1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan **UPDATE.. Lightning strikes 2x**

[elusion]

Wow...

This morning I played hookey from work to metal detect a new spot I dug up while doing some casual research. I wasn't too happy when I got there and noticed a tot lot was built around the area I wanted to detect, but I decided to go at it anyway. There right next to the slide I got a blaring signal from my explorer... I dug through the woodchips, through a cloth weed barrier, through pea gravel, another layer of cloth barrier then finally sand. I honestly thought I dug up a chuck-e-cheese token... I was shaking when I realized what it was and how old it is.

This is by far the oldest coin I have found and I can't believe the condition... I've found wheats in far worse shape. Anyone have a guess to its condition/what its worth? I've never even held a large cent before this one. Interestingly enough 1837 is the same year Michigan was declared a union state.

HH,
Brandon

Well, I went back today after work for about an hour and wandered over to a row of oak trees outside the tot lot (about 15 feet from the playscape). Underneath the biggest one I got another loud signal. I dug this guy out and thought omg again!... Then I noticed it wasnt as thick as the last one. I put it in my pocket, dirt and all and headed home to put it in the peroxide bath. This is what came out. I'm absolutely floored... It was only about 3" under... same sandy soil as before. I tried to take a picture of the soil so people can see it.

 

[creeper71]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

Congrats on a nice looking Large Cent, I know for a fact that some parts of Michigan have soil very kind to coppers, used to be a fellow Jim C from Michigan that used to find super conditioned coppers all the time, so it does not surprise me. Sure is a nice one..

It appears to be a Newcomb 6 variety, common, Rarity 2-.

Don

I wouldn't doubt this attribute.I know for a fact Don takes all his attributes seriously an wouldn't post unless he was sure..

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

Guys just to clarify, sand is in the ground where I'm hunting. The play area is about 20 feet away from a sandy riverbank. All in all it was pretty deep down and the dirt didn't come off willingly (I used hot peroxide to bubble it away) so I don't think its a recent drop. Though I guess you never know?

I can't stop looking at it.. haha

It would have to be a recent drop of a detected coin because no copper will take on that color in just 10 or 20 years. So it's clearly a legit old find.

 

[fistfulladirt]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

I'm in Michigan too, I have not dug a large one yet, but if I do, I can only hope it's one that beautiful! ffd

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

I'm in Michigan too, I have not dug a large one yet, but if I do, I can only hope it's one that beautiful! ffd

How is the soil on your copper ,Fistfulladirt, any pitting on Wheats or Indians ?

 

[Kyle PA]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

I have quite a few coppers that are in great shape coming out of sugar sand spots in this area and no doubt it easily could have been lost back in the mid 1800s. Jim C from Mich really had some super Indian heads that I remember from the kind soil in his area.

Don

Yup, that large cent is a dandy for sure.

Don, does this Jim C in Michigan post anymore? I don't recall him from any of the forums.

 

[Garabaldi]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

Best LC I have ever seen on this site.

 

[Don in SJ]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan


Don, does this Jim C in Michigan post anymore? I don't recall him from any of the forums.
[/quote]

I checked members list here and he does not appear, I am not sure if he ever posted here, but on other forums and a couple coin forums, he would be gone for long periods of time, due to personal reasons, but he posted a lot in the 90s and early 2000s. Mostly on Minelab forums.

Don

 

[fistfulladirt]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

I'm in Michigan too, I have not dug a large one yet, but if I do, I can only hope it's one that beautiful! ffd

How is the soil on your copper ,Fistfulladirt, any pitting on Wheats or Indians ?

CMD, it's always a toss-up here. I have dug about 20 indians this year, and about half of them have come out really nice, including a recent 1867. About 7 have been severly corroded, altho I can usually get a date. If they are face-up in a fertilized yard or ballfield, they are toast.
Of about 600 wheaties this year, better than 95% come out real nice. ffd

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

Don, does this Jim C in Michigan post anymore? I don't recall him from any of the forums.

