1877 Seated Liberty Half Dollar!!!!!!

bookfisher

Bronze Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Messages
1,345
Reaction score
125
Golden Thread
0
Location
Long Island, New York
Today was my second most exciting day I've ever had metal detecting! My most exciting day was when I found the 1825 George IV Gold Sovereign back in March, 2006. I got to the field today where I found the 1737 King George Copper, the 1877 Seated Liberty Quarter and the 1821 & 1817 Large Cents at around 2:30.
I entered a section of the field off one of the dirt roads and in about 10 minutes I found a real corroded 1891 V Nickel that was just about on the surface. I looked down after getting a surface signal and saw the edge of the nickel sticking out of the dirt. I thought okay, good start. I then slowly headed deeper into the field where the growth gets thicker - not thick with weeds, but with these craggly crab apple trees that grow close together in places and which makes it difficult to move around. But still I kept going and at this point it's around 4:00 and I really haven't found anything worth mentioning or for that matter haven't even had any good signals.
It was at this point when I was hemmed in by the trees, that I said to myself, "why am I wasting time in this area, when I can hunt some better open areas near the dirt road where I've found some good coins." So it takes me a few minutes to get out of this growth, and after a little while I get back to a spot where I feel comfortable hunting. I swear to God, just a couple of minutes after getting back to this spot, I get an iffy, 1/4 bar or maybe a half bar quarter reading at 5 or 6 inches. At this point, I have no reason to be excited. I figure it's probably some deep iron or some other piece of farm implement. So I cut a deep plug and pull out the plug and some loose dirt with it an sling it on the side. I then, swing the coil over the plug and the extra dirt (now it gets real weird) and I get a full bar penny or quarter reading, (I can't remember exactly) but just for an instant, the signal disappears! I'm thinking, what's going on, where's the signal? So I think maybe I knocked the target back in the hole, so I check to hole, and I'm getting an eratic signal. So I pull more dirt out of the hole and check the dirt.
At this point, I'm having trouble remembering exactly what happened because it was a strange dig and kind of a blur, but when I checked the new pile of dirt, I got the signal back and I think it was reading full bar quarter. I bent down and sifted the dirt and I find this large disk covered in dirt. Though through the dirt I see a few hints of silver! Now I'm starting to get real jazzed up, because I'm starting to believe I found a big silver coin! I start lightly rubbing some dirt off and images are taking shape, and I'm becoming more and more convinced it's a coin, but at this point I don't know what kind or from what country. A few more light rubs and I finally see the Seated Liberty and the date of 1877! To be honest with you, I didn't know if it was a half dollar or a dollar (though I guess I was leaning in my mind towards half dollar) until I lightly rubbed the reverse and saw the HALF DOL. Let me tell you, it was one of the happiest moments in my metal detecting career. No simple, bingo, this time, but a full fledge whooping Rebel Yell and a Happy Dance, those Irish dancers would be proud of! A Seated or Capped Bust half is one of the coins I really have been trying to find in the last three years, and to actually find one, blows me away! By the way, this is the first Half Dollar I ever found, and coincidentally 1877 is the same date as the Seated Quarter I found in this field two weeks ago. Happy Thanksgiving!
 

Attachments

  • seatedhalf.webp
    seatedhalf.webp
    20.4 KB · Views: 1,663
  • seatedhalf2.webp
    seatedhalf2.webp
    20.3 KB · Views: 1,666
  • seatedhalf3.webp
    seatedhalf3.webp
    42.2 KB · Views: 1,675
  • seatedhalf4.webp
    seatedhalf4.webp
    45.1 KB · Views: 1,663
Upvote 0
Re: 1877 Seated Liberty Half Dollar!!!

That coin looks great Bookfisher. Really nice condition. Congrats. That field is really paying off for you.
 

That's a great coin to find many congrats to you . Looks good from here ! ..... ;D
 

Man that's a beauty of a coin. Congrats on that. I'd say between a 60.00 to 80.00 find. WOOT!
 

Sweet coin BF, Congrats!!!!
 

Great coin!!!!!!!
Super find....
 

I'll trade you my six silver and 2 injuns for it ;D
W@W...very nice. What a great surprise huh?
 

Great find! I love the way you describe metal detecting as a career!!
 

I was right there with you`great story but most of all a great find..

Don't just love it the way things happen like that..

Great story to tell all

Congrats...... DPSB
 

Congrats on a great find bookfisher. You should really hunt the hell out of that area before winter sets in.
You might also try and so some research and try and find out what might have been there in that location to leave all those great coins behind.

Sweet find!
 

