Oak Tree Two Pence!!!

[Diggin Dude]

Been working a permission with cool colonial finds, coppers, buckles, etc .... Finally found my first half Reale, that celebration was short lived. Awhile later I dug a small coin out... I hunt in England so it reminded me of a hammered but here in New York? Sure enough after carefully dousing it with water the details came out. I had no idea what it was so I texted pics to my friends who helped identify it while I was still in the field, an Oak Tree Two Pence with date 1662. just incredible, I am humbled.

Photo with my first half Reale and Merc for size reference. I will get it slabbed. Thanks for looking.

 

[unclemac]

that's true. "environmental damage...ungradable" ... however if you plan to sell it, it is good to have them ID it as real. I never buy a high price coin without reputable ID.

 

[Digger RJ]

Silver Tree Chaser sorry to hear about Your bad experience. Thank You for the heads up. You'd think they'd value what they claim to be & do a lot more than that. Happy Hunting!!!!

 

[Blak bart]

Oh wow...that is such a great honor to dig up !! Congrats on some serious American history !!

 

[Diggin Dude]

A huge congratulations for finding an Oak Tree two-pence coin. In New England, Mass Silver coins are simply the best find that you can reasonably hope to find. The memories of digging up that coin are probably burned into your memory, and you will still enjoy recalling it all years from now. Banner vote.

My only suggestion is that you may wish to reconsider the expense and effort of sending the coin out to be be slabbed. I don't recommend it for most dug coins. I went though the process with my Oak Tree shilling (my avatar), and NGC sent it back as a no-grade. I had anticipated this and asked that they provide a details grade, but they disregarded my instructions; consequently, I had to ship it to them twice! I finally got it slabbed with corrosion remarks plus damage, and far worst, they identified the coin by the wrong variety. In the end, I spent $100 for questionable detail comments and an incorrect ID on the variety from the "so-called" experts. The coin is a Spiny Tree variety, one of the most easiest ID's of all Mass Silver varieties, yet they screwed it up. Also consider that slabs don't hold up well to handling (they scour), and photos are difficult as well. I busted my coin out of the lab for photos in a news article last month, and I don't regret it at all. I only regret having the coin slabbed in the first place. Anyway, that's my two-pence... I mean two cents on the subject. Awesome Find!

“Anyway, that's my two-pence... I mean two cents on the subject.” I like that!!

Thank you so much for the kind words, the banner vote, in your opinion on slabbed dug coins. I have not had any coins slabs yet. All my dug coins including this one if submitted would come back saying environmental damage which to me would be a waste of money. But, it’s not just the money, it would just bothering me. I have to really think about it before I do it. I haven’t sold anything I’ve ever found Metal Detecting and I don’t plan on selling this. But, with that said after my passing it would help my family be able to sell a few of the more expensive items I found a Metal Detecting especially the coins if they were certified and slabbed.

Congratulations on your Pine tree it really looks awesome!

 

[Diggin Dude]

Silver Tree Chaser sorry to hear about Your bad experience. Thank You for the heads up. You'd think they'd value what they claim to be & do a lot more than that. Happy Hunting!!!!

I know another person who had trouble with certifying his Pine tree, a company out in California. I don’t wanna name them by name. They didn’t know what they were doing and couldn’t certified correctly. He then went with the company in Florida. HH

 

[Diggin Dude]

that's true. "environmental damage...ungradable" ... however if you plan to sell it, it is good to have them ID it as real. I never buy a high price coin without reputable ID.

I have to look at the options, I would like to just have it certified as genuine. Not graded.

 

[Digger RJ]

Still an incredible find!!!

 

[pepperj]

Wow what a recovery and hunt! Congrats on the finds and the 2 Pence should be up on the Banner.

What a great hunt you had and totally understandable about keeping the cards close to the chest about posting up finds for the competition to gleam in your area.
Many years ago a member on another forum just quit posting as folks would see him at a park/then look at the post up/and it was flies on a paddy the next day.

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

holy cow, super save. wtg

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

when a reale comes in second fiddle, that's a great hunt..........

 

[Tnmountains]

Where ever you hunt or what ever you hunt it is the pinnacle when you have reached as far as possible back in time and plucked that one item that is truly treasure. Congrats on a great hunt.

 

[Diggin Dude]

Wow what a recovery and hunt! Congrats on the finds and the 2 Pence should be up on the Banner.

What a great hunt you had and totally understandable about keeping the cards close to the chest about posting up finds for the competition to gleam in your area.
Many years ago a member on another forum just quit posting as folks would see him at a park/then look at the post up/and it was flies on a paddy the next day.

Exactly your last sentence I love to share finds but must be choosy. Again, at least this one was not found anywhere near where I live. I am so fortunate this year. I also found and posted a 1805 Draped Bust Half dime this year that I had no problem posting because it was at a club hunt on a colonial farm, so it was a very public find. It was a incredible spot that so many colonial era coppers and silvers came out of the ground over the years. I must admit it's a shame that either find hasn't made it to that special place, I guess I don't post enough. Here is the link to half dime post:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/652297-rare-early-american-half-dime.html

Thanks for your super reply!!

 

[Diggin Dude]

when a reale comes in second fiddle, that's a great hunt..........

I know!!! For the longest time 1700's Spanish silver was my white whale..... I've watched so many friends find them around me then finally last year I found my first a 1797 2 Reale! Now I've been wanting to find a half Reale, and I did last Friday! That celebration was short lived, about 20 mins or so, then I found the "mighty oak"

Thanks for reply!

 

[Diggin Dude]

Where ever you hunt or what ever you hunt it is the pinnacle when you have reached as far as possible back in time and plucked that one item that is truly treasure. Congrats on a great hunt.

Thanks for your nice reply!

 

[lenmac65]

Submitted my banner vote too. As a Mass digger, a coin like that is always on my mind when detecting. Congrats!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Congrats on the Oak Tree coin!

 

[Diggin Dude]

Congrats on the Oak Tree coin!

Hi professor... Thanks for the reply, I remember we both found our half eagles in the same year

 

[Diggin Dude]

Submitted my banner vote too. As a Mass digger, a coin like that is always on my mind when detecting. Congrats!

Thank you very much!

 

[pepperj]

Exactly your last sentence I love to share finds but must be choosy. Again, at least this one was not found anywhere near where I live. I am so fortunate this year. I also found and posted a 1805 Draped Bust Half dime this year that I had no problem posting because it was at a club hunt on a colonial farm, so it was a very public find. It was a incredible spot that so many colonial era coppers and silvers came out of the ground over the years. I must admit it's a shame that either find hasn't made it to that special place, I guess I don't post enough. Here is the link to half dime post:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/652297-rare-early-american-half-dime.html

Thanks for your super reply!!

I saw your post up on the club forum-I don't believe we crossed paths in the fields, but certainly probably walked in the same dirt.

 

[Digger RJ]

Still should be a Banner Find!!