1795 Liberty Cap, 1821 Matron Head Cent, NY State Militia Button

[Z.K.]

Been a while since I posted. Only been out 4 times in the last 6 weeks due to work, family, travel, etc. I skunked twice, including a bitter disappointment at a site it had taken me 10 months to gain access to. Today was the first time since last fall that I got to devote over 5 hours...and I've got a big smile on my face.

I couldn’t believe it when I pulled the liberty cap. Even though the details are hanging by a thread I could see the high ribbon. YES! Can barely make out the date, but at just over 9 grams it all seems to match up..1795 . Reverse is completely shot. Not a thicky or a flowing hair, but a happy thing. Shame it wasn’t on the well-drained soil and unexposed to fertilizers like the beauty matron head cent was. I saw the condition of the reverse on that and was hopeful, so I rubbed a bit to get a date and saw 1821 plain as day. I’m still young in the hobby, but something was telling me that was a very good thing. Turns out fewer than 390k of these were made.

So I’m at home, doing my best to pull details on everything I found, when I pick away some of the dirt on one of the buttons I had found. Wait, writing? An eagle?? Turns out I found my first NY State Militia Button (looks like Tice NY100A35, Albert 10)! Crotal and fancy button perked up nicely as well with minimal cleaning. I don't have an id on the 3 ring bullet, and am not sure what the pocket knife dates to. I welcome your thoughts/advice.

Best day since pulling 3 state coppers last September.
Cheers, HH all.

 

[halfbuck]

Been a while since I posted. Only been out 4 times in the last 6 weeks due to work, family, travel, etc. I skunked twice, including a bitter disappointment at a site it had taken me 10 months to gain access to. Today was the first time since last fall that I got to devote over 5 hours...and I've got a big smile on my face.

This is a home site that dates to 1781. Now the only visible remains are a crumbling cellar hole from the mid-1800s in a copse of trees surrounded by 5 acres of hayfields. I couldn’t believe it when I pulled the liberty cap. Even though the details are hanging by a thread I could see the high ribbon. YES! Can barely make out the date, but at just over 9 grams it all seems to match up..1795 . Reverse is completely shot. Not a thicky or a flowing hair, but a happy thing. Shame it wasn’t on the well-drained soil and unexposed to fertilizers like the beauty matron head cent was. I saw the condition of the reverse on that and was hopeful, so I rubbed a bit to get a date and saw 1821 plain as day. I’m still young in the hobby, but something was telling me that was a very good thing. Turns out fewer than 390k of these were made.

So I’m at home, doing my best to pull details on everything I found, when I pick away some of the dirt on one of the buttons I had found. Wait, writing? An eagle?? Turns out I found my first NY State Militia Button (looks like Tice NY100A35, Albert 10)! Crotal and fancy button perked up nicely as well with minimal cleaning. I don't have an id on the 3 ring bullet, and am not sure what the pocket knife dates to. I welcome your thoughts/advice.

Best day since pulling 3 state coppers last September.
Cheers, HH all.

Great finds. congrats.

 

[Calabash Digger]

man thats some killer finds!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Congratualtions on the Cap Liberty cent, one of my favorites!

 

[Z.K.]

Great hunt, saved a few coppers. Love them big coppers.

Thanks, I love em too! I think I'm now officially addicted to the tone the make on my etrac.

Great antebellum hunt!

Thanks Joey

Great finds. congrats.

Thanks halfbuck.

man thats some killer finds!

Thanks CD. Makes up for the lean times, right!

Congratualtions on the Cap Liberty cent, one of my favorites!

Thanks prof! I love it, even though she's seen better days. Cheers

 

[Brewha08]

Capped LC is on my bucket list, dug a toasted LC earlier today that had little to no detail but I could make out it was a Large Cent and a right facing bust. Turned out to be a draped bust... and the hunt for the Capped continues! Excellent work recovering some nice artifacts!

 

[Z.K.]

Capped LC is on my bucket list, dug a toasted LC earlier today that had little to no detail but I could make out it was a Large Cent and a right facing bust. Turned out to be a draped bust... and the hunt for the Capped continues! Excellent work recovering some nice artifacts!

