I just captured the Chief of the Indians...1909 S IHC WOW!!

[The Urban Prospector]

So I couldn't take it anymore and decided to brave the cold and the rain. Grabbed the chest waders, shoulder length gloves, AT Pro, the Stealth 720i and headed out to an old logging camp swim area. If you read my threads, this is the same area that has given up some very nice and very old (for my area) items such as the HK 10k signet ring, the old large sterling crucifix, various wheats, old tax tokens, etc. Well when I dug this penny it made my day and my hunt. I had no idea that it is the rarest of all the Indians until I got home and looked it up. Just over 300,000 were minted...HOLY SMOKES! I could not believe it. This is only the second IHC I have ever found since starting metal detecting 2 years ago. Along with this amazing coin I managed to also find a small sterling heart and chain, some old brass buckles and some bullets before the cold got to me and I had to head out. About 3 hours hunting. Not pictured is the clad and trash.

FYI, the IHC was about 8" under the sand sitting right on top of the clay layer in about 4' of water. I have not cleaned it. I am unsure what the silver colored material is on it.

Take care and happy hunting!

 

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[DFW_THer]

First off, great dig! But you also "dug up" a bad memory I'd like to forget. Back in 1999, I too dug up a 1909-S Indian cent (in upstate NY). The only problem was that the back of the coin was covered with a thick, green-black layer of oxidation. It was much more corroded than the typical Indian cent I dug around there. The mint mark was plainly there in exactly the right spot, but it had an awfully thick layer of grime covering it. I had cleaned thick gunk off many Indian cents with the tip of a pocket knife and had great success, so I set to work on this one. Too bad that the entire "S" mint mark flaked off with the first scrape of the knife, and it went right down the drain of the kitchen sink!

I could not believe my misfortune. The local detectorists spent the next few weeks in the coin shop debating whether it was just so corroded that the mint mark was no longer made of metal, or if it was actually a fake one with an added mint mark, which had somehow been lost out in the woods. Either way, it turned into a "big one that got away" story. Ironically, I am recalling this horror story from a hotel room in San Francisco as we speak. I'm sure there's a 1909-S Indian buried under this hotel, and it's probably laughing at me.

This is both hilarious and unfortunate. Good story.

 

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[DFW_THer]

09S indian is on my wishlist so hard!! Right there with the 09SVDB. One day I'll have knocked them both off!

Great dig. Very rare US dig, and probably more worthy of the banner than a lot of items..

 

[The Urban Prospector]

First off, great dig! But you also "dug up" a bad memory I'd like to forget. Back in 1999, I too dug up a 1909-S Indian cent (in upstate NY). The only problem was that the back of the coin was covered with a thick, green-black layer of oxidation. It was much more corroded than the typical Indian cent I dug around there. The mint mark was plainly there in exactly the right spot, but it had an awfully thick layer of grime covering it. I had cleaned thick gunk off many Indian cents with the tip of a pocket knife and had great success, so I set to work on this one. Too bad that the entire "S" mint mark flaked off with the first scrape of the knife, and it went right down the drain of the kitchen sink!

I could not believe my misfortune. The local detectorists spent the next few weeks in the coin shop debating whether it was just so corroded that the mint mark was no longer made of metal, or if it was actually a fake one with an added mint mark, which had somehow been lost out in the woods. Either way, it turned into a "big one that got away" story. Ironically, I am recalling this horror story from a hotel room in San Francisco as we speak. I'm sure there's a 1909-S Indian buried under this hotel, and it's probably laughing at me.

Ouch...
Yeah, I stopped at a coin dealer today to get some flips and he suggested I consider cleaning it....not a chance. I am toying with the idea of sending it in to get it graded and slabbed but not sure.

 

[thrifty76now]

A great find indeed on your 1909s I.H.