1795 Capper Liberty - My First Large Cent - And Its A Good One! - NEW PHOTOS

[Gavinsdiscoveries]

Hi everyone! If you saw this post at 2 am yesterday, you most likely realized the photos were invalid and unable to load.

I have posted this fantastic relic for all to see. Enjoy!

Sorry for the sideways photos - How can I fix that?

Whoooooo! I cannot believe what I found yesterday!


I was metal detecting on a large wooded hillside in Pennsylvania looking for antique shotgun shells. My metal detector sounded a blip that said there was iron under a log. I know from experience that logs have a tendency to mask good signals so In kicked it aside. Thank god I did.


The blip turned into the sound of a shotgun shell. I dug 4 inches down and saw what I believed was a pewter spoon. Exited, I pulled out my camera and started filming. I reached in and pulled out a disk! I flipped it over and saw a colonial-style face staring at me! At first, I thought I found a woods Hibernia, But no it was way better!

I rased the coin into the sun and saw a hat suspended on a pole.




HOLY MOLY! I JUST FOUND A 1793 - 1796 CAPPED LIBERTY LARGE CENT! WHOOOOOOOO!





This coin is beautiful! Through the dirt, the impeccable details shine! But sadly there’s a drawback. : (

It appears the coin has the famed red and green pit corrosion. Ahhhhhh! It seems like the coins I find either come out in perfect shape or destroyed.

Do any of you have experience with this type of corrosion? I have gently taken a toothpick to the edge and it appears that the highly acidic soil has eaten at the copper for 200 years. From what I can see through the tiny fissure in the corrosion, the entire surface has minute pits the size of sandpaper covering the entire surface. This corrosion kills me! I don’t believe it has any patina.

even with the dirt on it, I am happy that I can see the face, hair, side lettering, and liberty. Sadly no date ( I’m assuming 1795 ) is it worth the risk of cleaning it or should I leave it alone?


While we're on the topic? How much is a coin like with worth in this shape? I dont think id ever sell it because its awesome! Good luck out there, stay safe, and Thanks in advance

 

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[A2coins]

Congrats its those blips that get those deep coins. Thats awesome Im always happy to see someone find cool stuff like that. I still have an empty bucket waiting on one of those I have enough empty buckets to bail out the Titanic lol. I would leave it as it is if it were mine but its yours to enjoy and display.. Well done my friend and great post.......Tommy

 

[Jeff H]

Congrats on your first LC. It being a Liberty Cap makes it all the sweeter! You will get a dozen different opinions on cleaning it. Just remember, once you clean it, you can not unclean it. Of course I have my opinion on cleaning it.....dry clean it only. Tooth pick and scratch brush only.

 

[cudamark]

If you can't currently figure out the date, what do you have to lose by trying to clean that area to determine it? Without a date, it isn't worth much anyway. I'd start with an acetone wash with a soft bristled tooth brush, followed by a pencil rubbing. If no help doing that, a dry brass brush would be my next attempt. Then Andre's pencils and more aggressive methods if I still think a date is possible. Your choice though, and as Jeff H mentioned, you can't undo any of those cleaning steps.

 

[lenmac65]

Such a great piece of U.S. history. I wish you luck with any cleaning you attempt. It is a dilemma, as these coppers are so delicate. Congrats!

 

[RVRoamer73]

Its a beauty! Congrats!

 

[trdking]

Clean it in an ultrasonic with no rubbing If the coin looks solid after the sonobath send it in for an opinion on cleaning by a professional. If it a 1793 It could still be worth over a grand if you don't ruin it!

 

[luckyrock3]

Clean it in an ultrasonic with no rubbing If the coin looks solid after the sonobath send it in for an opinion on cleaning by a professional. If it a 1793 It could still be worth over a grand if you don't ruin it!

I own an ultrasonic cleaning tank, I wouldn't put a coin like that in there!!! All coins I've tried in there do come out cleaner, but also very dark?

 

[Gaspipe]

Very cool large cent .Still looking for one . As a collector of US large cents from a value perspective coin is really not valuable from a monetary perspective. As you’ve mentioned the date is really not legible and from a condition perspective it is really not gradable. The surface is so pitted and therefore unstable I personally would not mess with much . Someone said it could value $1000 . In my opinion that’s not the case or even close. Just my two cents ; no pun intended. Great save ; love her just like she is.

 

[Diggitdaddy]

Nice find. Try an andres pencil on it. I used one the other day on a crusty v nickel. Came out a Lot better. Nice pics

 

[Lost Signal]

Since I just went through the cleaning process with a similar (not as good) coin, I thought I would share some photos. This might help you decide how much to clean. Personally, I wish that I had stopped with the dry cleaning, but I'm still happy with what I have.

The first pic is uncleaned, although it looks like I might have rubbed at the location where the date would be.

The second pic is just tooth picked and dry brushed.

The third pic is after cleaning in hot peroxide.

I think your date might be there. I would start with cleaning it dry, and see what you have.

 

[CalReg]

Sweet! Nice find!

 

[Jose The Goon]

"Gavin", Judging from your photos, I'm leaning toward it being a 1794 because of the position of the "Y" in
"LIBERTY" in relation to the forehead of the bust, & because it seems to have "triangles"(dentils) on the perimeter/border of the obverse rather than a "beaded" perimeter/border like on the 1793. There is a very rare variety of the 1794 that has "stars" between the "triangles"(dentils) on the perimeter/border of the reverse. If you could post some good photos of the reverse, it might be helpful and revealing if someone can spot any identifying clues. Good luck ! J.T.G

https://www.us-coin-values-advisor.com/1794-Starred-Rev-Liberty-Cap-Large-Cent.html

 

[ToddsPoint]

That last pic of your hand, the coin, and the beautiful cloud filled sky said it all. I can almost hear you saying YIPEE! just looking at the pic. You were on cloud nine that day...and probably still are! Gary

 

[Professor of Engineering]

She's a beauty!

Those are my favorite old coppers!

 

[pepperj]

Congrats on the copper looks like it has still some good details. Dry brushing would be the first option to see what develops.
Congratulations anyways.

 

[thrifty76now]

That is an awesome old largie.

 

[Gavinsdiscoveries]

Thanks everyone! Your the best!