I checked members list here and he does not appear, I am not sure if he ever posted here, but on other forums and a couple coin forums, he would be gone for long periods of time, due to personal reasons, but he posted a lot in the 90s and early 2000s. Mostly on Minelab forums.

Don
[/quote]


I remember his posts very well. Some of the indians were so good they even had a bit of mint luster.

 

[fistfulladirt]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

I'm a good friend of Jim C's, he's the one that turned me on to Minelab. He still posts from time to time to comment on the Michigan finds forum. ffd

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

That has to be the nicest dug LC I've ever seen, congrats

I have some sandy unfertilized spots in the bay area where I hunt that are very kind to old coins (have dug some buffalo nickels and early wheatbacks that look terrific). According to the 2010 Red Book that coin in VF20 condition is ~ $50, EF40 ~ $100, and AU50 ~ $225.

If it were mine, heck I'd spend the $20 to send it in and have it slabbed, it's a beauty and they may surprise you with their grading, it's really nice

hh,
Brian

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

That has to be the nicest dug LC I've ever seen, congrats

I have some sandy unfertilized spots in the bay area where I hunt that are very kind to old coins (have dug some buffalo nickels and early wheatbacks that look terrific). According to the 2010 Red Book that coin in VF20 condition is ~ $50, EF40 ~ $100, and AU50 ~ $225.

If it were mine, heck I'd spend the $20 to send it in and have it slabbed, it's a beauty and they may surprise you with their grading, it's really nice

hh,
Brian

No way... because instead of "wonderful green patina" it will read either "environmental damage" or "corroded" and neither are appealing for such a nice dug coin.

 

[MICHIGANJAY]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

Bro, Sweet Coin, and to think, right in (under) the tot lot! I'm still lookin' for one of those. J.

 

[Rusted_Iron]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

Guys just to clarify, sand is in the ground where I'm hunting. The play area is about 20 feet away from a sandy riverbank. All in all it was pretty deep down and the dirt didn't come off willingly (I used hot peroxide to bubble it away) so I don't think its a recent drop. Though I guess you never know?

I can't stop looking at it.. haha

If it were in sand with no organic matter and no salts, in other words clean freshwater sand, then it's possible a copper could come out like that even after a long time. Whatever happened, I had to come back to this thread to look at that coin again, because it's so nice

 

[muleskinner]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

Elusion;
That coin looks pristine! Gonna need to remember the hot peroxide method of cleaning. You just don't see old copper cleaning up so nice. Michigan soil can be very kind to finds.
Congrats!

 

[Nick A]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

That coin is in AMAZING condition! Congratulations!

 

[Don in SJ]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

I went into my archives (Sep 2004) and found the photos of a rather old copper that was found by me in Sugar Sand and I have pics of it fresh out of the ground and after a distilled water soak to remove remaining dirt. Not too many coppers come out needing almost no dirt removal at all, but many will clean up great that are coated in dirt. So, I posted on the Metal Detecting forum as to not "steal the thunder" from this post of Elusion's beautiful copper find. I also included some of the coins that cleaned up rather well.

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,285140.0.html

Don

 

[bergie]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

I doubt this was a recent drop based on the description of how deep it was and the 2 layers of plastic he dug through that the coin of course could not have penetrated. Sometimes the conditions are such that you just get a spectacular coin and based on other posts it seems this is such a location. We have a location in New York, one particular home site, where every colonial coin that came out looked like it was never in the ground. Fantastic coin you have there. It's great to get that first one too, nothing like it...ok, there's one thing like it but this is a family oriented site.

 

[johnnyi]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

Absolutely beautiful coin. In the black loamy soil beneath yew bushes or rock crevises you occasionally find a condition rarity like that here in my area, but such spots are few and far between. Man, there is nothing like the thrill pulling a big copper out of the ground and feeling it before seeing it, and knowing right off the bat just the feel that you've got something nice! Inspiring me to go put on my raincoat now!

 

[johnnyi]

Re: 1837 Coronet LC... In Michigan

"nothing like it...ok, there's one thing like it but this is a family oriented site. "

Bergie, I swear I was thinking the same exact thing but didn't say it!