Is this a good one?

[fyrffytr1]

Three of us hit a site today that has given up several coins from the early 1800s but that wasn't the case this hunt. I was fortunate to find a barely discernible shield nickle at one field. But, the first field we hit gave me a first. I started off by digging a 69 cal. round ball and then about 30' away I got a high 80s signal on my DFX that broke up a little and I almost passed it up as trash. I'm glad I dug it because it turned out to be my oldest coin. It's a 1775 or 6 Georgius III Rex. It has a harp on the back with the word Hibernia around the edge.There is an old scratch through the last digit and it looks like a 5 in some of the pictures but, when I look at t through my magnifier it looks more like a 6. The bottom loop appears to be closed. What can Y'all tell me about it. Here are some pics of it as I found it. I will post a second reply with more pics.
.

 

[fyrffytr1]

We got rained out about 1:30 today but we will be back tomorrow to see if anything else pops up. The last two pictures are after a light cleaning with tap water and a toothbrush folowed by a very light coat of olive oil.

 

[rock]

wow I was expecting a arrowhead. I didnt know those old coins were around here in GA. Nice finds

 

[Tired Rooster]

That is an awesome find! Georgia being one of the original colonies has plenty of really OLD goodies in the ground. Great hunt....

 

[wayfas4u]

I will always remember this day forever! I am so glad I got to witness your Outstanding find! You kicked butt today! Congrats my friend!

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Ireland half penny, and def. 1775 as none were made in 1776.
Pretty good shape for a dug copper.

 

[GaRebel1861]

What a great find! You don't see one of those pop up here in Southwest Georgia everyday. I would think that they would be only found only along the East Coast. But not today. Oldest coin I've seen or heard of being found in our county.

I hunt with fyrffytr1 regularly and today was his day!

Side note: I got skunked with nothing.............Not even a musket ball. But.... We are heading back there tomorrow morning. I doubt I can top that coin. Great find my friend!

 

[dig kzoo]

A good find for sure, the only bad find is a ring.......with the finger still in it! HH

 

[g-olden years]

CONGRATS ON YOUR SUPER COIN! Andi

 

[detectahead]

That's a goooood one! Congrats!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fletch88]

Nice finds! WTG!

 

[treblehunter]

That old coin came out of the ground in GREAT shape. That is a very cool find in my book! Congrats!

 

[treblehunter]

Check out this link.

George III Halfpenny 1775 - Copper Proof

 

[rock]

Sounds like a rare coin.

 

[dasabighole]

Yawl dont Quit posting these finds, I'm moovin back to JAWJA! I would expect this coin around Savannah or the coast but what a find for S W GA.!!!!!!!

 

[Mach1Pilot]

Those are always a welcome sight in the hole - Very nice find!

 

[fyrffytr1]

Ireland half penny, and def. 1775 as none were made in 1776.
Pretty good shape for a dug copper.

Rick,
I am getting more and more confused about this coin. I found this on the web:

In 1766, six year after coming to the English throne, George III produced an issue of copper halfpennies for Ireland (illustrated). These coins are similar in design to those of George II. The farthing denomination was not struck. The issue was continued in 1769 and second issue the same year with some modifications to the bust of the monarch was also produced. The design was modified again in 1774 and coins were issued dated 1774, 1775, 1776, 1781 and finally in 1782.
A number of proofs exist of these coins the commonest of which are of the 1775 (illustrated) and 1782 dates.
The size of the issue of these halfpennies was not sufficiently large to provide change for the Irish economy during the latter years of the issue and subsequently a large number of contemporary copies were made in Ireland.
The standard of workmanship in the contemporary forgeries varies greatly; some specimens being as well made as the official Royal Mint pieces and others being very poorly executed and obviously much lighter and thinner.
The act of forging regal coinage carried a severe penalty so the forgeries began to carry a number of legends other than the regal one. Some spurious legends are biblical and others are simply jumbled letters. The reverse legend HIBERNIA is similarly altered on some specimens.
A number of these forgeries made their way to America and they are included in the colonial series. As is the way with such things the Irish forged coppers with US attributable legends such as 'George President' or 'George Washington' (instead of 'Georguis III Rex') are much more sought after than the coins with Irish or English references in their legends despite being no more scarce.
By the end of the 1780's the need for small change became desperate both in Ireland and England as King George III had become mad and was unable to sign any coinage acts. The regal prerogative over the right to mint coin having been carefully guarded by the monarchy while other trappings of power devolved to Parliament. This resulted in an extensive series of copper tokens being issued in this period and up until about 1804 though the later pieces are often dated before 1794 to avoid the more severe penalties to restrict tokens introduced in that year. The tokens of this period will be covered in: Irish Tokens (1200 to 1858)

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Nice find! Congrats!

 

[CoilyGirl]

That's a nice one and good luck today! interesting read fyrffty,I hope you get a definitive answer on your coin.

 

[Bramblefind]

Awesome find! In my opinion it is a 1775. But there are some 1776s out there. Rick is correct as well in a way --- the year 1776 does show up in some publications as a year of production but many collectors think this is in error and all Irish halfpennies dated 1776 are contemporary counterfeits and no regal issues were produced that year.

The 1776 dated coins are quite scarce and 1775s are much more common. But either one is a super find and yours is a beauty. Congrats!

And I am still open to it being a 1776 if you can get clear magnified photos of the 5/6 digit but right now I would say 1775.

Rick,
I am getting more and more confused about this coin. I found this on the web:

In 1766, six year after coming to the English throne, George III produced an issue of copper halfpennies for Ireland (illustrated). These coins are similar in design to those of George II. The farthing denomination was not struck. The issue was continued in 1769 and second issue the same year with some modifications to the bust of the monarch was also produced. The design was modified again in 1774 and coins were issued dated 1774, 1775, 1776, 1781 and finally in 1782.
A number of proofs exist of these coins the commonest of which are of the 1775 (illustrated) and 1782 dates.
The size of the issue of these halfpennies was not sufficiently large to provide change for the Irish economy during the latter years of the issue and subsequently a large number of contemporary copies were made in Ireland.
The standard of workmanship in the contemporary forgeries varies greatly; some specimens being as well made as the official Royal Mint pieces and others being very poorly executed and obviously much lighter and thinner.
The act of forging regal coinage carried a severe penalty so the forgeries began to carry a number of legends other than the regal one. Some spurious legends are biblical and others are simply jumbled letters. The reverse legend HIBERNIA is similarly altered on some specimens.
A number of these forgeries made their way to America and they are included in the colonial series. As is the way with such things the Irish forged coppers with US attributable legends such as 'George President' or 'George Washington' (instead of 'Georguis III Rex') are much more sought after than the coins with Irish or English references in their legends despite being no more scarce.
By the end of the 1780's the need for small change became desperate both in Ireland and England as King George III had become mad and was unable to sign any coinage acts. The regal prerogative over the right to mint coin having been carefully guarded by the monarchy while other trappings of power devolved to Parliament. This resulted in an extensive series of copper tokens being issued in this period and up until about 1804 though the later pieces are often dated before 1794 to avoid the more severe penalties to restrict tokens introduced in that year. The tokens of this period will be covered in: Irish Tokens (1200 to 1858)