First Spanish Cob!

[Hunthicks]

Today I decided that I'd take a walk back through the woods to a foundation I'd found last year, near where I'd found my first trade axe. When I was there last year, a few square nails was all I'd found but I knew the area was old from the trade axe, and the fact it's over 2.5 KM from the nearest parking spot, let alone any current buildings.
After digging a couple square nails, I got a solid, deep sounding signal and this coin popped up from 8 - 10 inches below the roots. I saw it was a cob nearly right away, but it appears to be pure silver over a purplish silver alloy, which is strange. I have no doubt it's period due to the area, but is this normal or a contemporary counterfeit?



Targets were very sparse, but the extremely dry ground surely didn't help. I did manage this cool old pot and a huge pick, that seems to have some markings on it(a circle and a banner shaped mark). I'm thinking a return in the spring when the ground is nice and wet will be worth it!

 

[okerraine]

I pulled a one reale very deep under packed dirt and irony soil that was brownish and purple. before I knew about electrolysis I cleanrd the heck out of it and it was silver. Lot of cleaning though, congrats to you. it also could have been a fire as well

 

[The Patriot]

Well just to think I puttered around the house yesterday contemplating if I should go detecting and then you PM stating you found your first cob...As if a gold coin this year wasn't enough...
I know the area quite well that hunthicks is talking about and I can attest to the fact that it would've seen limited contact other than the very odd hunter...
Now is the coin real or same time counterfeit, that at this time I am not sure off...just looking at it on screen raises suspicions however, I will have to see it in person... Now okerraine made a very valid point, you have found nothing but old iron square nails, trade axe, pick axe and pot pieces, plus there is a known fact that the french priest of the day had burnt down his own people's dwellings to keep them close to a particular area....so with that in mind we have to think what that could do to a coin in the ground for what could be 300 years...
Regardless real or not, it is one heck of a find and a banner in my books...I can't wait until "WE" hit that site soon.

 

[Hunthicks]

Nice find Hicks! If it were mine I would be contemplating some mild electrolysis...using tin foil and salted water...tough call though.

I'm debating since it's a keeper coin, I might just go for an edge I can clean to tell the difference. It does appear like the top layer is delaminating, but it's silver over silver so I am wondering if burning and then acidic soil has something to do with it. Either way I know it's old and makes me wanna get back to that site!

 

[Hunthicks]

Well just to think I puttered around the house yesterday contemplating if I should go detecting and then you PM stating you found your first cob...As if a gold coin this year wasn't enough...
I know the area quite well that hunthicks is talking about and I can attest to the fact that it would've seen limited contact other than the very odd hunter...
Now is the coin real or same time counterfeit, that at this time I am not sure off...just looking at it on screen raises suspicions however, I will have to see it in person... Now okerraine made a very valid point, you have found nothing but old iron square nails, trade axe, pick axe and pot pieces, plus there is a known fact that the french priest of the day had burnt down his own people's dwellings to keep them close to a particular area....so with that in mind we have to think what that could do to a coin in the ground for what could be 300 years...
Regardless real or not, it is one heck of a find and a banner in my books...I can't wait until "WE" hit that site soon.

I thought about asking if you wanted to come, but with the threat of rain I wasn't sure you'd wanna hike through the woods to the spot. I really think the targets are deep, as the coin was, so getting some moisture in the ground and having the minelab take a trip over it wouldn't hurt. Plus I didn't cover much area overall.
I'm thinking burning might have had something to do with the coin looking that way, but no doubt it's an old site!

 

[CRUSADER]

In my experience a counterfiet coin like that will not clean up any better than you have it. Its the first contemporary Cob I have seen, but they faked everything else so shouldn't be a surprise really.

Its a good find I think, one thing I noticed straight away, the sides look wavy & not cut like a real cob.

 

[Iron Patch]

Best way to clean it?

I can't see cleaning helping a whole lot, but you could throw it in lemon juice for a couple of days and see what happens. A genuine cob would have no problem, but a fake might show some signs. If might clean it just enough to make a call. Do keep in mind if it's ctft a lemon soak could have a negative effect.

