Old coin?

[neuseman]

This is the coin I found the other day. Can anybody tell what it is?

 

[steelheadwill]

i think its silver. found this BArber dime a month ago and its looked like a black penny at first you found a awesome coin even if it isnt silver

Congrats on your first Spanish Silver
keep swingin while you got that 'beginners luck'
It served me well in my first few months
Here's more examples of 'Silver that doesn't look Silver' HH to Ya

 

[Trez]

Hello,
To answer your question as to what it is...I'm fairly sure. NOTE just fairly, judging from pic alone and my poor eye sight
As to you thinking it copper? why do you say so? These reales do have a small amount of copper in them, they will turn the coin greenish against the black oxide of the silver, you may also see a small area that looks copper...but don't assume it is all copper quite yet.

What you have found is a Spanish 4 reales...
Minted in the year 1743
Mint Potosi (Peru-South America)
Assayer C - Jose Carnizer
Value...200.00 to 350.00 Just keep it, they are so hard to come by and by being it your first...PRICELESS.

Congrats...Very nice find.
PS> Keep it original, DO NOT TRY TO CLEAN if you do not know the proper way.

Trez

 

[neuseman]

Thanks Trez for the good news and I will not clean this coin!!!!!!! What is the best way to store this coin safely! This is my first old coin and I will save it for my daughter!

 

[Trez]

I would go back asap.
Work that area again...and again and when you worked it over, work it again after a rain event, work slow. Betcha there's more out there...

Tip - you mentioned black sand? that's a good thing. Take a flat shovel, dig down as straight as you can, I'm guessing you will find another black layer under this black layer then beach sand, the OREO affect...you need to dig down until you see that black layer with virgin beach sand underneath it, there may be a few layers of black sand...that last black layer should be where more will be found. It may be several feet down or just a couple...but should produce.

What what the area it came from? coastal? park? field?

As to storing it, hmmm to clean it or not to clean...that is indeed the question.
For now just mix baking soda into a small glass of water...soak cob in the soda bath...just let it sit...don't brush it or rub something on it...just let it soak for an hour, then remove, rinse with fresh water-distilled water...several times. Then dry it with a blow dryer (set low low low) don't heat it, don't use any cloth etc...then store it dry, away from humidity !!! moisture...

My dad found a 8 reales similar to the way your cobs surface appears...we debated cleaning it...this is what yours may look even after a proper cleaning, some are just best left alone. http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,185219.0/topicseen.html

Enjoy it...

Trez

 

[neuseman]

Tez, I found this coin in a sandy area that was under a tree on an island here in NC very near the outer banks. The sand is kind of a mix with black soil. I will go back and hunt this area over and over and when I get a better detector I will hit it again.

 

[Dwight S]

Tez, I found this coin in a sandy area that was under a tree on an island here in NC very near the outer banks. The sand is kind of a mix with black soil. I will go back and hunt this area over and over and when I get a better detector I will hit it again.

Neuseman, don't wait on the better detector, get back out there and go slooooowly... Grid the area, be sure to overlap every swing. If there is one (And there was) there may be more. Don't give another detectorist an opportunity to find them, just because you think you need a better detector. You found that one with your Ace-250, so you know it works.

KEEP AT IT and oh yeah... CONGRATULATIONS on the great first silver.

 

[neuseman]

Thanks Dwight, I went back today but found only 2.30 cent in clad. My ace 250 has served me well! Ill look some more tomorrow!

 

[Silver Searcher]

In my opinion you should clean this coin, there are a few question marks as wether it is silver or not the whole looks to have been done recent(drilled)
I too have found silver coins that had iron resedue on them, here is one..Saxon sceat, before and after cleaning, the sceat is pictured cleaned with a clipped roman silver

SS

 

[neuseman]

If I clean this coin with baking soda and water and it turns out to be a copper coin will the baking soda affect the copper? If it turns out to be silver will cleaning it hurt the coins value? I would probably never sell it anyway, just curious.

 

[Trez]

If I clean this coin with baking soda and water and it turns out to be a copper coin will the baking soda affect the copper? If it turns out to be silver will cleaning it hurt the coins value? I would probably never sell it anyway, just curious.

Trust me...
The coin is silver...the Spanish mixed copper in with the silver when they produced that coinage...
Please don't use baking soda and water to clean this...not in the condition it is in currently. There is too much silver oxide on the surface...
Maybe you misunderstood my earlier post...you will ruin this coin.
What you have is a fine Spanish cob in its found condition...it will hold more value if you leave it at such.
I have hunted these cobs for years and have found quite a few over my years...some I regret ever cleaning.
Here is the link to one that looks similar in condition as yours...before cleaning, the second picture (cross side) is very close in condition as yours.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,184481.0.html

Trez

 

[neuseman]

Thank you Trez, I will stick with your suggestions and I will not clean the coin! Its Just not worth ruining my first old coin. Thanks for all your help. If I find more of these coins I will ceartnly post them for everyone to look at! HH!!!