Found an 1831 Large Cent at a 1980s Soccer Field!

[FreeBirdTim]

Found an 1831 Large Cent at a 1980's Soccer Field!

At least I think it's from 1831. Found it about 6 inches down and didn't hit it with my digger, for a change. Not in bad shape, but of course the date is hard to read. I think it has to be either 1821 or 1831. The mintage for 1821 was really low, so I'm betting on 1831. Let me know what you think!

Here's a few pics. i didn't do much to it. Just brushed it a little with a toothbrush and then did the nose oil trick on it.

 

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[The Rebel]

WTG on the Largie!

 

[Metdet49]

Nice find FBT. I love digging those. I can't make out the 3rd digit either from your picture. Try holding it at different angles in different types of lighting while looking through a loop or other type of magnifier, sometimes you can make it out that way. I've made myself dizzy (and crazy) trying to figure out dates on some of these old coppers. Sometimes the digit just isn't there to read.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Metdet49, I think it's 1831 or 1821, but the 1821 has a 2 that is a curlicue in design. Don't see that on the third digit, so my best guess is 1831.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Congratz! Still looking for my first LC!

 

[WHADIFIND]

That right there is the reason I hunt so many "clad factories"! Everything was something before it became what it is today.
It's cleaned well enough. At least you know what it is as opposed to having just one more copper slug spacer.

Nice!

 

[Old Dude]

Yep, as Gary said, at least you can tell Whadufound

 

[doninbrewster]

Nice find. Personally I think you're off base on the date. I think it's a 181? Actually an earlier date.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Nice find. Personally I think you're off base on the date. I think it's a 181? Actually an earlier date.

I agree. The way date is positioned, it looks like 181?

great find!

 

[stefen]

There's numerous reasons of why an 1831 coin was found in a contemporary athletic field.

First, locate old maps and see what existed on the site, like an old farm, etc.

Also, earthen land fill material could have attributed for the initial construction phases.

I would rule out a recent drop due to depth and appearance. Just my WAG...

 

[WHADIFIND]

There's numerous reasons of why an 1831 coin was found in a contemporary athletic field.

First, locate old maps and see what existed on the site, like an old farm, etc.

Also, earthen land fill material could have attributed for the initial construction phases.

I would rule out a recent drop due to depth and appearance. Just my WAG...

Completely agree! But, we could drive to insanity and back with all the possibilities! LOL
A tornado might've deposited it, lol!

I also agree about the 181"?" date. I thought that was what I saw when I first saw the pic
but I figured it was just my eyes.

Every place was something before it was today's place.

 

[doninbrewster]

I agree. The way date is positioned, it looks like 181?

great find!

Keep in mind it's a Matron Head so it can't be earlier than 1816.

 

[Loco-Digger]

Congrats on pulling that LC, it does look to be from the teens and I believe it is the large date variety. Bet you were pleasantly surprised when you pulled a LC instead of a clad half.

 

[Inspector]

Nice save, gotta love the LC, you never know where they'll pop up.

 

[swingbeepdig]

Most Soccer field in my area were old farm lands.I pulled dozens 1700s coins from them.Congats on the coin.

 

[Bigmike2334]

Nice coin, I still haven't found any largies in your area, but have gotten a few beauties about 10 miles from there. I found an extremely old field in your neck of the woods I plan on hitting next week. Hopefully it's as productively good as yours haha. Keep it up, if your ever looking for a partner let me know they're hard to find around here.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Congrats on pulling that LC, it does look to be from the teens and I believe it is the large date variety. Bet you were pleasantly surprised when you pulled a LC instead of a clad half.

Yup, it was a shocker! I did pull an 1887 IHC from the same field last year, but everything else has been from the 1960's and up. It did ring up as a half, but I was thinking it had to be a quarter. Good thing I dug a big plug!

I also think you hit the nail on the head. It's a large date variety and probably 1817. I found another 1817 LC, but it has the smaller date. That's what threw me off. I thought the 1 was the last digit because it's under the hair curl. But it does look like a 7 after the 1. Not 100% sure, but the last digit isn't curled, so it should be an 1817.

Thanks for all the help, guys! Let's call it an 1817 (for now)!

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Nice LC congrats!

 

[relic lover]

I agree with the earlier date. As far as what it was doing on an athletic field anytime someone brings in dirt there's no telling where it came from sometimes I think that use the dirt they clean out of the ditch is on the side of the road. I live in a modern neighborhood but when they redid the sewer lines they brought in dirt to cover it. After it rained I notice in the dirt pieces of one of those white porcelain mason jar lids I think I'm going to get the detector out there and see if they dropped me off any coins with the old dirt

 

[against the wind]

Congrats on an almost legible LC.
They're not all that common in a modern use field.