First copper of 2012 is a shocker.... ROSA AMERICANA!!!

[adventureswithjim]

Sorry no vid...things been stressful lately, I needed some "alone time" in the woods without all of youtube looking over my shoulder.

I didn't expect much of anything, didn't even really care, the sun was shinning and just a gorgeous day to dig...then out rolled this smallish thing. Too small for a George II half penny, more like the size of a US half cent...since the site had already given up a bunch of geo II's I knew this one was special, didn't clean it there, left it unknown til I got home and could do a more careful job.

I was expecting a half cent dropped by later farmers in the 1820's...but then I saw the rose.

Just not a coin I expected for sure.

1722 Rosa Americana Penny (well it matches the size given in the red book for the penny denomination), "1722" is barely visible then a star and the word "Rosa Am..."

I had to look it up, NOT a popular coin with the colonist, George I tried to pawn off these coins on the American and Irish colonies, but they were half the weight/size of regular brit issue...shop keepers refused to accept them, the coin died hard and fast.

So how exactly did this coin find it's way to Colonial South Carolina? Sadly, we'll never know, but a fun question to ponder. Anyone else find Rosa's dug in the US?

Any experts out there on cleaning old coppers? No peroxide treatments or electricity please. The book gives it's content as 75% copper 24.7% zinc and .3% silver. This coin appears to have a crust over actual details but I got a good feeling if you take off the crust, the details will go with it.

I know this coin is trashed and beyond help, but a truly exciting find!

 

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[rocky raccoon]

here is mine found it about 8 yrs ago, I have tried every thing to clean this bad boy.....if you look thru the loop is the only way to find the date...it is a 1722,this was found off of a river front

 

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[Don in SJ]

just noticed that my reverse is a combo of two varieties
rosa americana is on opposite side and mine has the scroll
that the rose and crown variety does

By no means do I know much about Rosa's but it appears to be a Breen89/Martin 3-C variety, seems to match all that is in the Whitman book for Colonial and Early American coins. URS-6 17-32 known.

 

[Iron Patch]

Good one to cross off the list! I found a fairy decent twopence about 10 years ago. Your coin exhibits the same type of pitted condition mine does, and if so, there's no cleaning that will help it because what you are seeing is pitted metal and not corrosion. If there is clearly some corrosion peroxide shouldn't hurt it.

 

[kevkirki]

That is crazy....nice save

 

[lost hunter]

Nice find

 

[adventureswithjim]

Thanks for the input, I sent off some details to that guy...I'm really curious about the population count on this coin since it wasn't a long lived coin.

 

[windage]

Jim, quite laying around on the couch, dude and get out and find something unusual and old....oh wait, you did.
We demand more youtube!

 

[JW15]

Sweet pull man!! I like your vids, very entertaining

 

[treasurefiend]

AWESOME job buddy - BIG TYME CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bev]

I'm not an expert by any means but- I was advised by a coin dealer to soak mine in extra virgin olive oil in a air tight container for a WHILE. He said it can take sometimes 6 months!
I have some coins doing just that and they've been in there going on 7 weeks now. I opened it up 2 weeks ago and gently removed loose debris with a baby tooth brush under running water and Dawn liquid (I was told only Dawn- always) to see what was happening- stuff was happening alright! Good stuff!
After a month I was able to pull all my indians out and they look just dropped but still has nice patina!
I'll add the old disclaimer that I wouldnt do anything to a valued coin. Too many people are against it.

 

[SeaninNH]

Yup, Extra Virgin works well. I've used it on quite a few coins. The 1830s canadian token of esteem took about 4 months to work any details out of it, but it went from completely identifiable to being able to clearly identify it.

Nice coin Jim. Get it soaking and brush it once or twice a week with a soft toothbrush to losten up the crap.

 

[Bev]

I might want to add- it's not a race. It took a long time to accumulate the crud it will take a long time to get rid of it. Slow and steady and no more than a baby toothbrush. I asked the dealer about q-tips and he said it will just move the crud around. I still use them a little though and throw it away when I can feel the plastic touching the coin with the cotton wears down.

 

[steelheadwill]

Congrats on a great find!
Thanks to all for lots of info I didn't know about these
now I gotta go find one

 

[Tuberale]

I asked the dealer about q-tips and he said it will just move the crud around.

It can if you don't change Q-tips often. Also I was taught this technique which twirls the Q-tip saturated in acetone: less likely to accumulate crud on just one part of the cotton. Using extra-fluffy Q-tips (about double the amount of cotton than on a normal Q-tip) helps too.

 

[oldsalty19]

excellent find

 

[OtraVez]

I would do EVOO (olive oil) and leave it there for a week and pull it out and pick at it with a toothpick to see if any of the crust on it is going to come off. The soft toothpick should not scar or scratch a coin predominatly copper. Great find and good luck!

 

[beerbarrel]

Awesome Jim! Congrats on the find!

Beerbarrel

 

[Goldirocks]

Great find!