First Milled Spanish! First Cob! First English Silver!

[Lost Signal]

This month marks the beginning of my 3rd year detecting. My interest is in colonial and early US coins and relics. I've found a number of coppers, strap guides, furniture tacks, gun parts, sword parts, civilian and military buttons (including a USA), but until a few days ago I had never found a colonial-era silver coin - no reals of any kind. Now, with the beginning of 2021, I have found a silver coin on each of my last three hunts.

I haven't weighed the cob coin, so I’m not sure of the denomination, but from the research that I managed, I think it's Philip IV between 1618 - 1636. I could be totally wrong and would appreciate any information anyone could add.

The smallest coin is a Charles II Two Pence. It had me stumped. I did not expect to find English silver, so I was looking up 1/4 reals, thinking Carolus II must be Carlos II of Spain. Couldn't believe what I had found, when I finally figured it out. Sadly, it has fire damage, but the date of 1675 is visible. Seems like a very rare find in this country.

The milled 1/2 real is least impressive, I suppose, but it is in great condition, and I’m excited to have finally found one.

The cob was a bucket lister for me and the English silver was not even something that I had considered.

I've also included a grouping of other recent finds including an octagonal dandy button, a couple of shoe buckles, and a small (maybe) 17th century buckle.

Thanks for looking.

 

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[mbcuce]

Very cool information Crusader. That's what I love about this hobby. Finding artifacts and learning the story behind them. This forum is such a wealth of knowledge, a real asset to us hobbyist.

 

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[Florida Finder]

Great Finds!!!

 

[Truth]

If I had a hunt like that I would’ve made it I would’ve passed out. Congratulations on handling it like a man you check but

 

[Lost Signal]

The 1675 2 Pence could have been part of a Maundy set given by the King to the poor. It's seems very common that the smaller denominations were holed.
These are rare finds in the UK, but most of them are holed, & I have a theory other than the usual reason.
There has been a tradition in England of 'Touch Pieces', they were holed coins touched by the King/Queen thought to have direct links to God & therefore carried a protective nature or heal the sick. The Kings/Queens were thought to be the direct link to God, not even the Church had a better route.
Therefore, my theory is that if you were given a Maundy Set on Thursday by the King & you were the poorest of the poor, you might decide to do the following. Spend the higher denominations on food like the 3 & 4 pence & protect your family with the 1 & 2 by holing them & wearing them around your neck (maybe for a sick child).
Buy the late 1600s we had had 100s of years of Touch Piece tradition & hundreds of years of Maundy Money, it's not that greater leap of faith to put a higher value on a 1 or 2 pence from the King than its worth to spend, including it's 'magical powers'. You could theories that it would protect them on journey's, because they were needing protection from the evil eye. (they were scared stiff to travel on a footpath from 1 village to the other without protection)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Maundy

As soon as I figured out that the small coin was English, I was looking forward to getting your insight. Thanks! This is really fascinating. No doubt the person, who lost the coin in the disease-ridden swamps of SC, could have used some protective powers.

 

[RustyGold]

Congrats on the stellar finds!

 

[Dirty Digger Doug]

Sweet finds. Congrats.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

First off, congrats on those beautiful silver coin finds Lost Signal!

Amazing information provided by Cru regarding Maundy coin offerings, this is something I never knew about.
So, thanks to you both for enlightening me.

I love the look of these buckles and heel plate you found on earlier hunts as well.
Dave

 

[cannonball]

Nice Job!

 

[washingtonian]

I would die and go to heaven if I found any of those three coins. Awesome, awesome stuff man.

 

[mbcuce]

I finally find a coin from the 1600's and Lost Signal does this to me. I don't think I can ever top the 1675 Two Pence, might have to fly to England.

 

[park pirate]

Awesome...