best coin you ever lost...

NHBandit

Silver Member
Feb 21, 2010
3,470
3,279
Formerly NH now East Tennessee
Detector(s) used
Garrett GtaX1250
1899-P Morgan. Paid around $200 for it along with some other coins at a local coin show in NH a few years ago. Stuck them in my pocket since they were all in 2x2 flips. When I got home the Morgan was gone. I called the place that hosted the show, the restaurant we stopped at for lunch after, etc. No joy. That was probably 5 years ago and that hole in my Dansco album is still empty.
 

maipenrai

Bronze Member
Nov 11, 2010
1,151
242
Thailand/Europe/California
Detector(s) used
Excalibur 2 1000
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A few years ago, I was detecting along a river in Norcal. Found what looked like a belt buckle that looked like it was made from about 20 nickles. I figured it was a shop project for someone in high school. The back side was a bit corroded, and couldnt tell if it was real or moulded. I never check my finds in the field, so just put it in my pocket. Checked it a bit more at home, but then put it away, Never to be seen again! Not sure if it was real or not. I guess there are some that are made out of pot metal, so this could be just junk.
 

Henry2

Full Member
May 27, 2011
228
48
I lost my only 2 cent piece I ever found metal detecting, the coin was in great shape as well with the full motto, I hope it pops up one of these days.
 

releventchair

Gold Member
May 9, 2012
22,393
70,704
Primary Interest:
Other
I really don,t hate banks, much. A couple collectors and other folks contributed to my modest collection in the mid sixties.
You know how as kids the banks are where you keep your money safe and robbers go to get it? More safe than not was the theory a well meaning older sister impressed up on me so I went with her to the bank and put all my few old coins in safe keeping and found at a later date you don,t get back what you put in . Kinda like some other relationships costing some coin.:laughing7:
 

WaterWalker

Hero Member
Jan 31, 2007
525
675
Cape Cod, Massachuestts
Detector(s) used
Garrett (Infinium, ATPro, ATX), Minelab Excalibur, Tesoro Conquistador, Whites (Surfmaster PI, Quantum), JW Fisher 8X, DetectorPro Underwater 8", Minelab Equinox 800, Manticore, Pro-Find 35
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Three losses: I moved in 2009 and somewhere in the move I "lost" my only "perfect" arrow head that found its way into my water scoop along with a piece of tin foil. That was bad enough but my 682-686 Roman and a Moorish coin (both found in Europe) are also among the missing. I don't plan on moving again. The sentimental value is a killer knowing I will never find such coins again. Even my 1773 8 Reales paled in their shadow. Just thinking I never checked to see if I had a picture of them...I will check my photo albums tomorrow.
 

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Chitlin

Full Member
Dec 7, 2007
248
167
South Carolina
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
This title caught my eye the other day and made me think, "I've never actually lost a coin"....alas,

I am one those people who find stuff then carry it around in my pocket for a few days "feeling it"....found an 1835 trade and navigation token, not worth much but very cool copper, and was about halfway through shining it up, hadn't even taken a picture yet, and lost it Sunday, either at the playground with my kids or later when I got home and started raking the yard, listening to Gamecock baseball and drinking (several) beers.... needless to say I was 4 deep (quickly) before I realized the copper was no longer in my pocket. Spent most of the day Monday obsessing over it, went back to the playground, looked all over my truck and the yard with the MD'er to no avail.... I still don't believe it fell out my pocket which makes me even crazier about what happened to it... need to let it go!

Menehunes still messing with me? :dontknow:
 

Plumbata

Bronze Member
May 13, 2012
1,342
2,189
Wyoming
Detector(s) used
White's
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Mine was back in 1st grade. My father had bought me a lovely AU 1865 2-cent piece with plenty of luster (it was 55 bucks if I recall), and as I was admiring it while sitting on the original 1920s built-in hinged-top 2nd floor window seat which doubled as a linen chest, it somehow fell through the narrow gap between the back of the chest and the wall. We moved soon thereafter. I also lost a cool Greek bronze at school which I bought for a buck at the Baltimore coin show back in the early 90s, also in 1st grade. I got plenty of great deals from the dealers, who were delighted to cater to articulate young collectors. That particular coin fell through a ground-level window-well grate attached to the school, above a basement window. I could see it 5 feet down there but had no way to retrieve it. It was maddening. I should have known that my intent to share the glorious ancient coin with my 6 year old peers wouldn't have gotten anywhere, but us autistics are slow to learn that video games and TV are more relevant to the interests of our peers than crusty bronzes, heh.
 

Beachkid23

Silver Member
Oct 26, 2013
4,917
4,883
fort myers fl
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Mine was when I turned 18. My dad gave me my grandmas coins. He was trring to get me off a baseball card kick and collect coins. Well, my girlfriend at the time, her grandpa owned a coin shop.... I sold them to him for $50. I had no idea what they were even worth. My dad found out and was super ticked! I wish I would have kept them, that's all he had gotten from his mother, I had no idea about that.
 

nsdq

Silver Member
Oct 16, 2011
4,031
1,923
Tarpon springs FL
Detector(s) used
AT-Pro,Ace 150, flea market digger
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
lost most of my coin collection in a house fire to include a 1877 IH ....................
 

detectingpro

Full Member
Feb 14, 2014
203
51
Michigan
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Fisher F2
Garrett Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
My friend lost his 1916-d merc while bike riding!

