First Spanish coin, maybe 2 Reale coins?

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

I made it out to my new site deep in the woods at my local community park near Pittsburgh. Last week found a 2 cent coin and my oldest coin a 1846 LC there. Today I found my oldest coin by far. I think it is a 1788 Half Reale. Here it is in the hole (note I parted the poison ivy to clear the target brush). Here are some close ups. Anyone know the origins of this one?
But wait, theres more. I also dug a holed silver coin, larger, but nearly as thin. This guy was really caked with a layer of blackness, but I did manage to get most of it off. Anyone know what this is, One Reale?
Here are the rest of this mornings finds.
Coupe of pics with both silver "coins".

If the holed piece is a coin it would be my first holed coin and the half Reale is my oldest and first Spanish/Colonial/1700's coin. It was a good couple hours in the woods...

Any ID help would be appreciated!!!!!

Good luck out there!

 

[UnderMiner]

The little one is a Charles III 1/2 reale and the bigger coin appears to be a 1 reale from the same time period. They are from 1760's-1780's. Very neat! This was enough money to buy three basic meals or three large flagons of rum.

 

[undrpar59golf]

Great finds,love that Spanish silver

 

[dirtlooter]

awesome finds, really sweet old silver, congrats

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Thanks guys! I never thought I would find coins this old in W PA, but I knew I was digging a really old site because I had my treasure map with me! (Otherwise known as Historical Maps, Penn Pilot and Google Earth layering.) And yes I had an X on the map that I thought would be the spot and it worked out. I searched a 20'x20' area slowly for 2 hours. Many hours of research, but who knows what the rest of this park has hidden away in its hundreds of acres!

Special thanks to Jeff of PA for awesome threads on researching PA sites and Steve of PA for his icon / collection of Spanish silver that gave me hope!

 

[Kurios1]

Dude, you got the GOODS there man! Big time congrats on the old Spanish silver coins. Excellent research and still digging in the woods with the weeds and bugs. You earned these fabulous finds for sure. Well done.

 

[Rustic]

Congrats on the colonial silvers. And kudos for being brave enough to dig in and amongst the poison ivy.

I love detecting as much as anyone, but you couldn't lure me into a poison ivy patch with $1000 bill, lol.

Nice finds

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Congrats on the colonial silvers. And kudos for being brave enough to dig in and amongst the poison ivy.

I love detecting as much as anyone, but you couldn't lure me into a poison ivy patch with $1000 bill, lol.

Nice finds

Thanks Rustic! I bring a container of Clorox wipes and wipe down a couple times during the hunt, then shower immediately when I get home. Works pretty well but not perfect. At least the tics are down in my area!!

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Dude, you got the GOODS there man! Big time congrats on the old Spanish silver coins. Excellent research and still digging in the woods with the weeds and bugs. You earned these fabulous finds for sure. Well done.

Thanks Kurios! Some hunts battling the bugs, heat and poison ivy does not seem worth it, but a hunt like today, well I guess it's worth it. I just like getting out in the woods really.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

The little one is a Charles III 1/2 reale and the bigger coin appears to be a 1 reale from the same time period. They are from 1760's-1780's. Very neat! This was enough money to buy three basic meals or three large flagons of rum.

Thanks UnderMiner! It's always fun to find a new variety of coin as it leads me into researching the coin and holding it in my hand while learning about it is a visceral experience. I can't make out much on the one Reale, but the size hole and proximity lead me to believe you are correct. I guess these old silvers were in circulation for a long time.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Congratualtions on the Spanish silver and relics!

 

[crabstang44]

very impressive, completely cover the silver coin with no details with silver test acid for 10 seconds then rinse under water and wipe coin hard with soft cloth, i gurantee you will see details, it works everytime

 

[Trezurehunter]

Congrats Pa-dirt. Those look like some nice pieces of Spanish silver.

 

[ShovelinDave]

That's super sweet. Hours of research and the payout so far is two Spanish silver from the 18th Century. Big-O-Congrats to you Mister.

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on the old silver

 

[Silvermonkey]

Killer finds! One Spanish silver = fantastic day. Two Spanish silver = best day ever? It sure would be in my book. Congrats!

 

[against the wind]

Sweet Spanish Silver,
Congratulations

 

[UnderMiner]

Thanks UnderMiner! It's always fun to find a new variety of coin as it leads me into researching the coin and holding it in my hand while learning about it is a visceral experience. I can't make out much on the one Reale, but the size hole and proximity lead me to believe you are correct. I guess these old silvers were in circulation for a long time.

Spanish silver was the default currency of the 13 colonies and legal tender of the USA well into the 1850's. Would not be surprised if these coins you found were in circulation until the 1840's or 50's based on their heavy wear patterns, then again these coins were used so frequently in daily trade the wear may actually have been done much quicker, maybe lost in 18th century still

 

[gold panner]

Good finds!!!!

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Went back to site last night for a couple more hours. Major bush whacking into the briars to see if I missed anything. Old roached out silver plated fork and spoon, a few more shotgun shell end and one last flat button. In all 4 coins from 1700's and 1800's, 6 flat buttons and 2 buckles in a 20'x 10' sweep of land. Here is the last button
First one piece flat button I have found that has something on the front. Looks like a deer to me. Anyone seen one like this before? Time to move onto the next site.