Recent colonial coin find

[Bill D. (VA)]

This past Monday I took Evan to a couple of my old sites before he headed back to Oregon after the DIV hunt. This was the first time I'd been out since last spring and since hurting my finger a couple months ago. First we went to the pounded site where I dug around 15 colonial silvers and over 200 buttons last season at what I think was a Rev War era camp. The signals were non-existent as it was 45 minutes before I dug my first hole on a very questionable target. But eventually from 10-12" down I pulled out a large copper, which turned out to be a 1793-96 liberty cap LC. Of course it was in horrible shape with that impossible-to-remove gritty crud. I tried the warm peroxide method but this is about the best I can do. If someone else has a cleaning method please speak up. I'm still very busy after just moving to a new home, but hope to find the time in a few weeks to start checking out some of the 100+ colonial sites I have researched. Can't wait to get back into the swing of things. HH to all.

 

[romeo-1]

I'm afraid that is as clean as that one will get. Pitting and corrosion.

Nice find though!

 

[Kirk PA]

Welcome back in true Colonial style, Bill. That is a definite Liberty Cap large cent. You must hit those Colonial sites with a passion. I am looking forward to some finds from a true Colonial hunter in Virginia.

Kirk

 

[Iron Patch]

Tough isn't it, walking around what was a great site and it being so quiet you start to wish you just had one more day like it was. Pretty lucky to get a coin!

Don't think you can do much for it because it looks like the problem is half pitting-half corrosion and if you were to remove the corrosion it would probably just make it closer 100% pitted. That being said, I have had some luck on very hard crud with repeated hp soaks.

 

[rhedden]

I can make out enough detail in the wreath and fraction on the reverse to make an educated guess that this is either a 1795 or 1796. The wreath style for 1794 is different. I have found only one of these, and it was actually in worse shape than yours, but they sure are exciting to find!

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

It is what I refer to as a "bittersweet" find.

At least you can make out the words "STATES" and see a bust!

Now get back there and dig some more!

 

[DirtDigler]

A few of us have found that soaking old buttons and coins in olive oil for a couple weeks sometimes breaks down the surface crud. Nice find! I am a big colonial fan in VA myself. Maybe I'll cross coils with ya one day.

 

[Steve in PA]

That's a shame about the condition of that coin Bill, but I'm excited just to see you getting out! I guess it took Evan coming from the other side of the continent to do it - LOL

You better get busy though. There are a couple guys posting on this forum who are cleaning up down your way

 

[HISPAN]

interesting old copper coin .... congrats !

 

[underdogger]

Tough isn't it, walking around what was a great site and it being so quiet you start to wish you just had one more day like it was. Pretty lucky to get a coin!

Don't think you can do much for it because it looks like the problem is half pitting-half corrosion and if you were to remove the corrosion it would probably just make it closer 100% pitted. That being said, I have had some luck on very hard crud with repeated hp soaks.

I would have to agree the coin can not get any worse hp boil x 10 helped one i got early this summer Rob