U.S. coins , which are most desirable ??

[AstralDruid]

Genuine question...

Having never set foot in the land,, but seen countless reports and videos of finds, I have to ask, which US coins are the rarest or most sought after for treasure hunters ?..
There are so many 'nicknames' etc... Can someone make an easy list for us 'other world' folks to get an idea of what is what ?...

Thanks
AD

 

[pepperj]

There's the gold, silver, and coppers.
Gold is rare to dig, silvers are uncommon, coppers are mostly beat.

This is the reality of digging coins.
Even the key date, or early dated silvers will get the "environmental damage" label from the grading companies.
Unless the coppers are an early strike or of colonial era, found in sandy, dry, loamy soils they'll be hardly worth the stabbing fees.

Gold, if not damaged will have value
Silver, Pine tree silvers

 

[AstralDruid]

Thanks for the reply.... I think that is pretty standard sort of across the world.... I meant for example, Barber's, Pennies, Wheaties, Indians, Seated, Walking etc... all that sort of language..

 

[pepperj]

Thanks for the reply.... I think that is pretty standard sort of across the world.... I meant for example, Barber's, Pennies, Wheaties, Indians, Seated, Walking etc... all that sort of language..

You want to know how they got their names?

 

[smokeythecat]

Buy a Red Book of US coins. It will give you all the coins, dates, mintages, etc.

 

[pepperj]

Buy a Red Book of US coins. It will give you all the coins, dates, mintages, etc.

Not easily obtained living where the OP resides.
AMAZON PRIME 🤣

 

[AstralDruid]

I know i can buy a book, or search online.... but I would rather hear it from people who search and find... i mean otherwise what is the point of this forum?? I mean each forum, subsection or thread could be answered with buy a book on Metal detectors, Buy a book on Rocks, Buy a book on the weather !!... I think most posts are easily answered with a quick google... but we are searching for discussion and sharing of knowledge.... Suppose i could buy a book on that !!

 

[pepperj]

I know i can buy a book, or search online.... but I would rather hear it from people who search and find... i mean otherwise what is the point of this forum?? I mean each forum, subsection or thread could be answered with buy a book on Metal detectors, Buy a book on Rocks, Buy a book on the weather !!... I think most posts are easily answered with a quick google... but we are searching for discussion and sharing of knowledge.... Suppose i could buy a book on that !!

You have a very valid point.

We might be inclined to just Google something, but in this day and age of rewritten history, can we be assured what is in the AI algorithm actually true.

 

[TORRERO]

So... I think he is wondering which coins would be BUCKET LISTER coins on a detectorist list for the USA,
Coins that if you spend enough time hunting you MIGHT actually be able to find.. but NOT realistically be expected to find if you are just tooling around in your backyard or at the beach.

AND...
The number one coin I can think of would be the
"Flying Eagle Cent" Rare enough to make it extremely desirable but common enough that you might actually dig one if you are in the field long enough.

Other coins that might be on a first timers bucket list would be
1. Flying Eagle Cent (1856-57-58)
2. Indian Head penny (1859-1909)
3. Mercury Dime (silver)
4. Large Cent
5. Any silver Half
6. Buffalo Nickel or a (silver) War Nickel (or a V-Nickel or a Shield Nickel)

Rarer coins that MIGHT show up would be the
1. Barbers (Silver) Dime or Quarter
2. Seated Liberty coins, (Silver) Dime or Quarter or half dime
3. Bust (Silver) Coins (mid 1800s Silver) (I've dug one in 40 years)

(Just to be clear, I've dug ALL of these, probably because I've been hunting for 40+ years)

I would not put on here GOLD coins, simply because they are like a lightning strike, most people will not get hit by lightning in their lifetimes so it might be a bucket lister but will probably never happen.
Same with the Pine tree Shilling, No matter where I dig I will probably never dig one of them...
Or an early Chain Cent... not likely to happen...

(AND I have found NONE of these, and I don't expect to no matter how long I hunt 🤣)

I think this is what he was asking

 

[pepperj]

Example of one coin having 3 different names, but all meaning the same.

Digging one can be a really good day.
Probably the most memorable for me.

 

[AstralDruid]

Thanks.... That is the knowledge right there !!!!
My asking may seem stupid to some, but I don't care... I have plenty of knowledge of Central European coins , but only get that knowledge when i research a coin in my possession...
So, those are all US minted coins... but Spanish/Mexican and various other coins show up too ?
Do Russian coins show up on the Northern Pacific coast ??
just interested .....

