1785 Vermont Copper - Had to Wrestle it Away from a Horse, But Worth It

[paleomaxx]

So today was an interesting one. The field I was in dates back to the 1700's, but most of what turns up in are old nails and the occasional farm implement parts so when I walk around in it, it's just to kill time until evening feeding starts. I was digging a bunch of these strange brass pins and I wanted to see how many of them were down there (four so far; they're in the last photos in case anyone has seen them before).

Riley, the horse in question, is used to the metal detector and finds the process fascinating. As soon as I've dug a plug, his nose is in the hole and I generally have to wait until it's passed his test before I get to see if there's anything there.



This particular plug was no different, but fortunately he was momentarily distracted by how delicious whatever was on the shovel was and I was able to break the plug in half and out popped this coin. The 1785 date was immediately visible so I thought I had found another British half-penny.



Some extremely light cleaning and heavy googling and I confirmed what I didn't believe at first. I had actually found a colonial state coin! When I first started finding 1800's buttons a month back, a state coin like a pine tree shilling was what I told myself was the absolute coolest thing I could find but was also far and away the least likely. Looks like I have to find something else for the top of the bucket list!

Below are the other interesting/entertaining finds of the day. I think the pin that says "Ready With Support" is military, but I can't find much on it. Same with the republican membership tag. These were from a different site though, only the leather rivet and those brass pins were in the same field as the Vermont copper.

 

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[Evolution]

Sweet! A Vermont landscape copper. They don't come out of the ground every day. That's a phenomenal find! Congrats! My one banner find in 2007 was a 1786 Vermont landscape copper. I love the look of those coins.

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Paleontology, congrats on the State copper, definitely an excellent and rare find! I would guess the copper pins were part of horse tack, routed through leather...great post...ddf

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on the old copper and other nice finds

 

[nhbenz]

Great coin!
Your Distinctive Unit Insignia is from the 816th Field Artillery Battalion. Example: WWII Occupation 816th Field Artillery Battalion Di German Made DUI | eBay

 

[Diggin Dude]

That is great!! Nice detail! Still on my bucket list , awesome find, congrats and HH

 

[scruggs]

Interesting story and fantastic copper! Very well done!

 

[screwynewy]

Congrats on a very nice copper. The pin items in question are pop rivets used to fasten things together.

 

[nhbenz]

The aluminum tag should read Waterbury (there isn't a Waterburg CT.). William O'Donnell was the sports editor for the Waterbury Republican newspaper, starting around 1946. Don't know the specific use for it though.

 

[BigWaveDave]

The tag looks like a charga card, like an early credit card.

 

[nhbenz]

Right, and making carbon copies for various applications too, like as library cards. But its a good bet that this was his business charge card.

 

[paleomaxx]

Thank you all for the information! I was wondering about the "Waterburg" too since I had never heard of that town and could only find a few very old references (1920's) to it online. It would be amazing if it was a typo on a charge card, but maybe there was a select number of people back in the day that really wanted Waterbury CT to be Waterburg CT.

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Two Vermont coppers dug in the same week in states other than home state , very interesting & encouraging ....

" that's it " ,

my Fall season starts " TodaY " !

Thanks man , and many more for 2016


CMD

 

[nhbenz]

I've been reading a bit about Wm (Hank) O'Donnell and he got his start in sports writing in the 1920's, and was considered a legend in the world of sport writing/editing. It seems likely that whomever was making these mis-read the y for a g.
-edited post after finding that he had died.

 

[against the wind]

Congratulations on the State Copper.
Nice variety of finds.
Excellent research goes out to nhbenz.

 

[spoonicuss]

congrats on your finds i find it fascinating about whats buried beneath our feets keep up the digging

 

[Schatzsucher]

I grew up in Vermont. This is on my bucket list. Awesome find!

 

[nsdq]

Sweet horse hunting partner ya got there, and stellar finds

 

[paleomaxx]

Thank you all! And nhbenz I would love to return the card to WM O'Donnell; I think that would be very cool. He'll definitely remember the spot too, even if he doesn't remember that he lost it there. It was on the riverbank just downriver from a fantastic waterfall and local swimming hole. Have you come across any contact info in you web travels? Is he/his family still in Connecticut?