1773 Half Reale today

[rhedden]

I have been hunting a very old farm site the past three years that has been very productive, yielding thirteen coins prior to today. (I've mentioned this place a couple of times on this forum this past summer.) Everything I found there until today was either copper or nickel, and the ground was not kind to any of the coins. The previous coins dated between the 1780s and 1884. I simply could not find a silver coin out there, even after about 15 to 20 hunts, but it finally happened today, and how!

I was detecting a former field that must be 400 to 500 feet downhill from the cellar. I had no luck in this area until I located a nice flat button this afternoon. I set up shop and fanned out from the area near the button. About 100 feet away, I got a very sweet 60-61-62 signal on the Manticore that was 3 or 4 inches down. It's an Indian cent, or maybe a large brass button, right? No - out popped a Spanish silver! I'm a bit stunned, as this 1773 Half Reale is my oldest silver coin of all time, beating out a 1781 Half Reale that I dug three years ago.

 

[JCR]

Very nice. They are a very small coin. Yours has some good detail.

 

[billb]

Outstanding Performance
Congratulations on your success
Voting Banner !!!!!!!

 

[Mackaydon]

Your coin reads, in part, R Mo F F. On another variety, the Mo F and F are upside down.
The coin had a mint range between 1772 and 1789.
Don in SoCal

 

[rhedden]

I was wondering it the assayer's initials were F.F. or F.M. They're mostly gone due to uneven wear on the coin. Too bad it's not the "upside down initials" error, but I'll still take it!

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

A double win ... congrats on a fantastic find and on finding your oldest all time Silver coin !

 

[jewelerguy]

very nice!

 

[oldmxrat]

Super nice recovery, congrats!

 

[Trezurehunter]

Very nice, that's a great old coin.

 

[Oldrvrrat57]

Pretty nice shape for being in the ground for over 200 plus years!!

 

[rhedden]

It took me a couple of days to realize it, but 1773 is an even 200 years before my birthday in 1973. I think the '73 connection adds an extra dimension of coolness to this dig!

 

[Digger RJ]

I have been hunting a very old farm site the past three years that has been very productive, yielding thirteen coins prior to today. (I've mentioned this place a couple of times on this forum this past summer.) Everything I found there until today was either copper or nickel, and the ground was not kind to any of the coins. The previous coins dated between the 1780s and 1884. I simply could not find a silver coin out there, even after about 15 to 20 hunts, but it finally happened today, and how!

I was detecting a former field that must be 400 to 500 feet downhill from the cellar. I had no luck in this area until I located a nice flat button this afternoon. I set up shop and fanned out from the area near the button. About 100 feet away, I got a very sweet 60-61-62 signal on the Manticore that was 3 or 4 inches down. It's an Indian cent, or maybe a large brass button, right? No - out popped a Spanish silver! I'm a bit stunned, as this 1773 Half Reale is my oldest silver coin of all time, beating out a 1781 Half Reale that I dug three years ago.

View attachment 2268091View attachment 2268093

Awesome!!! Congrats!!!