🥇 BANNER Revolutionary War "Penobscot Expedition " gold coin found

[Castineman1779]

Hey folks my last post on here was way back in 2013 and sorry 4 being AWOL here. Life happens. Anyway I am in my 23rd year of relic hunting my REv WAr site here in Maine . U may remember me for posting a silver shoe buckle frame I found on the beach that once belonged to Cpt John Hinkley . On the 16th of May was working a hot spot that has produced much American ordnance . Google 'Trask Rock" for a 8 minute video of history in Castine , Maine. Had a great day with finding 4 large grape shot. Spent 5 hours on the hunt and happy with the results. Just dug a pull tab some other THer had left behind and said maybe dig one more target and cal it a day. Deus rang up a 81-82 which usually is a pull tab or shotgun shell. I guess "Shock & Awe" best describes my feelings once I spotted a large bright yellow coin in my discharge dirt. Full guinea .Here u go and may this happen to you. I will answer all questions to as to why I believe lost by a British officer under fire. Enjoy . Gary

 

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[Javadroid]

Coin? Nay, that's treasure mate - congrats!

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Outstanding find, congrats!

 

[Castineman1779]

Crusader thanks for your comments and questions. Do u by chance work for Scotland Yard ? LOL .Yes indeed I did take pics only after picking it up off that dirt pile. . A good eye but don't think a finger print on it and yes as stated and wrote here when I answered in Telphans 2 questions and tried to paint a mental picture of the find for all of u to enjoy. Re written here. " So I dig a wide hole and throw up dirt in a pile." " Look into the hole and nothing." Then I catch the glint of something yellow sitting flat in the discharge dirt." "Maybe a gold coin? " Then some expletives I can't write here but u can imagine . "I picked up the coin and felt the heaviness of gold and gently cleaned it off." Then i took out my camera in my backpack and put the coin back on the pile to document the find. I think in my excitement of that moment could not resist holding this history in my hand. BTW the first 3 pics to include the one where the coin is sitting on top of the 4 grape shot is on site. I brought home soil from that hole and lightly cleaned the coin with water only then placed the coin obverse and reverse in the soil. Took some good pics. . So I will be the only witness where my eyes only saw the glint of gold sitting in and on that historic dirt the afternoon of 16 May 2019, at about 1400 hours. . . So yes the first two pics are for affect on site . However I do know on TN there has been those that misrepresent themselves and their finds. So to put any questions to rest about this find for the record know that the story is real, coin is real, the location and battle is real and I am real. Again thank u all for your kind words and yes I will be happy to return there and dig the rest of those pesky pull tabs. However most likely it was a single coin loss. It will remain in the soil found in for display so it feels at home with me. It will some day be donated to the Wilson Museum in Castine , Maine along with Cpt Hinkley's silver shoe buckle frame plus other relics from this battle/ siege and be home again. Keep swinging that coil my friends and making your own history and tell us about it. If interested in my last article for WE&T let me know and more than happy to post.. Gary

 

[smokeythecat]

IMAUDIGGER has some good points. Your coin looks about uncirculated. She sure is pretty!

 

[1637]

so how big is that coin,looks big,silver dollar size ?what does it weight?cool coin
brad

 

[digging440yrs]

 

[trooper424]

Speechless!!!!!!! Congrats!!!!!!!

 

[Dave N Japan]

Looking Good" I have been AWOL too....Hope to make more post" Great find" 🙉👍

 

[Wrecka]

I gave a banner vote

 

[PetesPockets55]

Congratulations on an exciting find.

And banner for the find, interesting history you provided, as well as the way you have it displayed and your plans for the future.

 

[Megalodon]

Great find! Thanks for sharing pics and the Rev. War history surrounding it. Banner all day long...

 

[Megalodon]

As stated in this link, it is unlikely that a common foot soldier would have had a guinea in his possession and not likely that such a large denomination would have been used to pay soldiers.

Revolutionary War - Eight Pence Pay

Have you found out how much officers were paid and if they were paid in gold guineas? I'm thinking this might have come across the ocean with a well-heeled officer as part of his personal possessions. Had it become common knowledge that officers carried such sums, would it have increased the likelihood that their bodies would have been checked for valuables after falling on the battlefield? My understanding is that it was a common practice for townsfolk in Europe to loot the bodies of fallen soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars and other conflicts. But I have not heard of this in the US - except for shipwreck breakers.

 

[Ahab8]

Well well well....that’s quite the reintroduction old friend. What a gorgeous piece of history and knowing the history of where it came from puts it on the top shelf. Obvious BANNER. I will be sending you an email today.

 

[Castineman1779]

Gold guinea

Well morning my old friend. I hope life is treating u and your family well and expect being a young un still swinging that coil. Yup after hunting this site for 23 years now was a "Shock & Awe" moment for me and expect never be duplicated. I was on the search for the other half of an American hex 6 lb bar shot when i got the signal. Hell one coin is enough I am not greedy . My thoughts after I found it was it indeed worthy of mention in Tnet and appreciate all the good folks chiming in . Have answered a few questions and expect will be more. Coin looks as minted and being found in the ground environmental damage with a few light scratches and some minor rim damage about 2 O Clock on the reverse. Expect it got stepped on by a soldier to leave the marks on the retreat. Would downgrade to About Uncirculated . Measures 25 mm and same as a U.S quarter, 4.8 grams of 22 Kt gold. I will put up a pic here for comparison. On my way down for a rain hunt and hope to hear from u soon. Stay well my friend. Gary

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Incredible piece of history/treasure/top of bucket list find! Congrats!!

 

[smokeythecat]

Mine from the Faithful Steward shipwreck is almost as clean. All but 1 of the gold coins I have found look just like they were put in the ground. British officers were paid in guineas, which is the coin you have found. But in over 50 years of looking I have only found one guinea and one 2 escudo! Again, great job. And yes, only an officer would have this, unless it had been stolen of course way back in the day.

 

[xcopperstax]

This coin is stupendously superb! The fact that you have been hunting that spot for 23 years means you paid your dues and then some to find that! Great condition and a great story around it. I did read your article about the shoe buckle. Huge congrats on the achievement!

 

[Reanm8er]

Bravo Gary, Bravo! You suggested Crusader might be Scotland Yard, the quality of your posts suggests you might be National Geographic!

I know the Brittish had an aversion for sending hard currency to America, and sent script, copper and silver instead of gold. Perhaps the military was exempt from that. I've read that explorers and soldiers of fortune carried objects that might help secure assistance if they were lost or abandoned on the battlefield. It could also be that the owner pressed it into the soil knowing he'd never need it and to keep it out of colonial hands. Many of the soldiers that fought for the colonies were French and Indian war vets. They often scalped their victims so, that being said, the pockets got searched also.

Perhaps the owner had been reposted from somewhere like Canada or was a newly minted Lieutenant that hadn't been in theater very long. I had a GGG Grandfather that took a load of grapeshot full on at Gettysburg in Pickett's charge. It cut him right in half and was so gruesome they wrote about in the company record. I would think that innards, fabric and accoutrements went everywhere.

This is a wonderful find and definitely BANNER worthy! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Rubka888]

Holy crap! That is unbelievable! Banner all the freaking way!

 

[Eastcoasthunter21]

Holy s%#^ man amazing banner find for sure
My votes in. Congratulations on a killer find !!