🥇 BANNER Lightning Strikes in the Lowcountry - Colonial Gold

Patriot Relics

Silver Member
Feb 6, 2014
3,708
5,567
Lowcountry, South Carolina / Richmond, Virginia
🥇 Banner finds
5
Detector(s) used
CTX-3030, Deus XP II
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I have been metal detecting since 2013. This hobby can be an addicting one that presents ever increasing challenges to find new permissions as well the never ending pursuit of topping your last “best find”. While some chase the latest tech or shell out money for paid hunts, ultimately the only thing that matters is time spent swinging the coil. For any detectorist, finding a gold coin is a top dream…but for me my interests reside in early American colonial sites. While I would be thrilled to recovered a 19th century gold, I’ve always dreamed of finding a colonial gold coin.

While I have spent far more time swinging the CTX3030 on the coast due to its stability on the salt flat, the machine’s biggest drawback is portability. Now that the Deus 2 can handle salt water, its compact nature allows me to drag it along on trips with ease. Given I had a long layover scheduled in Charotte, I knew the timing was right to sneak back to the lowcountry for some dirt therapy. First stop was a tried and true permission that has been beaten to death over the years by my hunting buddies and I, but still yields a good 1812 or Civil War button now and then. I ran the machine in stock beach as I perfer the 24hz over 40hz max frequency to avoid small foil and lead with the 13x11 coil. A few tweaks to reactiveity and I was off swinging. First decent target rang up as a 55, nice little 1812 era US pewter cuff.

With the pressure of a skunked hunt off, I continued along bank until an crisp 83 stopped me in my tracks. My inital thought was musketball as 75 caliber’s ring in pretty consistantly 82-83 in these conditions. Not thinking much of it, I reached down, dug the plug and noticed an unfamiliar color peeking out from the pluff.

Just dug 6400R back.jpg
Just dug 6400R front.jpg


What followed was complete shock and disbelief. Staring back was a 1774 6400 Reis (4 Escudos equivilant) minted in Brazil in 1774 by the Portuguese. I steadied myself as to avoid scratching the surface and carefully rinsed away the sand and mud.

Front.jpg
Back.jpg


Over 10 years digging all matter of trash and countless hours spent researching and swinging culminating in one increadible find. This coin was minted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and predates the declaration of independence by 2 years. After 250 years in the ground, it still retains much of its original gold luster. Hard to imagine losing such a large and valuble coin as an early American colonist. As with anything in life, detecting has its highs and lows and I will be riding this high for a while. Now to set my sights on a new recovery goal…but what is better than an 18th century gold coin?

Happy hunting

www.patriotrelics.com
 

Last edited:
Upvote 143

UnderMiner

Silver Member
Jul 27, 2014
3,782
9,639
New York City
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Minelab Excalibur II, Ace 250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Amazing! The golden image of King Joseph I of Portugal looks just as regal now as it did 250 years ago! Whoever lost that must have been mighty upset! Maybe it's part of a pirate's plunder!
 

JohnnyMac

Bronze Member
Mar 30, 2012
1,316
1,724
South Jersey
Detector(s) used
Nox,,Whites Eagle Spectrum,Whites Coinmaster 6000 DI Pro
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I have been metal detecting since 2013. This hobby can be an addicting one that presents ever increasing challenges to find new permissions as well the never ending pursuit of topping your last “best find”. While some chase the latest tech or shell out money for paid hunts, ultimately the only thing that matters is time spent swinging the coil. For any detectorist, finding a gold coin is a top dream…but for me my interests reside in early American colonial sites. While I would be thrilled to recovered a 19th century gold, I’ve always dreamed of finding a colonial gold coin.

While I have spent far more time swinging the CTX3030 on the coast due to its stability on the salt flat, the machine’s biggest drawback is portability. Now that the Deus 2 can handle salt water, its compact nature allows me to drag it along on trips with ease. Given I had a long layover scheduled in Charotte, I knew the timing was right to sneak back to the lowcountry for some dirt therapy. First stop was a tried and true permission that has been beaten to death over the years by my hunting buddies and I, but still yields a good 1812 or Civil War button now and then. I ran the machine in stock beach as I perfer the 24hz over 40hz max frequency to avoid small foil and lead with the 13x11 coil. A few tweaks to reactiveity and I was off swinging. First decent target rang up as a 55, nice little 1812 era US pewter cuff.

With the pressure of a skunked hunt off, I continued along bank until an crisp 83 stopped me in my tracks. My inital thought was musketball as 75 caliber’s ring in pretty consistantly 82-83 in these conditions. Not thinking much of it, I reached down, dug the plug and noticed an unfamily color peeking out from the pluff.

