197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition. Gently rinsed and new pics

NJ Marty

Hero Member
Jun 7, 2008
658
410
NJ
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer XS Minelab E-trac
I havent found anything exiting to post in awhile but today I found probably the best coin of my detecting career. Today after finding 4 wheat pennies in 4 hours In a pounded park, but with alot of history I put my detector away and was done for the day. I went back to chat with the guys before leaving and got a few jabs about leaving. I said ok I wil give it another 30 min, am I glad I did. After a few more wheats I headed near the tennis courts, the area is loaded with tennis ball can caps but stuck with it. At about min 28 I got a crappy signal and dug a 5 inch deep plug, stuck my pinpointer in and got an equally crappy signal then took about 3 more inches and got a good signal. I then took some dirt out with my hand and saw the edge of a big silver, I thought it was an 8 real because i saw a little if the bust lady, called my 2 buds over and told them it was an 8 real. Yes. My freind pulled it out and said its no 8 reale its american as he was looking at the eagle., I snatched it out of his hands and my heart sank I thought it was modern silver. Then i realized what it was, my first bust coin and a half to boot. The condition is amazing allthough it has an old scratch throught the sheild its still in amazing condition.
I want to thank all of you for all the nice comments and for making the banner. I have looked at this coin for hours and am still on cloud 9. I took the advice of giving it a gentle rinse (NO BRUSH) and took a few pics, I can only dream of ever topping this find. It is a find of a lifetime. Again thank you all.
Marty
 

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Upvote 1
Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

That's one of the nicest coins I have ever seen dug. Great job! :notworthy:
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Not enough great words to say about this one.........beautiful, gorgeous, great job of getting it out of the ground unmarked,
and on and on and on, etc, etc, etc, :notworthy: :headbang: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumleft: :thumbsup:BANNER!!! NO
QUESTION!!!!
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

WOW, amazing coin, congrats. That's what its all about !!! I want one. :icon_thumright:

TommNJ
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Jeffro said:
Very, very nice- and if you so much as touch it with a brush half of us will wring your neck, LOL!

soak it, rinse it, whatever- just have someone professionally do the cleaning if it won't rinse off, please?

Spectacular find!

What he said...... DISTILLED WATER ONLY!!!

Marty,

What can I say that has not already been said? That is the find of a lifetime! I love it when I read about a "crappy signal". Some of the best finds posted are those deep, questionable signals. It makes you wonder if someone actually got the same, questionable signal from that coin and decided not to dig it!

To put things in perspective, when that coin was lost, I guarantee it did not go unnoticed for very long. That was a lot of money in those days. What could that buy? Here is what I found:

Cost of living in the 1800's - One bag of flour $1.80 - Small measure of potatoes daily at .17 per day = $1.19 - One quarter pound of tea .38 - One quart of milk .56 - One pound of cheap coffee .35 - Three and one half pounds Sugar $1.05 - One half ration of meats per week $3.50 - Four pounds of butter $1.60 - Two pounds of lard .38 - Dried apples for treats .25 - Vegetables .50 - Soap, starch, pepper, salt, vinegar, etc. $1.00 - 2 bushels of coal $1.36 - Kerosene .30 - Sundries .28 - Rent $4.00 week = Total $18.50



Congratulations on an amazing beauty of a coin, and a well deserved banner!
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Marty,
Congrats on an excellent coin and the banner.

Just goes to show you there are great finds out there even in the parks. I found a Spanish Cob in a park last week.

Happy hunting
NJ
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Thats one nice Bust Half Dollar.
Congratulations.
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

That is one of the most beautiful coins I've ever laid eyes upon! Congratulations on the banner find. I guess we better keep digging up those tennis ball can lids at the park......
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

WOW! :o

You'd probably have better odds of winning a million dollar lottery, than of finding that coin!
Incredible find!
Congrats!
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Jeffro said:
Very, very nice- and if you so much as touch it with a brush half of us will wring your neck, LOL!

soak it, rinse it, whatever- just have someone professionally do the cleaning if it won't rinse off, please?

Spectacular find!

What he said !
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

:thumbsup:
 

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Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

that is one SWEET coin! Congrats! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 

Re: 197 year old half dollar. Amazing condition

Silver Searcher said:
Just been looking at it again :o :o I want one :icon_thumleft:

what he said.

one of the nicest US coins I have seen on here :icon_thumright:
 

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