My oldest coin yet--1903 British Farthing!

[heepiepow]

And I'm in California!

(if too long a post, sorry, and skip to the pics!) The day started off rough, as one spot I thought might be hot in a park wasn't detectable as a school was having a fun day for about 60 kids. I didn't want to disturb them or give detectorists a bad name. It was a two mile walk (don't have a car) so I figured I'd try to access a park near an airport I'd seen on Google Maps. Half mile later I can spy some good-looking picnic benches, but also spy a sign saying "No Trespassing Restricted Access".

So I walk back out and detect under some random trees and a path, and find a couple neat plastic pins and a few coins. Head back to the first park and the kids are still there, so I see some trees by the sidewalk nearby and get to work. Find about 25 coins including one British one. I can see a king on the back but the front is mostly obscured by pine sap. (Didn't know/don't know if the king instead of QE means it's old).

Finally the kids are gone and I spend a half hour to find a whopping one memorial in the "hot" spot!

Then after getting home and cleaning all the stuff with soap and water, I check out the Brit coin--19xx. Rub a little, and think I see a 6. Rub the top, OMG is that a 0? No, must be a 9! Rub more, OMG 0!!!! Then rub a tad more and see an 8! 1908!!! Then do another washing and it turns into a 3!

So, thanks kids--if you hadn't been having an activity day there I never would've found this awesome coin!

(p.s. it was about at the same depth as a bunch of modern US coins--could it be a modern person/collector/something dropped it not too long ago?)

p.p.s. It looks a LOT better live than in the scans!

 

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[Shark27]

Sweet Find! Way to go fellow CA hunter!

Shark27

 

[Woodland Detectors]

That's awesome....Congratulations

 

[heepiepow]

Sweet Find! Way to go fellow CA hunter!

Shark27

Thanks! Yeah, sunshine and old Brit coins, what more could we ask for!

That's awesome....Congratulations

Thanks! It was such a wonderful shock from a long, slightly frustrating day

 

[g-olden years]

Cool coin, that old farthing! Especially as you found it at a location you hadn't planned to detect. Seems like often t-net folks find their best stuff when circumstances force them to alter their plans! My web research shows that the Edward VII farthings were minted for only 9 years, 1902-1910 and are made of bronze. A farthing was worth one-fourth of a penny. They were never minted after 1956 and no longer legal tender after 1960.

Someday I gotta catch up to you on old coins. My oldest so far is the 1940 nickel I found in the field we detected together. As for wheaties, mercs, Buffalo nickels and silver quarters, if I'd saved some from my school lunch money in the 40's and 50's, I could be staring at them now. lol. Onward, ever onward! HH Yo Mama Andi

 

[High Plains Digger]

I found a 1917 Italian coin once, and was totally surprised, like you.


I did save some of my lunch money, but from the 50's and 60's. I can't believe what I used to receive in change: 1917S Buff, ef cond. and lots of other buffs. All kinds of dated SLQ, and pennies back to the teens. And steels. When I was 5, I remember having a bank where many of the pennies were "grey pennys". Don't know why I kept them, but I did. What I never saw was indian, or barbers. Just weren't in circ. In fact, I asked my father (b.1930) if he remembers any of those. He said maybe an indian head, but no barbers. Interesting.