🥇 BANNER Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

{Sentinel}

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Jan 11, 2007
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Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

What's up guys :wink: Just got back from a visit to see my mother, and brothers and sister down in South Carolina. While there, I did some research and found an old Confederate camp that was used to hold Yankee prisoners for about six months. The place is near my parents property and is overgrown with brush and woods now. On Friday I went out there to look around very late in the afternoon. After locating what looked like the breastworks and rifle-pits that would've surrounded it I dropped my
coil and within 5 minutes found a decent Eagle Button and that was all the evidence that I needed, the smoking gun so to speak, and secured my appointment to go back the next afternoon. Here's the video below about 2 hours into the dig and starts with me digging out the hole:





Second video after I took a few minutes to collect myself:






Needless to say I was stunned when that popped out. It was the LAST thing in the World that I would've expected to see come out. This camp was erected late in the war and most Confederate soldiers would not have had access to U.S. Gold coins like this. I believe that this was a Gold coin that was somehow hidden by a Northern soldier to keep until he was released or to use to bargain for goods. A U.S. Gold Dollar could by ALOT in the late war Confederacy and that soldier knew it. He could've used it to barter for foodstuffs (potatoes, bread, etc) really just about anything. He either buried it or lost it but I'm pretty sure it was probably lost because you just didn't bury something like gold and not recover it, unless of course that soldier died or was moved so abruptly that there WAS no time to recover it.
My brother was with me behind the camera and was amazed and he got alittle mad because he didn't find much (he wasn't over the learning curve quite yet with the Ace 250 w/ 10x14 Excelerator Coil). This Dollar was the most minted of the years but is in great condition. According to PCGS the high points are the hair near the coronet and the points of the leaves on the reverse and there's very little to no wear. Comparing it to the PCGS photos of this coin, it grades in the higher AU range. If it had been a "D" or "C" worth more but just to dig a Civil War era Gold coin is a very rare and exhilarating find indeed and something I won't ever forget! Thanks for looking :icon_thumleft: :icon_thumleft: :wink: :wink: :wink:



Photos (Uncleaned)

1853 Dollar (7).JPG

1853 Dollar (1).JPG

1853 Dollar (11).JPG




Photos (Rinsed with alittle water)


1853 Dollar (9)ed.jpg


1853 Dollar (2)ed.jpg






1853 Dollar (3).JPG
 

Upvote 0

The Patriot

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Oct 16, 2009
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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Well done....funny how things work in this hobby...when you least expect something, there it is! great banner find
 

Roger Mn.

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Aug 18, 2007
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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Congratulations on the gold coin and banner. :thumbsup:
 

ModernMiner

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Jan 9, 2007
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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Josh,
She shur do l@@k purdy up in that thar banner train!!! UNBELIEVABLE Big Guy!!!! :notworthy:
I've never even seen one of those gold coins let alone dug one. :dontknow:
A well deserved banner find. Congrats & thanks for the video.
What's next a slave tag? ;D
-Doug-
 

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lennon631

Sr. Member
May 3, 2010
425
2
Long Island NY
Detector(s) used
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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Just gave you my vote buddy. EXCELLENT FIND! :hello2:
 

OP
OP
{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

Silver Member
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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Silver Searcher said:
:headbang:

Josh...... i'm glad your not hunting here :laughing9: this year has been one to remember for you :notworthy: Stunning Gold coin mate :headbang:..you deserve it :icon_thumleft:

SS

LMAO.... Thanks Colin, I sure appreciate it my friend

Kirk PA said:
Josh, you are the "Man of the Year." :hello2: Wow, man, I am proud of you. I can't believe the year you are having. Keep it up, man, and the detecting gods will shine down on you. Thanks for sharing the passion. :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

Kirk

Thanks my friend We've been long time buddies on the Net and I've seen you, your unc and bro make some very nice finds as well. This year has been really good to me and I don't take it for granted, but its the friends that last, not the hot streaks! Thanks brutha for the cool compliment....Never been "Man of the Year" :headbang: :headbang:
 

U

umrgolf

Guest
Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Hey Josh, sorry I haven't gotten on sooner... Buddy, this is one hell of a great find. You know I've never found a gold coin. In fact, you're the only person I've ever hunted with that's found one. It doesn't happen often as we all know. Then to find the coin you did, in the condition it happens to be in, is nothing short of incredible.. Right on Josh :notworthy:
 

OP
OP
{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

JuJu said:
Big congrats on the banner. A U.S. gold coin is high on my list. WTG.
:icon_pirat:
JuJu

Thanks JuJu. Yeah I don't know about gold coins, but I sure like those Gold rings that you pull up in your neck of the woods :icon_thumleft: :wink:

ColonialDude said:
That's an awesome find right there! Must have been exciting for sure! I couldn't watch the vid as I am at work unfortunately, but will check it out later. Congrats!

Still waiting for my first gold coin...

Hope you got a chance to see the videos. Not often that you get taken TOTALLY by surprise like I was in that video!
 

tuatara

Hero Member
Jan 21, 2010
640
2
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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Congrats on one awesome coin :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
 

OP
OP
{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

Silver Member
Jan 11, 2007
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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Merf said:
That is a FANTASTIC find Sentinel. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
My vote for the banner is in.
Good work my friend.

