1805 Draped Bust Dime! (**With Video**)

KYshooter

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Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac, Whites MXT, Garrett ProPointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
[youtube=425,350]3mpN0JPvluw[/youtube]

Well, I went back to my old hotel site this afternoon. That site has given me five indians, a couple of wheaties, and one barber dime. My daughter has also dug an indian, a couple of wheats, and a three-cent piece.

This site is sort of "low yield - high quality," if you know what I mean. Not many targets, but everything is guaranteed to be old ... since the place burned down in 1925.

Anyhow ... I have a confession to make. On the way to the site I prayed. Actually, a lot of you know that I am a pastor, so I'm no stanger to prayer. But on this particular day, I prayed very specifically, "Lord, please let me find something absolutely incredible today."

And the Lord sure does move in mysterious ways ...

I had been digging for about a half hour on the hill descending from the back of the hotel site. I hit a nice strong 76 signal on my MXT, and it said it was only 2 inches deep, so I shoveled over a large plug and began to break it up with my fingers. My heart hit my throat when I saw blackened (i.e. OLD) silver ... and the right-facing bust of a woman. I rinsed with a little water and saw the date ... 1805.

I just about poooed me overalls ...

I had dug that unbelievable find! An 1805 Draped Bust dime. It is oversized compared to modern dimes (19mm) and razor thin. Unfortunately, the back looks like it was scratched by something long ago ... perhaps a plow. But enough talk! Here are the pictures!!
01.24.11 1805 Draped Bust Dime Obverse.webp

01.24.11 1805 Draped Bust Dime Reverse.webp

Since the date shows and the outline of the bust is clear, it graces as a "Good," which the Red Book showed as a $475 coin in my 2009 version ... I'm guessing it's a $500 coin today.

Boo-yah!

About 3-5 feet away I dug a perfect musket ball drop. I'll be getting it measured with the calipers tomorrow.

I also dug a really nice flat button with shank attached. It treads, "Best Quality London."
01.24.11 Flat Button Back.webp

I also dug a really rough 1900 Indian Head, an old kid's play spur, and what appears to me to be a piece from an old colonial buckle.

Here's a pic of the whole pouch ...
01.24.11 Finds.webp

Thanks for looking! I shot video, but it will take me a while to edit and upload. Should be ready for viewing by tomorrow morning. I'll post a link to my channel.

Blessings to all.
 

Upvote 0
How sweet it is!!!
 

What a treasure you have found there! Congratulations on making a well-deserved banner. I love the wear and tear on old silver, just thinking of all the hands that have held onto you coin throughout history. The number of miles your coin has traveled while on horseback. Is this a great hobby or what? Good luck finding more at this great site!
 

Congratulations on the old silver and the banner.
 

Banners are nice, but eventually it'll disappear. You'll still have that little beauty long after the rest of us have forgotten about it! Very nice!
 

Wonderful, simply wonderful......congrats and I'll be the second one to welcome you to the Draped Bust Silver Club! :icon_thumleft:

I know what it felt like when my 1800 popped out of the ground so I know your feeling as well.

The charm and lore that these coins hold is worth much more than any Red Book could ever explain!

Congrats on the banner and a truly rare find!! :icon_thumleft: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumleft: :icon_thumright:

HH all!

Greg
 

Geoff, you may have a lifetime find there. Very few of those are found in KY and TN anymore. Congrats on the Banner for an incredible recovery. Those old coins are easily scratched over time and are many times bent. Congrats and HH, Quindy.
 

Great Coin......Congrats!!!
 

Great find did you recheck your hole to me it looks like an imprint on the front another coin might be in the hole.
In the oxidation on the front that normaly happens when another silver coin is laying on top of it, just a thought.
 

loobosh said:
Great find did you recheck your hole to me it looks like an imprint on the front another coin might be in the hole.
In the oxidation on the front that normaly happens when another silver coin is laying on top of it, just a thought.

Yep, checked it really well. That was the first thing I thought of. There very well may have been another coin with that one ... but the only possible one that would be small enough to imprint this dime in such a fashion would be a half-dime, I guess.

This coin was on a steady-grade downhill slope, on ground that is a shallow layer of soil over limestone. It has been plowed and cultivated countless times in 200 years. And on top of that, our area is prone to earthquakes and tremors, including a series of massive ones in 1811-1812 that rang church bells in the northeast and caused the Mississippi River to flow north for several days in order to fill a huge depression that we now call Reelfoot Lake (in NW Tennessee).

My guess is there was once another coin planted with it, but they became separated over time. No telling how far a tiny little half-dime might have washed down that hill.

But I guaran-dang-tee you this ... if it's there ... I plan to find it. :icon_salut:

Thanks for lookin'!
 

awesome coin. way to go on making the banner... i know i vote for u>>>>>... what a find.
 

Lordy Lord what a find!!! congrats on a super dig, keep diggin and praying bound to be more!
 

White's is using my story ... pretty cool.

Some forum friends suggested that I submit my story of the dime to White's and maybe get it published and receive some free gifts ... so I wrote it up this morning and e-mailed it in.

I heard back from them later today that they're going to publish my dime pics and story on their web site, and may also use it in print media.

And they're sending me some gifts. :hello2:

Pretty kewl.

Moral of this story: Submit stories of your super cool finds to your manufacturer, and you can get free stuff!
:thumbsup:
 

Great draped! And even better use of the phrase, "just about poooed me overalls." :laughing7:
 

Great find man, that coin is in pretty good shape considering its age, congrats and excellent usage of " poooed me overalls " I'm still cracking up over that one.
 

forget the coin, let's cash in on that voice :laughing9: Do you preach on tv?
 

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