ltd063
Sr. Member
I had a few hours after chores yesterday and decided to maximize my hunting time. There is a strip of grass next to the community pool in my neighborhood. It is about 25 yards wide and 200 yards long. The POA holds a 4th of July party there every year, with inflatables and climbing walls for the kids, grilled goodies for all and adult beverages for those that care to imbibe. To me, that is the recipe for lost items. It is a very picturesque area and wedding ceremonies are held there also. Again, more drinking, dancing, and general cavorting.
I have hunted this strip a couple of times before and found a small amount of clad, some lead sinkers (the strip of grass juts into a lake) and lots of scrap aluminum. So, I pick up at the spot I stopped hunting last time I was there and the finds are few and far between. I am averaging one item per trip across the strip. After 2+ hours of hunting with the sun going down and three memorials to show for my effort, I get a weak signal that is barely repeatable. I am almost done with what I determine my last trip across the peninsula and decide "What the hell?...Might as well dig it." I pinpoint it with my machine, squat down, and break out my pinpointer. It is then that I notice there is a hole where the signal is coming from. It looks like a very large tent stake had been driven into the ground at that point (a clump of grass was covering the hole). I stick the pinpointed into the hole and figure out the item is almost 8 inches down. A couple attempts to dig the item out and I have a signal in my hand. I see this tiny piece of aluminum in my hand with some kind of writing on it. I figure its a button lost off of a kids clothing item or something like that. I noticed writing on both sides, not a button. I am a bit far sighted and in the fading light it takes me a while to recognize the pattern on one side. "Holy Sh__!" It looks like writing on the back of a Seated Liberty Dime. I just about soiled myself.
My mind is racing on the walk back to my truck and on the drive home. Where did it come from? My neighborhood is about 40 years old. My best guess is that the coin arrived in fill dirt that was brought in to make the strip of land I was standing on.
I get home and run the coin under some cold water and brush the dirt off with a soft bristle tooth brush. It cleans up nicely. Break out a magnifying glass and look at the date. Another "Holy Sh__!" 1845!!!! The oldest coin I have found by 122 years! Previous best was a 1967 Kennedy Half that I found in June. Flip the coin over and I get another surprise. The print on the back reads "Half Dime". That explains why it is so small.
1845 Half Dime in beautiful shape. 172 years old. Bucket Lister for sure. My wife asked me "Are you gonna sell it?"
I kept looking at it and discovered a small nick in the reeded edge on one side. I'm not sure if I hit it with my Lesche or someone hit it with the tent stake, but either way it is still beautiful.
Only my second silver and it is a keeper for sure.
I guess my new motto is "Metal Detecting is like a box of chocolates....You never know what you are gonna get."
Thanks for looking and HH!
I have hunted this strip a couple of times before and found a small amount of clad, some lead sinkers (the strip of grass juts into a lake) and lots of scrap aluminum. So, I pick up at the spot I stopped hunting last time I was there and the finds are few and far between. I am averaging one item per trip across the strip. After 2+ hours of hunting with the sun going down and three memorials to show for my effort, I get a weak signal that is barely repeatable. I am almost done with what I determine my last trip across the peninsula and decide "What the hell?...Might as well dig it." I pinpoint it with my machine, squat down, and break out my pinpointer. It is then that I notice there is a hole where the signal is coming from. It looks like a very large tent stake had been driven into the ground at that point (a clump of grass was covering the hole). I stick the pinpointed into the hole and figure out the item is almost 8 inches down. A couple attempts to dig the item out and I have a signal in my hand. I see this tiny piece of aluminum in my hand with some kind of writing on it. I figure its a button lost off of a kids clothing item or something like that. I noticed writing on both sides, not a button. I am a bit far sighted and in the fading light it takes me a while to recognize the pattern on one side. "Holy Sh__!" It looks like writing on the back of a Seated Liberty Dime. I just about soiled myself.
My mind is racing on the walk back to my truck and on the drive home. Where did it come from? My neighborhood is about 40 years old. My best guess is that the coin arrived in fill dirt that was brought in to make the strip of land I was standing on.
I get home and run the coin under some cold water and brush the dirt off with a soft bristle tooth brush. It cleans up nicely. Break out a magnifying glass and look at the date. Another "Holy Sh__!" 1845!!!! The oldest coin I have found by 122 years! Previous best was a 1967 Kennedy Half that I found in June. Flip the coin over and I get another surprise. The print on the back reads "Half Dime". That explains why it is so small.
1845 Half Dime in beautiful shape. 172 years old. Bucket Lister for sure. My wife asked me "Are you gonna sell it?"
I kept looking at it and discovered a small nick in the reeded edge on one side. I'm not sure if I hit it with my Lesche or someone hit it with the tent stake, but either way it is still beautiful.
Only my second silver and it is a keeper for sure.
I guess my new motto is "Metal Detecting is like a box of chocolates....You never know what you are gonna get."
Thanks for looking and HH!
Last edited:
Upvote
59
Wow that's a great find, a bucket list find for sure. 
I pulled my 1st seated from and old yard that had been hit by 5 others before me (according to the owner). Mine was pulled from near the house where shrubs had been recently removed. It was an 1875 dime.