Thanks Merf :cowboy:

rodgerdodger said:
Congratulations on the gold coin and banner. :thumbsup:

Thanks Rodgerdodger

Brian(upstateNY-Central Fla.) said:
Beautiful find :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: :hello2: congrats :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thanks Brian. I had to go and look at it again just awhile ago ;D

ModernMiner said:
Josh,
She shur do l@@k purdy up in that thar banner train!!! UNBELIEVABLE Big Guy!!!! :notworthy:
I've never even seen one of those gold coins let alone dug one. :dontknow:
A well deserved banner find. Congrats & thanks for the video.
What's next a slave tag? ;D
-Doug-

Thanks Doug! Love the pic! :icon_thumleft: :wink: MAN, I would LOVE a slave tag. That's been on the wish list since the beginning and the only place to find a genuine one is in South Carolina! When I go back down to visit the parents in a couple months there's a big pretty Plantation that I'm going to try and secure permission to hunt. If you could see this place! It just looks like there is some Great stuff waiting to be revealed! :wink: :wink:
 

Cal_Cobra

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Oct 3, 2008
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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Congrats, that is an awesome find :headbang:

It's even more awesome that you were able to capture it on video, what a great way to preserve that memory :thumbsup:

Hope you find more there, I know I'd be back after finding that ;D

HH,
Brian
 

OP
OP
{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Cal_Cobra said:
Congrats, that is an awesome find :headbang:

It's even more awesome that you were able to capture it on video, what a great way to preserve that memory :thumbsup:

Hope you find more there, I know I'd be back after finding that ;D

HH,
Brian

Oh yeah, I will be going back
 

aztreasure

Jr. Member
Jul 13, 2010
42
2
Arizona
Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Sentinel, outstanding finds! I really enjoyed hearing about your research, and the subsequent analysis on the gold coin's significance, and how it might have been left there.

Cheers,

Thomas
 

Blind Squirrel

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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Congrats on the banner :headbang: That coin sure looks good up there. It should be left up there for posterity!!! That's a rare one.
 

OP
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{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

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Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

aztreasure said:
Sentinel, outstanding finds! I really enjoyed hearing about your research, and the subsequent analysis on the gold coin's significance, and how it might have been left there.

Cheers,

Thomas

Thanks Thomas. This "Type I" gold Dollar is pretty rare from what the PCGS says. Apparently most of them got sent back to the mint 8 months after they were struck to be melted down again in favor of a bigger and thinner Type II and Type III:

excerpt from website : http://www.usrarecoininvestments.com/collecting/1853-one-dol-gol.htm

"Patterson's opposition proved to be for reasons partly political, partly venal. After Gobrecht's death in 1844, James Barton Longacre obtained the Mint engravership through his friend John C. Calhoun a name anathema to the Pennsylvania dynasties then running the Mint. Patterson wanted o Engraver at all, lest such an outsider interfere with the lucrative medal making business then operated within the Mint by his crony Franklin Peale. So long as no new denominations were needed. But Congress would not be deterred. Something had to take the place of the vanished silver and dishonest paper currency; the only logical candidate was the gold dollar.
Despite Peale's officious opposition and attempted sabotage, Longacre (with the help of an assistant, Peter F. Cross( managed to complete master dies for the gold dollar on May 7, 1849. On May 8, a few proofs and some 1,000 business strikes were coined, the first of over 11,719,000 of this design to be issued from Philadelphia and four branch mints through June 17, 1854. During most of that period, gold dollars formed the bulk of the nation's legal circulation medium between the 3c and the $2,50 denominations, managing to replace a few drops of the flood of worthless bank notes and scrip.
After the issue of larger, thinner ("Type II") gold dollars began in Aug. 1854, banks were under orders to return the small-size dollars to the Mint or the New York Subtreasury. By 1861, some eight million of the original 11 million coined had reached the Subtreasury. Mint Director James Ross Snowden ordered them shipped to the Philadelphia Mint, where they were melted down and recoined into "Type III" gold dollars, quarter eagles, and double eagles. Many of the survivors have been converted into jewelry or included in later meltings. Possibly 1% of the original mintage remains today in numismatically acceptable condition. (Numismatists normally reject gold coins with any traces of solder; look on edges for any discoloration, any lump or other interruption of edge reeding, or any indication that reeding has been simulated by hand tooling. Local porosity is also grounds for suspicion.) It follows that many of the lower mintage from Charlotte and Dahlonega have become rarities; some of the C and D-Mint coins are almost unobtainable in or near mint state. Data on striking characteristics of C-Mint coins derive partly from unpublished researches by Douglas Winter."

I've talked to a couple guys who are gold collectors and they agree with the PCGS photos in that this one would grade in the high AU. I'll send it in in a few weeks and let them grade it for me. Thanks for your interest :icon_thumleft: :wink:
 

aztreasure

Jr. Member
Jul 13, 2010
42
2
Arizona
Re: Trip to S.C. = 1853 Longacre "Type I" Liberty Head Gold Dollar!

Wow, it keeps getting more interesting! Congratulations again!

Thomas
 

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