boats, so to speak...and to expect change back from your 5 cent coin was met with, "this isn't Ottawa"

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I've never found any penny older than 1901.
Certainly never a large cent.
I've found 3 cent silvers. I read they were used for postage..but I don't know.
The ones I've found have been used as buttons as far as I can tell.

 

[Cal_Cobra]

I like that theory and could add that the San Francisco and Carson City mints produced gold and silver coins, but I don't believe they ever produced copper coins until much later at SF.

Interestingly we do find a fair amount of IHPs from the 1860's an on, so I think you're right, a gap when they were focused on silver and gold, and then the IHPs, 2 centers and 3 centers started to phase in (which are also not commonly found here, but they come up from time to time). The coin patterns of the U.S. are definitely interesting. We've even noticed that in migration patterns, like areas where the majority of the traffic was east to west tend not to have too many San Francisco minted coins, yet if it was after the gold rush or during the Civil War when people we traveling back east, we see a predominant mix of San Francisco coins.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Interestingly we do find a fair amount of IHPs from the 1860's an on, so I think you're right, a gap when they were focused on silver and gold, and then the IHPs, 2 centers and 3 centers started to phase in (which are also not commonly found here, but they come up from time to time). The coin patterns of the U.S. are definitely interesting. We've even noticed that in migration patterns, like areas where the majority of the traffic was east to west tend not to have too many San Francisco minted coins, yet if it was after the gold rush or during the Civil War when people we traveling back east, we see a predominant mix of San Francisco coins.

The 3 cent silver's we find are 1850ish vintage, which marks the time the very first miners arrived. I think there was a short mint run of those. But ya..makes me feel I'm not doing something right when I don't find the lowest denomination coin, most likely to be lost or thrown..And one of the easiest to detect! Yet I found a few gold coins.
Definately doesn't fit in with the profile of most of the detectorist here.