Sent from my expensive phone I really don't need
 

swf29

Jr. Member
Apr 2, 2014
31
20
Detector(s) used
harbor freight 9 channel
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
damn, you couldve went back. they have a key to open it and you couldve got it back...ohh well too late now.
 

detectingpro

Full Member
Feb 14, 2014
203
51
Michigan
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Fisher F2
Garrett Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Could you tell me his exact biking route please? Thanks.

I've searched the heck out of the area with no luck, it's probably been picked up and either kept by some no name person who thinks it looks cool because it's old, or is in circulation and has been found by a collector.

Sent from my expensive phone I really don't need
 

Chitlin

Full Member
Dec 7, 2007
248
167
South Carolina
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
This title caught my eye the other day and made me think, "I've never actually lost a coin"....alas,

I am one those people who find stuff then carry it around in my pocket for a few days "feeling it"....found an 1835 trade and navigation token, not worth much but very cool copper, and was about halfway through shining it up, hadn't even taken a picture yet, and lost it Sunday, either at the playground with my kids or later when I got home and started raking the yard, listening to Gamecock baseball and drinking (several) beers.... needless to say I was 4 deep (quickly) before I realized the copper was no longer in my pocket. Spent most of the day Monday obsessing over it, went back to the playground, looked all over my truck and the yard with the MD'er to no avail.... I still don't believe it fell out my pocket which makes me even crazier about what happened to it... need to let it go!

Menehunes still messing with me? :dontknow:

Ha, hard to believe it's been almost 2 years.... well while searching for another lost item (pocket knife gift) I went as far as getting a flashlight and searching between the seats of my truck. Lo and behold I see something, not what I'm looking for, but what looks like a dang big copper... pull it out and there it is ... again... :hello2:. I was wrong on the date, it's 1838 not 1835... still a no show on the knife... lolz

Chitlin
 

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Msbeepbeep

Gold Member
Jun 24, 2012
15,787
24,131
MA
Detector(s) used
M-6, pro pointer, pistol probe
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Lol! I know how that goes!
You have to stop looking for the item and search for something else and you'll find the first lost thing. :sly:
 

CZconnoisseur

Full Member
Jun 29, 2015
209
327
Colorado Springs CO
Detector(s) used
XP Deus All Three Coils (9" currently), Tesoro Vaquero 8x9 and 5.75" DD coil, Fisher F70, White's Spectrum XLT, White's IDX, Garrett AT Pro, Fisher 1265-X, Fisher CZ5, Fisher CZ6, White's TM808, White
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
When I was in third grade I found a 1914 D Wheat cent in my mother's change purse. Even though I was only 8 years old I knew it was one of the toughest dates of the Wheat series....Back then (1985) it was only worth $50-$80 but when you're 8 that was thousands of dollars relatively!

I wasn't always the brightest though...took it to school the next day to show my friends but to them it was just a copper penny. I remember rolling it along the floor in the hallway of the grade school...it veered to the left and hit the cove base, popped up into one of those steam radiators (this school was built in the 1940s). I never saw it again but figured it was either in the radiator, or went behind the cove base.

I went back there when I turned 16 (when I could drive haha) to the same spot and the cove base was gone, so was the radiator. In that 8-year span the school went to a central heating system, and scrapped the radiators. I bet whoever found that 1914 D Wheat simply spent it...

But over the years I've found a few more keys dates, either from detecting or in coin rolls, or at coin shows...to make up for the one that got away!
 

Slingshot

Bronze Member
Apr 3, 2004
1,074
1,204
Southern Appalachia
Detector(s) used
Whites CM2 BFO, Harbor Freight 9 function, BH Pioneer 202, Fisher F22
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I've lost quit a few nice coins over the years, usually good luck pieces that manage to be good luck for whoever found them after they escaped my pocket. The one that really sticks out was a 1917 buffalo nickel I found on a dig in Albany, GA., at a burned down old house site about 30 years ago. It was ebony black, and near uncirculated when it was lost with stunning detail, and lacking the normal corrosion that comes on nickels, an absolutely beautiful coin. I put it in my pouch, and never saw it again. I re-hunted the site several times looking for the missing nickel, never found it again. The one coin I will never forget that managed to escape from me.
I also never have used a pouch again for dug coins, except for stowing away trash items. The goodies all go into my pocket now.
 

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ScubaDetector

Silver Member
Mar 1, 2016
3,668
8,247
Port Huron MI
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
2 Fisher CZ-21's 8 and 10" coils
Tesoro Tiger Shark 8 and 10" coils (Interchangeable)
Minelab E-Trac with Sun Ray Probe
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
I can't remember losing a coin. However I came up after one dive with 6 gold rings. I put all my gear in my truck and drove home. Took out my finds and had only 4 gold rings. The next day I drove all the way back, an hour and a half to the parking lot and found one gold ring where I parked. The other was history.
 

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