View attachment 2138392 View attachment 2138393

What followed was complete shock and disbelief. Staring back was a 1774 6400 Reis (4 Escudos equivilant) minted in Brazil in 1774 by the Portuguese. I steadied myself as to avoid scraching the surface and carefully rinsed away the sand and mud.

View attachment 2138394 View attachment 2138396

Over 10 years digging all matter of trash and countless hours spent researching and swinging cultimating in one increadible find. This coin was minted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and predates the declaration of independence by 2 years. After 250 years in the ground, it still retains much of its original gold luster. Hard to imagine losing such a large and valuble coin as an early American colonist. As with anything in life, detecting has its highs and lows and I will be riding this high for a while. Now to set my sights on a new recovery goal…but what is better than an 18th century gold coin?

Happy hunting

www.patriotrelics.com
Wow. Find of a lifetime! Easy banner vote from me. Congrats!
 

Calabash Digger

Gold Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,300
11,756
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
XP DEUS II ,XP DEUS, EQUINOX 800, EXCALIBUR II,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have been metal detecting since 2013. This hobby can be an addicting one that presents ever increasing challenges to find new permissions as well the never ending pursuit of topping your last “best find”. While some chase the latest tech or shell out money for paid hunts, ultimately the only thing that matters is time spent swinging the coil. For any detectorist, finding a gold coin is a top dream…but for me my interests reside in early American colonial sites. While I would be thrilled to recovered a 19th century gold, I’ve always dreamed of finding a colonial gold coin.

While I have spent far more time swinging the CTX3030 on the coast due to its stability on the salt flat, the machine’s biggest drawback is portability. Now that the Deus 2 can handle salt water, its compact nature allows me to drag it along on trips with ease. Given I had a long layover scheduled in Charotte, I knew the timing was right to sneak back to the lowcountry for some dirt therapy. First stop was a tried and true permission that has been beaten to death over the years by my hunting buddies and I, but still yields a good 1812 or Civil War button now and then. I ran the machine in stock beach as I perfer the 24hz over 40hz max frequency to avoid small foil and lead with the 13x11 coil. A few tweaks to reactiveity and I was off swinging. First decent target rang up as a 55, nice little 1812 era US pewter cuff.

With the pressure of a skunked hunt off, I continued along bank until an crisp 83 stopped me in my tracks. My inital thought was musketball as 75 caliber’s ring in pretty consistantly 82-83 in these conditions. Not thinking much of it, I reached down, dug the plug and noticed an unfamily color peeking out from the pluff.

View attachment 2138392 View attachment 2138393

What followed was complete shock and disbelief. Staring back was a 1774 6400 Reis (4 Escudos equivilant) minted in Brazil in 1774 by the Portuguese. I steadied myself as to avoid scraching the surface and carefully rinsed away the sand and mud.

View attachment 2138394 View attachment 2138396

Over 10 years digging all matter of trash and countless hours spent researching and swinging cultimating in one increadible find. This coin was minted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and predates the declaration of independence by 2 years. After 250 years in the ground, it still retains much of its original gold luster. Hard to imagine losing such a large and valuble coin as an early American colonist. As with anything in life, detecting has its highs and lows and I will be riding this high for a while. Now to set my sights on a new recovery goal…but what is better than an 18th century gold coin?

Happy hunting

www.patriotrelics.com
Congrats! Thats the one I have been looking for!
 

CRUSADER

Gold Member
May 25, 2007
40,862
45,463
ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
27
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II v0.6 with 11" Coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Honestly had no idea where that coin had come from, never seen one. Big congrats its a lovely coin & a great find.
I have one question why do you think it has been lost ''250 years in the ground''? Not much wear on it, so its an option but near impossible to prove.
 

cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,223
14,551
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
OP
OP
Patriot Relics

Patriot Relics

Silver Member
Feb 6, 2014
3,708
5,567
Lowcountry, South Carolina / Richmond, Virginia
🥇 Banner finds
5
Detector(s) used
CTX-3030, Deus XP II
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Honestly had no idea where that coin had come from, never seen one. Big congrats its a lovely coin & a great find.
I have one question why do you think it has been lost ''250 years in the ground''? Not much wear on it, so its an option but near impossible to prove.
Math 2024-1774=250 :laughing7: In all seriousness its pure spectulation on my part Cru based on the depth it was recovered in the pluff mud and the adjecent relics from the site. Magic of the mud, anything trapped (including pewter military buttons which are my primary target) generally look great. Obviously no way on knowing for sure when a coin was lost. Cheers
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top