Stunning Coin! What state are you in if you care to reveal. Reason I ask is that while digging in Florida, I soon discovered the Old Army (pre-CW) often paid the soldiers in freshly minted coinage provided directly from the mint to the army paymaster department. It would eventually make it into public circulation when the soldier purchased something from the private sutlers who were allowed to follow the soldiers into the field. The soldiers in the Florida War helped the stagnant Florida economy and some citizens in the territory actually raised public protest when the war ended in 1842 and the army pulled out. This pay source continued during the next conflict in the 1850's. I was fortunate to locate a site on priv ate property that was first occupied in late 1854 and evacuated in 1857. A friend and I saved many relics over a 2-yr. period, including coins in almost uncirculated condition. I have not yet published the site info yet but plan to do in the near future. What was so unique about the site was the natural geology. The soil had a high phosphate content and for some elementary reason, it preserved coins and buttons. There was no signs of ground wear, or any other signs of wear on coins we found dating between 1854 and 1857. My friend apparently found the paymasters table site, or the sutlers tent. On our first day on the site, he dug four 1857 seated liberty dimes (XF condition) all in close proximity. You definitely have a coin fresh from the mint, to the paymaster and possibly to the soldier, and subsequently to a civilian, if not found on a military site.
Congrats on your find!