AD

 

[AstralDruid]

So, a Pine tree shilling is pretty much top of the list,, apart from big gold and Silver ... What is the story behind those ?

AD

 

[cudamark]

It would be pretty hard to top finding an 1804 Silver dollar. Just about any series has a key date/mintmark or even several of them. Gold coins of any sort are extremely desirable to detectorists.

 

[dognose]

Buy a Red Book of US coins. It will give you all the coins, dates, mintages, etc.

Official blue book of United States coins : handbook of United States coins, with premium list can be viewed for free here Archive.org
And other coin handbooks as well.
Read more about archive.org here on searches

 

[TORRERO]

Thanks.... That is the knowledge right there !!!!
My asking may seem stupid to some, but I don't care... I have plenty of knowledge of Central European coins , but only get that knowledge when i research a coin in my possession...
So, those are all US minted coins... but Spanish/Mexican and various other coins show up too ?
Do Russian coins show up on the Northern Pacific coast ??
just interested .....

AD

Only occasionally have I found coins from other countries, the most common have been Canadian, but I think maybe a few from Mexico. but it's really uncommon
Personally I kinda see the Spanish Reals as American currency even though they were not minted here. they were used as currency for many years and traded for goods and services here just like American coins.. Just saying... So Spanish coins are relatively common on old sites here..

I'm on the East Coast and I have never found any Russian coins..

 

[TORRERO]

So, a Pine tree shilling is pretty much top of the list,, apart from big gold and Silver ... What is the story behind those ?

AD

Soo, the Pine Tree shilling was only minted and used in Massachusetts if I'm correct, and only a handful of ever been found or identified.. mostly through Metal Detecting..
As for the Gold and BIG Silver, well, the truth is that people lost what they had, but large Silver and Gold coins being what they are, MOST people did not carry them around on a day to day basis, so not many were actually lost.. I personally have never found a Silver Dollar, or a Gold US coin, but I have found hundreds of other coins...
I personally believe that anyone who dropped a Silver Dollar either THEY saw it immediately or someone else did and it was picked up fast..
As for Gold coins, their value was high even back in the day, so you were either about to buy a high dollar item or you were transporting a chest full... either way you paid close attention to that coin at all times, where as a penny was just pocket change.. making them extremely hard to find..

 

[pepperj]

Soo, the Pine Tree shilling was only minted and used in Massachusetts if I'm correct, and only a handful of ever been found or identified.. mostly through Metal Detecting..
As for the Gold and BIG Silver, well, the truth is that people lost what they had, but large Silver and Gold coins being what they are, MOST people did not carry them around on a day to day basis, so not many were actually lost.. I personally have never found a Silver Dollar, or a Gold US coin, but I have found hundreds of other coins...
I personally believe that anyone who dropped a Silver Dollar either THEY saw it immediately or someone else did and it was picked up fast..
As for Gold coins, their value was high even back in the day, so you were either about to buy a high dollar item or you were transporting a chest full... either way you paid close attention to that coin at all times, where as a penny was just pocket change.. making them extremely hard to find..

I've found a few Russian coppers, no silver dollars detecting (found one today in a 11 yr old prize bag)but that's not the same.
Some Half Crowns, 50 cent pieces, 2 gold coins.

 

[cudamark]

So, a Pine tree shilling is pretty much top of the list,, apart from big gold and Silver ... What is the story behind those ?

AD

There are all sorts of colonial coins that were made back in that time period. The Massachusetts tree coins (pine, willow, and oak) were just some of the first ones made here. We mainly needed them for commerce with the Indians and other local merchants because the coinage brought over from Europe went back there for purchasing other supplies needed in the colonies. This caused a shortage of coins for local use.

 

[ARC]

The holy grail of all coins would be the 1933 double eagle.

LAst one sold for $18.9 million in 2021.

 

[Blackfoot58]

Every coin I find is valuable at that moment. I don’t rate coins according to someone else’s evaluation.
I like what I like:
Franklin halves: especially frosted ones

Gold Indians: for the Indian more than the gold!

Delaware quarter: first state with the gumption to radify.

Indian Head pennies
Buffalo nickels.

You notice the USA nearly eliminates something: Native people, buffalos..,
Then honor them on coins.

Our housing developments are the same way:
Bulldoze all of the trees. Then name the subdivision “Royal Oak Estates”,
“Pine Tree Hills”, etc.

Sorry for ranting. 😟