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My first silver half dollar

Turtleman

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Joined
Feb 8, 2007
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Location
NW PA
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 and Minelab Explorer II
Hello All,
Today was my first hunt in my second year of detecting (I began last year on January 10). I headed out to a local park here near Los Angeles with the expressed goal of finding multiple silver coins. Well, I failed in my goal but exceeded my expectations, nonetheless.
I started by hitting a tot lot in the park. My first signal of the day was a Sacagewea dollar. I found about $2.60 in the tot lot along with four matchbox cars. Then I moved to a section of the park which had quite a bit of action in the 1930's-50's. I had researched this area using Google Earth and had chosen some paths to search along based on the aerial pictures. I was heading toward a large rock outcropping when I got sidetracked by a small stream. The stream had moved a considerable amount of sand over a dirt road from last weekend's heavy rain in SoCal and I searched the sand and ended up meandering up the stream (about a foot across at most places). Part way up the stream I got a half dollar hit on my Ace 250. Those who have the Ace will probably understand this best but I have had hundreds (maybe thousands) of half dollar and dollar signals on the Ace and until today, never had anything of value to show for it. It usually turns out to be deep iron. Well, this time, about six inches in the ground, in wet sand, right in the water current I pulled a Standing Liberty Half Dollar. It is in bad shape but it is my first big silver so I am happy.
I ended the hunt with $4.04 in clad, four matchbox vehicles, a marble, a bullet and the Silver Half Dollar. You won't be able to see from the pictures but the coin has a clear S mintmark on the back and a faint but clear 8 for the last digit. There is a curve in the next-to-last digit so I am concluding that it is a 1928-S (the only other option, by process of elimination, is a 1918-S). I guess I now have 1 of the 1.9+ million 1928-S half dollars ever made.
I didn't reach my goal today but I guess you could punch four dimes out of the silver in the half dollar so I will consider the day a success for sure.
 
Upvote 0
that walker might be worn, but i would take it! im still looking for my first!
 
WTG on the Big Silver. HH
 
Good job on the big silver ... she may be a little on the rough side but tis a great find ... congratz ~ Jimmy
 
Congrats on finding your first silver half dollar.
 
Outstanding, a great find and I fine piece of story telling too. Keep it up!!!

KirkTN
 
i found a 42 walking liberty half last yrear... i thought my heart stopped... she was a beautiful sight when she popped out of the ground.
 
Looks like it may have been burned.
 
I missed this one turtleman, that's a fantastic coin in any shape. Great going. :)
 
Wow....very nice. I've yet to find one! Sounds like your off to a great start in '08!

HH,
Moon
 
DaChief said:
Looks like it may have been burned.
Hey DaChief,
You might have an insight there. The area this was found in experienced a bad forest fire this past summer. The stream I found it in only runs right after a rain. It only rains here in Jan. and Feb. for the most part. So the coin was probably in bare sand/rocks without water to protect it. The silver could likely have been burnt.
Thanks for the thought.
Turtleman
 
Great Walking Liberty and a nice story to go with it. Keep digging!
 
A silver .50 in any condition is a terrific find...
 
She's absolutely beautiful....Congrats on your first half!! :D

May you find many more...

~Hank 8)
 

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