1652 Massachusetts Oak Tree Shilling! And other colonial goodies. My best hunt ever!

[oxbowbarefoot]

Today was by far by far my best detecting yet! I started detecting around 6am and right off the bat I scored 4 Indian cents in a row. Nice way to begin a marathon day of detecting. On my first return pass, I found a Draped Bust cent and a Connecticut Copper within 5 feet of each other. Another 100ft down the pass I spotted my first Indian Axe Head, which made my day! Soon after, Broken Knee arrived for a while. He made a few cool finds and decided to head to a different part of the site. I decided to stay and finish out the area I had been working. Boy am I glad did. My Deus gave me a real solid sweet sound and began to dig. I flipped the plug, grabbed some dirt and ran it over my coil. It was in my hand. I broke open the clump of dirt to see the beautiful color of old silver looking back at me, with the clear as day date of 1652! I couldn't believe it, my second Massachusetts Colonial Silver in less than a week from the same site! At first I thought it was a Pine Tree Shilling, but once I rinsed it with a little water, the Oak Tree emerged. This is by far my best coin I have ever found. I am still in shock. Does anyone know the variety?

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

BIG CONGRATS on both silvers!!!

That price is very deceiving for many reasons. Being very high grade and part of the Ford auction would have some of the high rollers in the house and some can drop 42k without blinking an eyelid. A NOE-1 in lower grades, and especially with the issues having been dug would be a very long way from that sale. This seems to be the case with many Colonials, the big players pay crazy amounts for the best examples, but as the condition drops so do the prices, greatly in many cases.

Keep in mind that each specimen that turns up makes it a little less rare as well.

 

[The Rebel]

that 1652 is beautiful... great finds in all.

+10!

 

[oldsalty19]

excellent finds......love the stone pieces, definitely ancient

 

[John Boy]

Wow a 1652 Massachusetts Oak Tree Shilling sweet. That's one heck of a find for sure.way to go.very nice

 

[Tnmountains]

Great finds on the coins the last couple of hunts. Getting a good variety and you know there is more. Like the grooved axe as well. Congratulations look forward to where the research takes you on that spot.

 

[GTzer]

Just amazing! Very inspirational -thanks for posting and the pics.
I'd say a banner also.

 

[Jim of PA]

excellent finds......love the stone pieces,

 

[GioTheGreek]

mind = blown

 

[Ifoundit69]

Remarkable find all I can say is wow that is a hell of a find man !

 

[diggingitrtb]

outstanding find congrats to you youll b smiling all year

 

[I Dig Jesus]

I'm pretty sure I would of peed all over myself on that one, that is just way cool, congrats.

 

[Bayou Joe]

Really awesome find, can't find em much older than that.

 

[Joe88]

Fabulous find!!!!!!
I would love to find one someday!!!!
Congrats!!!!

 

[sandie1]

SO were in MA and what district, N,S,W, E? What finds, great. I just found a cellar hole but it is way up on a hill that does not have a path to it. Barely can see it. Even Google Maps does not show it for some reason.
LOTS of older towns in MA to hunt if you get permission for sure.

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

SO were in MA and what district, N,S,W, E? What finds, great. I just found a cellar hole but it is way up on a hill that does not have a path to it. Barely can see it. Even Google Maps does not show it for some reason.
LOTS of older towns in MA to hunt if you get permission for sure.

Found it in Western Ma. Google Maps won't usually show cellar holes. They blend in too well and generally don't carry a street address.

 

[Metro Retro]

OMG, you must be happy dancing! What a cool find! And have to laugh at the 'holy cow' image above. Holy cow indeed.

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

Thanks for posting that photo of the coin in the dirt clod. That is something that over 99% of the thousands of detectorists on this forum currently will never, Ever get the chance to see.

Truly amazing.

Best Wishes,

Buck

Thank you, the picture would have come out much better if I wasn't shaking to much, lol. I wish a took a few more before I removed it from the dirt.

 

[Iron Patch]

Thank you, the picture would have come out much better if I wasn't shaking to much, lol. I wish a took a few more before I removed it from the dirt.

You'll remember that moment forever. I can close my eyes and think back to a few of my best finds which I dug 2001, and almost feel like I'm there again.

PS: I think this year could be your 2001! So enjoy every moment of it, and when you're hot, you're hot, so get back out there!

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

You'll remember that moment forever. I can close my eyes and think back to a few of my best finds which I dug 2001, and almost feel like I'm there again.

PS: I think this year could be your 2001! So enjoy every moment of it, and when you're hot, you're hot, so get back out there!

I hope so. I'm going to try to ride this wave of luck as long as I can. Now I just need a little Willow Tree and NE silver to round out my Massachusetts Bay Colony collection... Those one's aren't too tough to find, right?

 

[Iron Patch]

I hope so. I'm going to try to ride this wave of luck as long as I can. Now I just need a little Willow Tree and NE silver to round out my Massachusetts Bay Colony collection... Those one's aren't too tough to find, right?

I totally believe when you have a hot coil several good finds come very fast. I've been there before, and so has my digging bud. If one of us was on a roll it seems we could go anywhere and score something great, while the other guy gets squat.

They are tough to find, but I bet the numbers in the ground compared to those up top would leave you feeling a little more optimistic. I have found coins that each had maybe 12-14 examples known, and a couple buttons even rarer at the time I found them. One in particular I might have been the first private owner. The items I dug did have some decent value but nothing insane, but the point is that extremely rare stuff does turn up, and to take it a step further if you were so lucky to dig a willow tree it's not out of the realm of possibility for it to be a new variety. A coin like that might very well send you house shopping! That's if you already have your 42k spent.