1936 Commemorative Coin

[StormSurge]

I had a pretty good little streak going. The "Itch" has been pretty bad lately and has to be scratched anyplace that I can. A couple of weeks ago Nate (Dirtdigger 1581) and I headed to the ocean front. For three hours or more we both had found 4 penny's each, pretty frustrating! Then I found a nice little .925 amethyst ring. Next a .925 toe ring and to end the day a custom name ring 14k with 5 small diamonds, all in about 45 minutes. This past Saturday I headed out with Nate and Wes (Wes-n-va) for our passion, Relic Hunting. Found some clad and a few buttons. a nice small flat one, a really nice larger one slightly domed and my first small 1812 Artillery button.

On Friday the anticipation of the relic hunt with Nate and Wes was getting the best of me. So I had a couple of hours before dark and headed to a softball field. Again some clad $1.12 and a lot of trash. It's getting dark with about 30 minutes to hunt so I walked over to the playground to grab a few more coins with hopes of something better. You know that ring or bracelet that dad or mom flung off while swinging Jr.. Or that "Gold Grill" that I know I will find one day.

Well in the sand by the slide my second target is this 1936 Norfolk Borough Commemorative Half Dollar. I left my glasses in the truck and the sun was low so I had no idea what it was till I got home. And still had no clue till I looked it up. Only a little over 25,000 minted and with slow sales about 1/4 of them sent back and melted down. That left less than 17,000 in the publics hands.

I'm betting that "if" mom or dad know about this lost coin someone is in trouble.

 

[JRMan]

That is very cool! Looks to be in excellent shape too..

 

[vpnavy]

Nice find StormSurge.

 

[Argentium]

That is a choice find ! We really don't see many of the silver comm. halves dug up ! that's worth some $$$$$$$$$ too !

 

[RobRieman]

That is awesome Stormsurge! Do you know the value?

 

[McClod]

That is a beautiful coin! Nice find!

 

[bountyhuntergirl86]

Beautiful silver half, never saw one of those before, Great find! Would you want to sell it? :-)

 

[scott9050]

Great find. Value wise, it is about enough to by an AT Pro.

 

[DocBeav]

That is one cool find man! Congrats!

 

[StormSurge]

Thanks for the interest and replies everyone. RobRieman I think that Argentium and scott9050 are on to something according to sources that I looked up. It seems that on the low end they go for around $300.00 and on the high $1500.00 - $2000.00 but few are in that condition. I really don't know . Maybe the experts here can tell us more. Most that I have seen run $500.00 to about $800.00. I guess it would depend on how much a collecter is willing to pay. I'm thinking that it may have to be graded. Bountyhuntergirl, I would most likely sell it if someone wanted it bad enough. l'm not necessarily a coin collector but right now l'm just enjoying learning about it and looking at it.

Here's another look in better light:

 

[63bkpkr]

Hey StormSurge, nice save there! Yes if someone's parent's learned about that 50 cent piece being gone from the collection I would think they would not be able to sit for about a month and about that time a second tanning would be in order so they'd remember it for another month. Man what a shame for someone to take things from a collection of coins that have been saved for many many years.

 

[wheatfinder13]

That's a really cool find

 

[NW Digger]

Wow truly amazing find. That's proof that silver coins are still being lost today.

 

[mangum]

That's not something you see everyday! Awesome, unique half! Thanks for sharing

 

[monsterrack]

very cool find

 

[jewelerguy]

wow what a find. that is easily a $300 coin

 

[Argentium]

To really appreciate this coin, you have to realize that the mintage numbers for these original silver commemorative halves- were very
low compared to regular circulation issues - (in the tens of thousands -not millions ) and they really didn't circulate - they were collector
coins - so to dig one of these is really remarkable !

 

[BuckleBoy]

very COOL find! I've never seen a commem half dug.

 

[Mackaydon]

I suggest you have PCGS grade your commemorative; it's a beauty and may result in a high MS grade (value and ultimate price). Last year I had a New Rochelle commem. (1938 and just slightly less mintage). My dealer said it was MS-63. I had it slabbed and PCGS came back with MS-65 !!
Great find and good luck with the grading.

Don....

 

[StormSurge]

Hey StormSurge, nice save there! Yes if someone's parent's learned about that 50 cent piece being gone from the collection I would think they would not be able to sit for about a month and about that time a second tanning would be in order so they'd remember it for another month. Man what a shame for someone to take things from a collection of coins that have been saved for many many years.

Thanks bkpkr, think about it, how else could it have gotten there? Mom and Dad probably have no clue. But if they do I'm thinking a trip out behind the woodshed is in order to make sure they couldn't sit all summer!