First pre-1900 coin

whynot · Mar 4, 2010

Found this last weekend, first chance to post... My first Silver Liberty Head V Nickel ever and a Semi-key date at that!!! I admit I almost did my happy dance but I was still shocked that I actually found a coin prior to 1964!

Will try to get a pic posted of back side soon.

Found this is a tot lot about 4 inches down. It rang up weird, bouncing between nickel and pull-tab... Go figure... I sure have found some strange stuff in our tot lots in FL. Thanks for looking and Happy Hunting!
-whynot

ps - forgot to check composition.... 75% copper, 25% nickel, still no silver coins...

Detectingfreak · Mar 4, 2010

Re: First silver coin

what you got there is not a silver coin, but a V nickel!

Nickles were never made out of silver.

The Seeker · Mar 4, 2010

Re: First silver coin

It kinda looks Silver .....WTG

thewatchers · Mar 4, 2010

Don't hold me to this but I think its 75% copper and 25% nickel. Still an awesome find.

whynot · Mar 4, 2010

Thanks DetectingFreak and Seeker... Updated title and post.
-whynot

DanB · Mar 4, 2010

Cool find.....it looks like that nickle went through a pretty severe fire.....all heat distorted....still a way cool find from the past..

good luck HH

db

creeper71 · Mar 4, 2010

Re: First silver coin

Detectingfreak said:
what you got there is not a silver coin, but a V nickel! Nickles were never made out of silver.

this info is a lil misinformed... the 1942-45 are 35% silver

Blind.In.Texas · Mar 4, 2010

Re: First silver coin

Detectingfreak said:
what you got there is not a silver coin, but a V nickel! Nickles were never made out of silver.

The V Nickels never were, but, the Jefferson wars nickels are 35% silver, 56% copper, 9% manganese.

Liberty V Nickel:
SPECIFICATIONS:

Diameter: 21.2 millimeters Weight: 5 grams Composition: .750 copper, .250 nickel Edge: Plain

I would like hunt behind you.
http://picasaweb.google.com/blindintexas911/DetectingCoins#

extractor · Mar 4, 2010

Congrats!! :icon_thumleft:

I would love to find one that old.

Kanyontreasures · Mar 4, 2010

they did make nickles out of silver from 1942-1945 it is called a war nickle!! but that nickle is made of nickle nice coin though!

ivan salis · Mar 4, 2010

very good chance that there might have been a old homestead long ago where your tot lot is now . ( when that 1888 coin was newish say to around the turn of the century) :wink:

your coin clearly looks as if its been in a fire . --remember often its what was there in the past rather than whats there now that can make a spot "very interesting" indeed. -- bet a check of the old land / tax records will show that a house once stood there (and from the looks of the coin --it burnt down)--- 5 cent pieces aka --nickles --are called "nickles" because they are made of the metal known as "nickle"--a silver colored but non silver metal -- during the civil war --silver coins were hoarded --so the govt switched to "nickle" for its 3 cent pieces (the price to mail a letter then) -- post war the govt made a 5 cent piece to replace the silver "half dime" -- it too was made of the metal --nickle --thus the term "nickle" became used for a 5 cent piece because it had "no silver" in it.

oddly in 1942 -1945 * the reverse of what occured in the civil war occured -- nickle was needed for the war effort --so the govt switched out silver for the nickle --making 35% silver nickles --they are easily IDed by the large mint mark letters from which mint they were made P , D , S on the rear over the dome