coins found at the plantation house - the rest of the painful story

[cornman]

In addition to the 1907 Barber half and 1830 large cent (both big time exciting firsts for me!) I also found an 1874 shield nickel at the plantation house. The reason there is no picture of it is:
When we got back to Ohio from our VA trip my son and I went out to do some Christmas shopping at Cabelas, and I took my three coins (now in little plastic folders) along to stop at a coin shop and get their opinion of the coins. We went to Cabelas first, and then when we got to the coin shop, I pulled the Barber half and the large cent out of my pocket, but the shield nickel was GONE! I had made the mistake of putting some other stuff in that pocket, and must have pulled it out at Cabelas. We searched the car and the car trunk, and every other pocket I had, but no nickel. Several calls to Cabelas lost and found department yielded nothing.
Now I know real well what the original owner of the nickel felt like when he/she lost it so long ago. Wonder how much a nickel could have bought in the late 1800's.
I guess most of what we find, was lost and missed by the person who lost it.
Another lesson learned the hard way - don't loose what you find!
cornman

 

[halfdime]

If it's any consolation, a dug shield nickel probably isn't worth much. Still, you hate to lose something like that .

 

[txkickergirl]

I would be super bummed too. I know how easy something like that can happen.

 

[TomB]

Been There Done That ......you will find another. TomB

 

[stevesno]

You got to experience the thrill of recovery...and still have that barber half....way to go....Steve

 

[birdman]

That is painful. I lost a 1767 zoll (tax)tokin in my car one time. I ended up finding it but it took three days before I found it in the track under the seat.

 

[tymcmurray]

Congrats on the find.....sorry for the loss.

 

[ModernMiner]

Cornman,
Sorry to hear you lost such a nice find. I hope you get another one.
Now for the important stuff....what did you buy at Cabela's? I love that place!!!
-MM-

 

[weasel606]

sure would hate to lose something like that myself ! congrats on the finds

 

[cornman]

That is painful. I lost a 1767 zoll (tax)tokin in my car one time. I ended up finding it but it took three days before I found it in the track under the seat.

In the track under the seat... got to go look there!
Thanks all of you for your stories and support...

Now for the rest of the rest of the story:
All my brother-in-laws were coming over for Christmas and they like seeing the stuff I find MDing so I decided to "cheat" a little and went to the coin shop and bought the same year shield nickel that I had lost, so I could show them. I figured that I HAD found one, just lost it. But then I had to tell them the "rest of the story." They understood, and liked seeing the coins non of us had ever seen before. Also the bullets and the great history of it all. One story that the farmer who gave me permission told me was that he had found a live parrot shell in his field, and set it on his metal band saw, turned it on, and left the building, in case it would explode. It didn't. He then dumped out the powder and picked out the grape shot, then lit the powder with a torch. He said it was the awfulest black smoke he ever saw and smelt. I thought how great that would have been, to see and smell what the soldiers experienced on the battlefields. At least a little of what they experienced. Wouldn't want the rest of the experience...
Part of the fun of this hobby is listening to the oldtimers tell the old stories and imagining how things used to be.
cornman
P.S. included pictures of the "replacement nickel"

 

[sniffer]

I've lost a couple of IH's. Now, I carry an old prescription bottle with me to put the special finds in.
HH Sniffer

 

[roundhat]

i dug a shield nickel this year.. it was so ate up i could barely tell what it was... can't see a date or any of the back side of it to look for the rays... but i love it... my oldest coin yet.