Gold Coins Are There!

[Michigan Badger]

Okay, now that I got you here Allow me to share an insane idea that just came to me.

We all say it's nearly impossible to find a gold coin today due to how valuable it was in it's day and the low mintage, right?

I was just getting ready to go downstairs to check on MY 1833 Half cent I found (it's soaking in olive oil) and I got like this flash of intermission. I wondered what the mintage of that coin actually was so I looked it up. I was surprised to learn there were only 103,000 made! Just think of that--in a day when everyone was crying for coinage they had only 103 thou?

Now stay with me in this!

I've also noticed that I'm not the only THer to find these types of coins. I've seen several posts even on this forum of 1833 halfs in very nice condition (mine is VF) and other such types.

NOW...I got to wondering what the mintage was for one of the more common gold dollars. I just at random picked the 1$ 1853 Coronet and it's mintage was 4,076,051.

They minted nearly 40 times more gold dollars than 1833 half cents!

This is where I started to think---ah! If I'm seeing THers digging plenty of coins that had such low mintages--well, maybe it could just be the gold is out there!

Maybe our problem is depth and too high of discrimination?

In all my years of detecting I've only heard of 1 gold dollar being found outside of a jewelry application. I've heard of a hundred $5 pieces.

Okay, you can call me stupid if you want to but I think there are more gold coins out there than most think today.

Conclusion: Have you ever owned a $1 US gold coin? Those little pot-lickers can slip through the fingers like nothing you ever saw. They're heavy for there size and supper easy to drop

 

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[Kentucky Kache]

It's my guess that most of them are still hidden away. I would think that there was more gold hidden than lost from pockets. It's my job to find them.

 

[Jeffro]

I would guess that most aren't picked up, as they'll sound like trash. Good reminder to dig any and all signals when in an old site, thanks!

 

[bk]

I have to agree with you on this one Badger. I found only one using a detector that had no discrimination. ( Back in 1978).
I know that I walked right over one a few years ago. It was an 1880 $5 Liberty under a sidewalk. A buddy of mine found it where I had already searched. It may have been discriminated out or just too deep for my detector to pick up. I had my detector set to accept nickels, and found several shield nickels in that area.

 

[Burdie]

I have to agree the discrimination is probably the culprit. I also wonder if the tone is as solid as silver.
Burdie

 

[bk]

Thats a secret.

 

[bk]

I have to agree with you on this one Badger. I found only one using a detector that had no discrimination. ( Back in 1978).
I know that I walked right over one a few years ago. It was an 1880 $5 Liberty under a sidewalk. A buddy of mine found it where I had already searched. It may have been discriminated out or just too deep for my detector to pick up. I had my detector set to accept nickels, and found several shield nickels in that area.

I give up.? How does one remove a coin from under a sidewalk?

Cyn

Okay, I shouldn't tease. The coin was under a sidewalk after they removed the cement. There is usually a lot of sand under the sidewalk to keep frost from heaving it up and down during the winter. Below the sand layer is the original black dirt. This location also had a board sidewalk. It was in front of an old opera house.

 

[Michigan Badger]

I got inspired by Free on this one. That sidewalk thing is no joke..HOT!? Also small paved parking places in between very old stores when they decide to rip them up. That's where they parked their buggies and set up stands 100 years ago (RED HOT!).

 

[EDDE]

good point!!!!!BAGDER ZEB

 

[ZumbroKid]

Dig your trash signals.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Dig your trash signals.

Right! I had to learn that lesson the hard way. I also had to learn to hunt extra slowly.

 

[gregl01]

Hey MB, you prompted me to do some tests last night. On a $5 Am. eagle it came in at the very lowest icon on my ACE250. So with any disc at all, it would not pick it up. Very interesting!!!!! I can't wait for spring now.
Good luck to all!!!
HH
Greg

 

[tallpaul]

never leave your gold, be like a leprechaun always get ya gold, all i can say is when i get gold its a duller sound but possative and read your meter if you have one, ive learnt how to knock out the trash pulltabs and cans and still get the gold,.