A 1795 Halfpenny - My first Condor -Added 1796 Liberty Cap photo

[Don in SJ]

This morning I went back to the homestead that I got my 2nd 1793 Half Cent at about a week ago. My son told me, make sure you find a silver! Meaning, the condition of the Half Cent and all the buttons found there on my first hunt showed the soil is very acidic.

Well, the 30 minute walk to the site was a nice one, the woods were damp from rain last night and that helps with the signals and as I got to the homestead I got to take some photos of the area this time, believe me folks, this is one hard area even for me to hunt, I had to fight the Laurel for every foot of swing room, thus I used my ML smaller coil today.......

The Half Cent was found next to a Well hole, at least I think that is what it was, and this morning I found a mound which is usually indicative of a none cellarhole homestead from the late 1700s in this area.

Next to the mound area I got a couple great signals, the first one which I was 100% positive was going to be a copper, well it was, but not a copper coin, a hunk of copper with a funky arrow on it??

With the disappointment of that not being a coin or large button, within two feet of that I got another high sweet coin sound, and this time I was rewarded with a Copper, not a silver but after cleaning and Identifying the copper, I would take that anyday over a Half Real........

I ended up with a nice tombac design button and a cuff sized flattie. This site did not give up much, it is hard to hunt, but also rather confined to a small area, so probably occupied by an individual who worked elsewhere and basically just lived at this site, no farming. No thimbles, only a piece of Iron pot and other relics were not to be found..

OK, when I got home, Identifying the copper proved to be a challenge, first off it is in sad shape, but second, it had marks on it that told me right away it was not copper I ever found before!

After getting some help from a C4 member, who suggested it most likely was a Condor token, I went to the website that shows a lot of them and eventually I found it!

1795 Yorkshire York Halfpenny Condor Token!!(Clifford's Tower) My first Condor Token, and thus the first 1795 Halfpenny of this type, yes I have a 1795 US Half Cent already.

This Condor Token is a D&H 63 variety Obverse: A view of a Cathedral with YORK 1795 on it. Reverse: View of Castle & Drawbridge CLIFFORD's TOWER AD 1100 Edge Lettering:York built A.M. 1223 Cathedral Rebuilt AD 1075

Even though it is in sad shape, it is my first Condor and it was a beautiful coin, and not sure how many Condors made it here in the 1790s and later, but in England they were widely used (but not legally)

I may add to my post a coin my son found this afternoon, he went back to the area where we got the three 1798's two weeks ago and today got a 1796 Liberty Cap Large Cent, so both of us are still having a great year, but soon to slow down due to underbrush growth and ticks. Today I had the honor of getting my first tick to visit me, he did not stay very long for the visit though!!

NOTE: Last photo has my coin and a SAMPLE of one not corroded

ADDED: A photo of my son's 1796 Large Cent he found this afternoon........
HH

Don

 

[dfxmatt]

Congratulations my friend, I'm proud to know u and are always amazed with your finds. Man wish i lived in a area like yours.

You gotta let me come down there sometime and hunt with you, I would collapse and have a heart attack if i found one of those coins you find all the time.

again........awesome.

 

[Goldiver]

Nice finds Don! I like your on-site photos too, helps us get the look and feel of the areas you are working. Good luck to you on you next hunts.

Steve