Thanks Brew. Congrats on the draped! You are in an a great spot for all kinds of rare goodies. Look forward to seeing what happens in your quest.

 

[hogge]

Great Finds! Believe it or not......THE very first coin I ever dug up 16 years ago, was an 1821 LC. Congrats Hogge

 

[Steve in PA]

Nice hunt ZK, I love those New York one piece Excelsior buttons. I am still looking for a Liberty Cap. I have dug plenty of Draped Bust LCs, but no Liberty Caps. Also, I am always on the lookout for a copse of trees in a farm field. Sometimes it turns out that the trees are there because the foundation stones are still there and the area can't be plowed.

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Nice button, and LC, you sure it can't be cleaned a bit more ?

 

[Z.K.]

Great Finds! Believe it or not......THE very first coin I ever dug up 16 years ago, was an 1821 LC. Congrats Hogge

Thank you, Hogge. Talk about beginner's luck! But it doesn't look like it ever left you, so that's very cool.

Nice hunt ZK, I love those New York one piece Excelsior buttons. I am still looking for a Liberty Cap. I have dug plenty of Draped Bust LCs, but no Liberty Caps. Also, I am always on the lookout for a copse of trees in a farm field. Sometimes it turns out that the trees are there because the foundation stones are still there and the area can't be plowed.

That's great MD wisdom right there! I had always wondered why this farm had a tree island, but it took a year for that cellar hole possibility light bulb to go on in my head. The thing was, it didn't match up with the maps of the homesteads in the area...but rather than thinking the maps were inaccurate, I just remained idly curious. I'm definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to this hobby. But learning!

Probability wise, you seem due for a liberty cap with all you've found..and I'm again realizing how dang lucky I've been. I look forward to you finding yours.

Nice button, and LC, you sure it can't be cleaned a bit more ?

Thanks Rick. I had no more luck with picking, and after some careful consideration (spiked by that lust for "just a little more detail!") did the barest of applications of hydrogen peroxide. And promptly watched it eat away details of the date and the profile. Better I learn these valuable lessons through being horrified with my efforts on low grade coins, I suppose.

 

[Scrappy]

Great digs. My first large cent was a capped, and have only dug one since. Big congrats!

 

[Z.K.]

Great digs. My first large cent was a capped, and have only dug one since. Big congrats!

Thanks Steve, that's kind of you. I appreciate how generous you are with your encouragement of others, especially with as much success as you've had in the hobby.

 

[WildWildBill]

Nice!! Great saves!! I believe that 1795 LC will clean up some. Is it the lettered edge or plain edge variety? Lettered edge would make it a pretty nice find. Any details on the reverse?

 

[Z.K.]

Nice!! Great saves!! I believe that 1795 LC will clean up some. Is it the lettered edge or plain edge variety? Lettered edge would make it a pretty nice find. Any details on the reverse?

Thanks Bill. It is the 95 thin planchet/plain edge. The lettered edge would have sent me sky high. Attempts to clean beyond dry toothpicking proved destructive. Reverse has zero detail. Appreciate your looking and enthusiasm. Your multi-gold and silver spanish fort day is listed under "epic detecting" in the oxford english dictionary. : )

 

[Ahab8]

Wow that's a great day my man!!!! Those 1700s American coins are not easy to find. Hope you get lots of time to swing this summer buddy. Not sure I could even locate my machinr right now

 

[Z.K.]

Thanks, Abe. Glad you're still hanging in there, in spite of all you have on your plate. And I'm sure even if you aren't detecting, your research is getting you that much closer to your next highlight reel. Peace...

 

[Bass]

That was a very successful hunt. Thanks for the post and the pictures

 

[huntsman53]

Congrats on some great finds! I don't believe that the Reverse on the Liberty Cap is totally toasted. It appears that there are details that may come forth with the correct and well deserved conservation. I would imagine that with conservation, much more of the Obverse details will be visible as well.


Frank