1804 1/2 cent, 1826 large cent, pocket watches, spoons. Great day!

DiggityDiggity

Full Member
Sep 25, 2013
249
544
Detector(s) used
Garret AT Pro, Garrett 350
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have been away from metal detecting for a year or so and figured it was time to dust off the good ol' AT Pro.

I headed out to my new favorite spot and spent two days, approx. 4/5 hours total. It's an old farm with 3 house foundations and a few barn foundations... all collapsed, over grown, and mostly under the ground. There isn't a spot in this 250 yard long area that isn't trashy. A bit frustrating trying to weed through the signals. This farm was around in the mid 1800s so pretty much anything I dig (minus the occasional crushed beer can) is at least 100 yrs old.

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The large cent is pretty dusted but was still able to snag the date. I've only found two large cents in the past so I was ecstatic to say the least!

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The spoon says something like A.C & Company, possibly M.A.C. & Company. I haven't had any luck with finding any history of this company on the net. The other spoon looks to be pewter.

I was stunned to find two broken pocket watches and what looks like a pocket watch protector??? All of these were found in different plugs many yard apart. Unfortunately, neither are made of silver or gold. Booo! But the back of one has a really cool bird design.
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I was finishing the day today and came upon a super trashy signal... reading high 80's, down to the depths of iron hell and back... I open the plug and find this "quarter." It was covered in dirt so I couldn't see the front or back. No silver was poking out so I figured it was clad.

I get home, pull the 'quarter' out of my pocket and realize...hmmm no ridges on the edges... I grab a soft tooth brush and put it under the faucet... slowly she reveals herself.. omg an 1804 1/2 Cent draped bust. I was shaking and belted out like a castrado. I am SO surprised there's so much detail!!! Not sure if it's much value but this is my oldest coin to date. I'm so pumped!!!

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I'll be going out there this weekend. If I find anything more noteworthy, I'll let you guys know. Good luck out there!!


Side note: I am a coin noob so can anyone help give me the best solution to clean this coin? I've heard I should stick it in olive oil for a few months? I want to make sure this is cleaned and preserved well.

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Upvote 42
Wow nice finds. That half cent is beautiful.

Now go back and find some old silver maybe an 1804 dollar!

Good Luck,

Pete
 

Bottom right corner looks like a rein guide, but the threaded end is too short - may have broken off.
 

Nice pickings! Go back....frequently...
 

Congrats on some really nice finds and especially the 1804 Half Cent! Several of the 1804 Half Cent Varieties are fairly valuable, especially the Cohen 2 which has a rarity of R7. The coin would may need to be professionally conserved to possibly determine the Variety but the cost may be worth it.
 

Congrats on the killer 1/2 cent! :occasion14:
 

Great finds that will get the addiction a kick start. Well done keep rippin
 

If it's a plain 4 variety, it's a one of the rarer versions.:icon_thumright:
 

Congrats on some really nice finds and especially the 1804 Half Cent! Several of the 1804 Half Cent Varieties are fairly valuable, especially the Cohen 2 which has a rarity of R7. The coin would may need to be professionally conserved to possibly determine the Variety but the cost may be worth it.

Where would I even send this to be professionally conserved? Any suggestions? Based on its condition being ground dug and all, would it be even worth it? Sorry for the noob questions
 

gorgeous find!!! I don't feel comfortable not having my detector out for 2-3 days how did you survive a whole year ???
 

Where would I even send this to be professionally conserved? Any suggestions? Based on its condition being ground dug and all, would it be even worth it? Sorry for the noob questions

While there is no question that the coin was dug due to the encrustation and dirt on the coin, the amount of details on the coin leads me to believe that if most or all of the encrustation and dirt can be removed, the coin will actually grade as a Very Fine. Considering that it falls into the category of one of the rarer Varieties and thus more valuable than a common Variety, I believe that having it conserved...certified...graded...slabbed and the Variety attributed on the holder's label would be worth the cost. However, don't rely on my opinion alone and wait for others to chime in with their thoughts. In the meantime, you could soak the coin in Mineral Oil for a week or two or more, then try removing the encrustations and dirt with a green Rose Thorn (which I prefer) or a toothpick as they will not scratch or damage the surface of the coin or the details. If you do this and once you are satisfied that you have gotten the coin as clean as you possibly can, then rinse the coin with distilled water, pat dry with a soft towel making sure to leave a very light film of Mineral oil on the coin as it will stabilize the coin's metal from further degrading. After that, take some close up pics and post them here and hopefully someone will be able to identify the exact Cohen Variety and a possible grade. After taking pics, make sure to place it in a protective 2x2.
 

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