Old Woods Still Producing - 1774 Spanish Silver 1/2 Reale

[bookfisher]

After hitting these woods scores of times in the past year, I thought they were hunted out. Well I was wrong and the old adage about a place never being totally hunted out holds true. My game plan for today was to hit a small area that I had searched a couple of times before; but one I had not pounded, since it never produced any keepers, and to search slow and deliberate. Almost immediatley the slow search paid off with a 19th century flat button. Then a short time later, a decent signal at 5 inches that was bouncing around between screwtop and penny/dime turned out to be a nice 1774 Spanish silver half reale. Though I pride myself on my pinpointing abilities and that I always cut a wide plug, so as not to damage the target with my 26" garden shovel, It appears I did nick the coin. I'm a little baffled though, because there are several scratches on the coin (indicating multiply hits with the shovel) and it only took two motions to recover the coin, cutting the plug and then removing some dirt from the hole. That would be pretty bad if I struck the coin both times. Anyway, stuff happens and I finished the hunt a little later on with another 19th century flat button. Below is a list of keepers (including today's) I've found there. Just about all these finds have been posted on the forum


1711 Spanish Seisenio Copper Coin
1738 King George II Colonial Copper
1771 Spanish 1 Reale (Extremely worn, though date is visible)
1774 Spanish 1/2 Reale
1778 Spanish 1 Reale
1781 Spanish 1/2 Reale (Converted to a button)
1780s Nova Constellatio Copper
1787 Massachusetts One Cent Copper
1803 Kettle Replica or Game Marker Coin
1812 Classic Head Large Cent
1821 Matron Head Large Cent
1824 Matron Head Large Cent
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime
1837 Hard Times Token (Found By Rob)
1841 Seated Liberty Dime
1842 Braided Hair Large Cent
1852 Silver Three Cents Piece
1863 Indian Head Penny
1864 Counterfeit California Gold Dollar Coin
1894 Barber Quarter
1897 Barber Dime
1902 Barber Dime
1905-S Barber Dime
1920 Buffalo Nickel
1920 Walking Liberty Half Dollar (Found By Rob)
1937 Mercury Dime
1952 Washington Quarter
Four or Five Other Indian Head Pennies (Can't Remember The Dates) And A Few Wheat Cents.

Also In The Keeper Case:
Very Worn Colonial Copper Probably William III (1650-1702)
Very Corroded King George II Colonial Copper
War Of 1812 Light Artillery 1st Regiment Button
C1812 US Navy Button In Extremely Fine Condiiton (Found By Rob)
C1820-1830 US Navy Button In Extremely Fine Condition
C1900 Admiral Dewey "Welcome Our Hero" Souvenir Medal
C1920 Knights Templar Medal From Syracuse New York
C1937 Speed Gibson's Flying Police Tin Badge (Radio Premium Missing Back Pin)

 

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[halfdime]

Re: Old Woods Still Producing - 1770s Spanish Silver 1/2 Reale

Looks like 1774; nice find! Way better shape than mine

 

[Colonial KirkPA]

Re: Old Woods Still Producing - 1770s Spanish Silver 1/2 Reale

1774, indeed! It is much better than my half reale this year. That is a same you murdered him! Great find, dude!

 

[bookfisher]

Looks like 1774; nice find! Way better shape than mine

Thanks halfdime, you beat me to it - just now looking at the picture I saw the four and was about to amend my post. Thanks again.

 

[Prober]

Re: Old Woods Still Producing - 1770s Spanish Silver 1/2 Reale

Wow, super old coin! Pretty good shape for being that old.

 

[SouthLand]

Re: Old Woods Still Producing - 1770s Spanish Silver 1/2 Reale

I'm reale'ing from your discovery. (crickets chirp in background)

My lack of humor is not to be underestimated.

Seriously though, very nice finds! I suspect I'll have to make some northern friends who are in the know if I ever hope to have a chance at a coins like that.

HH'ing.