 

[Iron Patch]

Well just to think I puttered around the house yesterday contemplating if I should go detecting and then you PM stating you found your first cob...As if a gold coin this year wasn't enough...
I know the area quite well that hunthicks is talking about and I can attest to the fact that it would've seen limited contact other than the very odd hunter...
Now is the coin real or same time counterfeit, that at this time I am not sure off...just looking at it on screen raises suspicions however, I will have to see it in person... Now okerraine made a very valid point, you have found nothing but old iron square nails, trade axe, pick axe and pot pieces, plus there is a known fact that the french priest of the day had burnt down his own people's dwellings to keep them close to a particular area....so with that in mind we have to think what that could do to a coin in the ground for what could be 300 years...
Regardless real or not, it is one heck of a find and a banner in my books...I can't wait until "WE" hit that site soon.

I don't think people realize how few modern reproductions are found in our area, and they are actually much MUCH rarer to dig than a genuine cob. Praise the detecting god for that one huh!

 

[Iron Patch]

I'm debating since it's a keeper coin, I might just go for an edge I can clean to tell the difference. It does appear like the top layer is delaminating, but it's silver over silver so I am wondering if burning and then acidic soil has something to do with it. Either way I know it's old and makes me wanna get back to that site!

Yes, I think the surface has been eaten away some, which usually indicates plating because silver does not tend to do that... thus the debate we are having. BTW looking at it I don't think lemon would make a difference so probably not worth wasting your time. It tends to not react with the purple dark type color on a coin. It might brighten up the silver spots a little though. Still a tough call on this.... experience from years of seeing and owning a ton of cobs says the numbers point at it being genuine, but looking at it I have to throw that out the window because it's just different than what I would expect to see.

 

[Hunthicks]

Yes, I think the surface has been eaten away some, which usually indicates plating because silver does not tend to do that... thus the debate we are having. BTW looking at it I don't think lemon would make a difference so probably not worth wasting your time. It tends to not react with the purple dark type color on a coin. It might brighten up the silver spots a little though. Still a tough call on this.... experience from years of seeing and owning a ton of cobs says the numbers point at it being genuine, but looking at it I have to throw that out the window because it's just different than what I would expect to see.

I'll probably just leave it be and appreciate it for what it is - a pretty cool old find. And maybe the next cob will be a more straight forward find, lol!

 

[lab rat]

To me this looks like a Spanish cob with the cross/ castles & lions on one side and a shield on the other. Have you weighed it? Cob books will list approximate weight for size/ denomination. This would tell you whether it is fake. Your picture looks to me like a base metal (zinc?) overlaid w/ silver.

 

[detroitdigger]

Sweet find !!!!!!!!!

 

[Iron Patch]

And maybe the next cob will be a more straight forward find, lol!

Like my 9?

 

[jtomlinson]

WOW great job!!! way to go on the coin

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Well, that is an interesting find. I would put my money on it being a counterfit, period cob but I am no expert. Either way it's a fantastic find for sure.
ZDD

 

[Hunthicks]

Like my 9?

Guess I have a way to go to catch up! But I'll keep trying haha.

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Pretty awesome old find. I'd probably have to clean it a bit though. Might help solve the mystery ?

 

[63bkpkr]

It is an intriguing find as well as the question of why does it look like it does. A bit more sleuthing might unearth the final verdict, so to speak. Interesting site you've found for yourself, good research. I hope the wet spring is good to you!....................63bkpkr

 

[Hunthicks]

Well, I couldn't resist giving a little cleaning, after all the coin was pretty rough as it was. I used the salt and tinfoil method Romeo suggested for just a few minutes as it worked for me before and I didn't have any lemon juice on hand. It does look like there is actually pitting not peeling, as you can see the silver along the edge connects up to the surface layer. But I'm no expert!

 

[Iron Patch]

Looks real. An old counterfeit would most not likely come out like that.

You had a great result so better you didn't have lemon juice, and I'm not sure it would have been very effective anyway... plus when it is it often takes the color away and that coin looks way better still having the dark areas. I see no reason at all now to think it's counterfeit.

Patriot -1

 

[romeo-1]

Now THAT'S a keeper...good decision on a light cleaning...looks 100% better!