197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition. Gently rinsed and new pics

NJ Marty

Hero Member
Jun 7, 2008
658
410
NJ
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer XS Minelab E-trac
I havent found anything exiting to post in awhile but today I found probably the best coin of my detecting career. Today after finding 4 wheat pennies in 4 hours In a pounded park, but with alot of history I put my detector away and was done for the day. I went back to chat with the guys before leaving and got a few jabs about leaving. I said ok I wil give it another 30 min, am I glad I did. After a few more wheats I headed near the tennis courts, the area is loaded with tennis ball can caps but stuck with it. At about min 28 I got a crappy signal and dug a 5 inch deep plug, stuck my pinpointer in and got an equally crappy signal then took about 3 more inches and got a good signal. I then took some dirt out with my hand and saw the edge of a big silver, I thought it was an 8 real because i saw a little if the bust lady, called my 2 buds over and told them it was an 8 real. Yes. My freind pulled it out and said its no 8 reale its american as he was looking at the eagle., I snatched it out of his hands and my heart sank I thought it was modern silver. Then i realized what it was, my first bust coin and a half to boot. The condition is amazing allthough it has an old scratch throught the sheild its still in amazing condition.
I want to thank all of you for all the nice comments and for making the banner. I have looked at this coin for hours and am still on cloud 9. I took the advice of giving it a gentle rinse (NO BRUSH) and took a few pics, I can only dream of ever topping this find. It is a find of a lifetime. Again thank you all.
Marty
 

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Upvote 1

Baggins

Bronze Member
Jan 2, 2007
1,541
89
TEXAS
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV / Garrett Ace 250/Minelab X-Terra 70
Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

WOW! That's flippin' KILLER!!
WTG
Baggins
 

drodda777

Sr. Member
Mar 13, 2009
271
2
Dave, Central Iowa
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac, Garrett AT-MAX
Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

A coin like that is what makes us go out and swing and dig those wheaties! Great find! Congrats on the banner too. :thumbsup:


HH,

Dave
 

B|lker

Hero Member
Apr 3, 2006
673
37
Raleigh, NC
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 And
Garret AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Marty, that a beauty :thumbsup:
Hope i one day find something that old.
Bill
 

Gunny71

Sr. Member
Jan 14, 2009
309
33
Texas by Gawd
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-TRAC
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

That is outstanding, what a beautiful coin!
Congrats on the Banner!!!
 

twistidd

Bronze Member
Nov 11, 2007
1,789
3
Chicago
Detector(s) used
White's Matrix M6 w/ Sun-Ray DX-1, 950 coil and 6x10 DD, Minelab Excalibur II, Garrett Ace 250, Garmin Etrex GPS
Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

I just sat and stared at the pictures of your coin for about ten minutes straight.

Simply awesome.

Joe
 

Ed-NH

Bronze Member
Feb 4, 2006
1,371
37
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer ll
Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Congrats on such a beautiful coin!
 

golden silver

Silver Member
Oct 22, 2007
2,771
109
Hampton Roads, VA.
Detector(s) used
bounty hunter sharp shooter 2, minelab sovereign xs 2a pro
Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Arguably the most beautiful coin the U.S ever minted. Wow. Speechless!

Golden Silver
 

OP
OP
NJ Marty

NJ Marty

Hero Member
Jun 7, 2008
658
410
NJ
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer XS Minelab E-trac
Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Neil in West Jersey said:
Jeffro said:
Very, very nice- and if you so much as touch it with a brush half of us will wring your neck, LOL!

soak it, rinse it, whatever- just have someone professionally do the cleaning if it won't rinse off, please?

Spectacular find!

What he said...... DISTILLED WATER ONLY!!!

Marty,

What can I say that has not already been said? That is the find of a lifetime! I love it when I read about a "crappy signal". Some of the best finds posted are those deep, questionable signals. It makes you wonder if someone actually got the same, questionable signal from that coin and decided not to dig it!

To put things in perspective, when that coin was lost, I guarantee it did not go unnoticed for very long. That was a lot of money in those days. What could that buy? Here is what I found:

Cost of living in the 1800's - One bag of flour $1.80 - Small measure of potatoes daily at .17 per day = $1.19 - One quarter pound of tea .38 - One quart of milk .56 - One pound of cheap coffee .35 - Three and one half pounds Sugar $1.05 - One half ration of meats per week $3.50 - Four pounds of butter $1.60 - Two pounds of lard .38 - Dried apples for treats .25 - Vegetables .50 - Soap, starch, pepper, salt, vinegar, etc. $1.00 - 2 bushels of coal $1.36 - Kerosene .30 - Sundries .28 - Rent $4.00 week = Total $18.50



Congratulations on an amazing beauty of a coin, and a well deserved banner!
Thanks I soaked it gently and took a few pics, all the advice is appreciated
 

Shawano~

Jr. Member
Apr 3, 2009
54
4
SWMI
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer II, Fisher CZ20
WTG...!!! What a beautiful coin. Looks like it was minted then dropped just for you to find... :) Congrats!!!
 

Goldiver

Bronze Member
Sep 15, 2006
2,345
1,150
Fremont, Ohio
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800, Fisher F-75 LTD2, CZ-70, CZ-21, 1280x, Vibraprobe 560, Minelab Pro-Find 35
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
:icon_thumright: Good Lord what a gorgeous coin! Congratulations! :icon_thumleft:

It reminds me of my 1832 half I dug a few years ago, it was about an inch or two deep and I was expecting a modern quarter, it about gave me a heart attack right there, haha.

Steve
 

stillgottawork

Sr. Member
Jun 6, 2008
454
15
New York
Detector(s) used
Whites XLT , Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Since you already made the banner....the only thing I have to say is ....WOW :headbang:
 

F

Felinepeachy

Guest
I'm speechless, it's beautiful. Congratulations!!!!!!!


WOW!!!!!!
 

gemee

Hero Member
Jul 31, 2004
610
211
California
WOW!!! That coin is the closest to MINT that I have ever seen on this board. ANYONE here have any idea of value? I am thinking in the thousand dollar range.
 

Tykit

Sr. Member
Jan 20, 2007
250
1
Middlesex, New Jersey
Detector(s) used
Tesoro, Fisher
Hey Marty, Dave here. I'm still on cloud 9 seeing you dig up that beautiful coin. (I was there when Marty dug it up, I'll never forget that moment.) He's a great guy, glad he found it. Dave
 

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