Spanish Silver from the half dime site

bonepicker

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Jan 5, 2012
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Went back to the half dime field thinking the recent rains might help with conductivity and the digging.
Had some really good finds at this site in the past, but lately we havent been finding much.
Decided to go really slow and work the iron patch, and dig lots of iffy signals in the same area that we have dug many 1830-1850 US half dimes.

Fortunately one of those iffy signals turned out to be a spanish silver half real that i think was sitting on edge.
The coin was pressed into the sidewall of the hole, and there were also lots of nails in this hole, which could be why this coin was missed, as i know we have been over that spot many times.

Unfortunately the coin was very worn, completely black, had a pie slice gash in it, a tiny hole that looks like someone tried to poke a nail through it, and it appears i scratched the front of it when i was digging the plug.
The coin is slightly smaller than a US dime, so im assuming its a half real. It looks like the date is 180_, and i think that would make it a Carolus IIII.
This is the second spanish half real dug from this site, and both were almost completely worn slick.

The site was a homestead where a Spanish family moved to this area from Cat Island, MS. around the year 1840.
The family Patriarch was a baker and a sailor. The site also has deep anchorage. Supposedly Mr. B_ _ _ _ _ also raised goats, and would trade with other sailors that came to port in his tiny harbor.

My guess is this coin was probably still in circulation around 1840-1850 when lost.
First 2 pics will be the coin uncleaned. I also added a pic of the iron/junk, and a pic of a tiny brass square nail, a couple pieces of semi-interesting lead and 2 whatsits id love some help with.
 

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Upvote 20

Ahab8

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Oct 15, 2013
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BP worn or not a fantastic coin. And yes likely Carolus IIII. Congrats buddy
 

OP
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bonepicker

bonepicker

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BP worn or not a fantastic coin. And yes likely Carolus IIII. Congrats buddy
Thanks Ahab. I wish it was in better shape, but i cannot complain. My only other 2 silver coins for this year are a merc and a rosie.
Most of our old sites have been hammered dry, the new sites/permissions arent producing, and we have not been finding much lately for this year.
Seems i have more silver jewelry than coins for 2016.
Today was a bit of a slump buster and a definite morale booster.
 

Ahab8

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Oct 15, 2013
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Thanks Ahab. I wish it was in better shape, but i cannot complain. My only other 2 silver coins for this year are a merc and a rosie.
Most of our old sites have been hammered dry, the new sites/permissions arent producing, and we have not been finding much lately for this year.
Seems i have more silver jewelry than coins for 2016.
Today was a bit of a slump buster and a definite morale booster.

Seems like the detecting gods give us a good one when we need it most. Hope this starts you on a roll bud
 

Scrappy

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"The uglier the more character", I like to say. That coin of yours tells an incredible story, but unfortunately it will keep it to itself, and you'll only have to guess. Great Spanish and congrats
 

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bonepicker

bonepicker

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Congrats on the Spanish, looks to me like it was being converted into a cuff or button. Nice digs
Thanks VMI. You might be right. I really think someone might have tried to hit it with a nail to punch a hole in it.
I cant help from thinking that maybe the coin was lost when someone attempted to put a hole in it, since the hole is not clean and complete.
 

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bonepicker

bonepicker

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"The uglier the more character", I like to say. That coin of yours tells an incredible story, but unfortunately it will keep it to itself, and you'll only have to guess. Great Spanish and congrats
Thanks Scrappy. It definitely has character.
At this point i will happily take the good, the bad, and the ugly.
 

Gridwalker306

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Nice find bone, any Spanish is good Spanish. Looks to me to be 1801
 

Loco-Digger

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Congrats on the Spanish silver. :occasion14: It sure has had a rough life, still, I'd love to dig one someday.
 

treblehunter

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Good ID, I could go for some Spainish! Congrats.
 

Carolina Tom

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Well done BP. Congrats on another excellent old find!
 

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bonepicker

bonepicker

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Nice find bone, any Spanish is good Spanish. Looks to me to be 1801
Thanks J Cache. I was thinking 1801 or 1807. Ill go with the 1801 since the vertical line appears to be straight.
Congrats on the Spanish silver. :occasion14: It sure has had a rough life, still, I'd love to dig one someday.
Thanks Loco. Im sure you will one day. I think that spot you found the large 1812 coin would be a good place to look.
Congrats on the old silver
Thanks Trapper
Good ID, I could go for some Spainish! Congrats.
Thanks Treb
Well done BP. Congrats on another excellent old find!
Thanks Tom. May there be many more.
 

Captain Caveman

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Congratz! I'm sorry I missed this post, the rain storms brought leaks to my house so I haven't been on for a few days. That is awesome though! Half real #2 from that spot!
 

Oct 5, 2014
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Congratulations on the nice silver find! :occasion14:
 

CASPER-2

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Steve in PA

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Definitely counts on your Spanish total.
 

Bass

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Still a good find and there's likely more there
 

OP
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bonepicker

bonepicker

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Jan 5, 2012
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Congratz! I'm sorry I missed this post, the rain storms brought leaks to my house so I haven't been on for a few days. That is awesome though! Half real #2 from that spot!
Sorry to hear about your roof. The weather down here never got real bad. I didnt go Saturday, because we thought it would rain more, but it missed us.
Thanks for the props. I knew there had to be more there. We tried the surrounding woods later on when i sent you that pic and only dug melted pieces of lead here and there.
Seems like the only area where we are finding is in that field we took you to. Oh, and i dug it probably less than a 100 feet from where i parked my truck that day.
Congratulations on the nice silver find! :occasion14:
Thanks Prof
Definitely counts on your Spanish total.
Thanks Steve. Just enough detail to get an ID. #10, and counting.
Still a good find and there's likely more there
Thanks Bass. Ive been saying that for a while. The last few trips at this site were a bust.
If it hadnt been such a good site in the past, we would have given up on it a long time ago.
Looks like we will be going back again one day. This one makes the 8th half denomination silver coin dug from this site.
 

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