Jeff

 

[Jack(IN)]

Nice old silver!! Congrats!

 

[Mirage]

That reale is an awesome coin. WTG. I traditionally hunt in a very methodical way. It's the only way to really see what's in an area.

Bob

 

[silverfinder]

Congratulations. I assumed there was probably more where you were hunting, and that still may be true, although what's left, if anything, will be challenging to find, demanding patience and, if you will, an obsessive drive to go over every inch of ground, digging all equivocal signals. Daunting, yes, but if you've got the time and the inclination, well...why not! By the way, since you live so close to Long Island beaches, have you ever tried your luck at the shore? As much as I enjoy inland hunting, I'd give my eyeteeth to live nearer to a good Atlantic beach and hunt the hell out of it.

 

[ModernMiner]

Incredible list of finds. I can only dream of finding coins that old.
A BIG "Congrats" to you.
Keep it up,
MM

 

[Merf]

Those old woods are a goldmine Fisher.

Very very nice finds.--Congrats

 

[CRUSADER]

Nice find, never found an old spanish coin

 

[Boobydoo]

Another great old coin, well done and congrats! Those scratches don't look like they are from your huge shovel so maybe they were already there. Great find!! Congrats and thanks for sharing. Keep em coming, good luck!

Smiles!
BDoo

 

[Don in SJ]

Another great old coin, well done and congrats! Those scratches don't look like they are from your huge shovel so maybe they were already there. BDoo

I agree, they appear to be old scratches, not done by you. I am glad to see you wrote your post the way you did, that is how I hunt the old homesteads, especially ones that have been pounded by me or someone else. Going slow does produce more, I have no doubt about that.

Don

 

[bookfisher]

Another great old coin, well done and congrats! Those scratches don't look like they are from your huge shovel so maybe they were already there. BDoo

I agree, they appear to be old scratches, not done by you. I am glad to see you wrote your post the way you did, that is how I hunt the old homesteads, especially ones that have been pounded by me or someone else. Going slow does produce more, I have no doubt about that.

Don

Thanks guys, though I now think I am definitely the cause of the larger scratch. Below is a picture of the coin at a different angle and the deep incised groove of the scratch is shining like its a new cut. I don't think an old cut would shine as bright. Either way I very happy with the coin and it reminds me to be more careful when recovering the object.

 

[bookfisher]

Congratulations. I assumed there was probably more where you were hunting, and that still may be true, although what's left, if anything, will be challenging to find, demanding patience and, if you will, an obsessive drive to go over every inch of ground, digging all equivocal signals. Daunting, yes, but if you've got the time and the inclination, well...why not! By the way, since you live so close to Long Island beaches, have you ever tried your luck at the shore? As much as I enjoy inland hunting, I'd give my eyeteeth to live nearer to a good Atlantic beach and hunt the hell out of it.

Hi Silverfinder,

Though I would certainly like to find some gold rings and jewelry on the beach, my main focus is old relics and coins, especially from Colonial Times.

 

[Green1]

scratch or no scratch,, i would love findin one of those.....

 

[Ridley]

That's an amazing collection of historical coins. Walking into those woods must be like stepping back in time. It must be strange to emerge from them with a coin that old in your pocket, and then drive home through modern day traffic.

Scratches happen.

Congratulations!


Ridley

 

[Ralphw]

OK where exactly are these woods? lol just kidding ,,, very nice, gives me encouragement as I try to find some areas left on long island....... its not easy.

 

[crocop]

Hey fish, how about leaving some coins for the rest of us that live on Long Island.
Great finds, no where else is anyone finding quality finds like yours.
Yesturday I was lucky enough to pull a no date SLQ and a 1918 Walking lady half out of the same plug, a first for me ( two silvers in one plug ) I remember when you and I spoke in your store about the things we've found, you have a really nice collection. That bad boy gold coin is something. Are you still using that MXT? you need to upgrade to an Explorer 11. Keep up the good work.
CC