1829 British Gold Sovereign found

[Tom_in_CA]

Got out with a friend for a road trip in CA. We hit some spots we are researching: Old traveller stops, ghost-townsy type sites. One particular spot turned out to be a pleasant surprise. We got 2 seated half dimes ('59 and '60) an '84s seated dime, an 1849 Mexican half reale, a 1906 IH, and ....... my 13th gold coin: An 1829 British Gold Sovereign. It's about the size of a US $5 gold piece.

 

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[dwayne sueno]

hey, great find!
looks like some more gold up on the banner here soon.
would love to see those other silvers if you get a chance.

 

[gmanlight]

Tom congrats on lucky '' 13 ''

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Here's the '49 half reale, '60 half dime (toast), and '84s dime. Brian got the '59 half dime, and the IH, so maybe he'll chime in here with the pix of those.

First pix is before the silver coins underwent some "persuasion". Second pix is the after-pix for the silver coins.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

There was a massive quantity of modern bullet shells at this site to weed through. So much, in fact, that we even got to where we started passing anything lower than mid conductors (kiss nickels, $2.50's, and $1's good-bye, eh?). We'll be back to "strip-mine" this site of EVERY conductor when we make our next trip there

This pix is only the targets which I considered the older "age indicator" targets. Rimfire shells, pistol balls, candle-stick finger-holder, lantern parts, harmonica reeds, etc.... The Eagle button is "Horstmann & Allien" civil war era button. We think the site could date to as early as the 1850s, which is born out in some of the woulda-coulda's and coin dates.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

On another leg of this trip, at another site, I got this semi-key 1859s quarter. Would have been a multiple thousand dollar coin if it was in better shape. But even as is, is a $200+ coin, eh?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Last stop on this trip, at a mission era spot, gave up this small #5 phoenix button.

 

[hogge]

BEAUTY!!!!!!! CONGRATS! Hogge

 

[Ifoundit69]

Sweet find!

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Wow Great gold piece ,, Lucky 13 ,, How sweet it is to hunt a ghost town or 49 er miner camp out in Cali . Well Done getting some gold out there

 

[kuger]

There ya go!!!
I am not seeing anything in there that says,"1850's",though Tom?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Kuger, not many of the finds point to much earlier than, say, 1860, as you deduce. Even the '49 reale could be a coin circulated in CA well into the '60s, as you know. Pistol balls too don't necessarily have to be older than the 1860s (although thats when the transition was occurring). However, the 3 targets that to me point to at least some earlier usage are:

a) The 1829 gold coin (although it could be argued that it circulated for 30+ yrs.)

b) the finger holder for the candlestick prop. thing. I dunno about you, but I have *only* found these at very early sites in CA. Ie.: in adobe sites of the later mission era, and/or very early state-hood era anyhow. But maybe they do turn up in later sites? Of the handful I have found, I have never found them in later sites. Only earlier sites. If your experience is different (like if you found them at gold rush sites that date to no earlier than 1860), let me know.

c) I got one of those tubular copper roller things here, with green patina. These were rollers for the bar that went through the horse's mouth, for the bit. The earlier ones are crude and hand-made. I have only found those are at the latest .... 1830s/40s sites.

 

[bookfisher]

Congrats on finding another gold coin. WTG! By the way, that coin looks real familiar. I know I've seen a similar one someplace!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Hey book-fisher, what a coincidence. What type site did you find your gold sovereign at? What year is yours?

 

[mikusek]

Great find..... still looking for my first gold coin. Hopefully this year, have some old stage stops in mind and old long gone towns that are farm fields now. I would like to see the silver too, never get enough of those half dimes....

 

[kuger]

Tom,not to take anything away from an absolutly incredible dig!Any one of those coins would make for a slam bang trip!

Actually yes I have dug those candle sick "loops",all the way up to the 1870's,I am surprised to hear that you find the numbers you do in the "early",sites,as we do dig them with frequency!
As you said,one can not under any circumstance accuratly date a site by coinage found....ie,the recent 1818 Largie I just dug....that was not a 1818 site!!
Your piece you mention as part of the bit is called sweet iron,and will have to admit I have never ever dug even one in any period site,or at least one I could say,"yep,thats what it is".As I have stated before,I still use a bit with one on it.....they a re still popular,although,I can not see how one could be lost?I have never noted any other parts of bits in your pics?

Ouch!!On the G.C.

 

[lost hunter]

 

[MikesDiggins]

Congratulations on your 13th GOLD COIN!!!!

 

[Captaindoodle]

Excellent find!

 

[NicktheMainer]

Seriously?!?! 13th gold coin! Holy crap, some people go metal detecting their whole life without finding one gold coin. Congrats!