High fives on an outstanding find !! I remember the moments when I dug my one and only half 1913 Canadian and I was doin' the prairie chicken dance with some kind of weird war hoops mixed in. For the first minute I just sat down though in disbelief as I couldn;t believe my eyes.I kept saying to myself " man...Oh man...Oh man its a freakin half ".Keep pounding that area its gotta have more secrets to unleash on you.God Bless and hh..Panz
 

azmetaldetector said:
Congrats om a great find bookfisher. You should really hunt the hell out of that area before winter sets in.
You might also try and so some research and try and find out what might have been there in that location to leave all those great coins behind.

Sweet find!

Hey azmetaldetector, thanks a lot. For the past few winters here on Long Island, the ground hasn't frozen that much, so I should be able to hit this field quite a bit this winter (hopefully). This field was definitely farmland and probably first farmed in the 1700s.
 

A fantastic find bookfisher---Congrats


From Bestcoin.com


U.S. Coin Price Guide
Coin Collecting
Buy Coin Supplies






Glossary U.S. Seated Half Dollars







Liberty Seated Half Dollars 1839-1891 Regular Strikes

Click for Seated Half Mintage


Description G F EF AU 60 62 63 64 65 66
1839 No Drapery 50 175 1050 3800 6700 9500 27500 55000 185000 -
1839 Drapery 33 59 145 500 1000 1550 2200 3900 17500 -
1840 Reverse of 1839 33 63 145 325 575 850 1125 2600 6500 14500
1840-O 32 58 150 375 675 1200 2850 5700 - -
1840 (O) Reverse of 1838 145 325 1000 2700 3750 5000 7500 12500 - -
1841 45 98 245 325 1450 1775 2150 3750 12500 -
1841-O 32 55 185 350 900 1800 2600 5000 - -
1842 Medium Date 32 56 150 350 700 900 1350 3500 9000 16500
1842 Small Date, Rev 1842 32 85 165 400 1000 1700 2600 4800 11500 -
1842-O Reverse of 1842 32 55 150 375 1050 1300 5000 9500 15000 -
1842-O Reverse of 1839 650 1500 4500 8750 12500 17500 27000 - - -
1843 32 55 145 325 525 780 1200 2700 11500 -
1843-O 32 55 150 350 575 850 1500 3500 11500 -
1844 32 55 145 325 550 800 1300 4200 - -
1844-O 32 55 150 325 585 845 2200 5000 - -
1844-O Doubled Date 500 950 2650 6000 10000 16000 25000 32500 - -
1845 33 70 200 340 685 1200 3500 7500 - -
1845-O 32 55 145 325 575 800 1650 4400 11500 -
1845-O No Drapery 40 84 195 600 1600 3000 5000 9000 - -
1846 Medium Date 32 55 145 325 550 875 1575 3600 10000 -
1846 Tall Date 32 55 150 350 600 1100 3200 6500 - -
1846 6/Horizontal 6 175 300 800 2300 3900 7500 11000 - - -
1846-O Medium Date 32 58 150 350 750 1500 2800 4500 11500 -
1846-O Tall Date 190 400 1650 3250 8000 12000 - - - -
1847 32 55 145 325 550 780 1700 2800 7500 14000
1847/6 1700 3250 7000 12500 17500 25000 - - - -
Description G F EF AU 60 62 63 64 65 66
1847-O 32 55 145 325 685 845 3300 7000 - -
1848 46 98 250 500 950 1250 1800 2800 7500 -
1848-O 32 55 150 340 685 910 2400 4300 10000 -
1849 40 70 165 360 945 1150 2000 5400 - -
1849-O 32 55 150 350 750 1125 2475 5850 12500 -
1850 215 455 715 1225 2000 2650 4600 6750 15000 25000
1850-O 32 58 150 350 575 900 1300 3000 8000 15000
1851 315 500 900 1400 2000 3000 4000 6500 13500 22000
1851-O 32 66 165 350 900 1800 2350 3750 14000 24000
1852 360 650 1250 2200 2700 3100 3500 4500 9500 17000
1852-O 57 175 600 2200 3200 4800 7500 13500 27500 -
1853-O No Arrows 200000 280000 425000 - - - - - - -
1853 Arrows and Rays 32 62 280 675 1650 2200 4300 7500 27500 48000
1853-O Arrows and Rays 32 62 325 950 2500 3400 6250 15000 50000 -
1854 Arrows 32 58 150 365 650 1050 1800 2900 9000 30000
1854-O Arrows 32 58 150 365 650 1050 1800 2900 9000 30000
1855 Arrows 32 58 150 365 650 1050 1800 3250 12500 28500
1855/54 Arrows 79 185 400 585 1950 2600 4500 7500 25000 35000
1855-O Arrows 32 58 150 365 650 1050 1800 2900 9000 30000
1855-S Arrows 475 850 4500 11000 - - - - - 75000
1856 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2400 6500 14000
1856-O 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2400 8000 14000
1856-S 50 125 525 1900 4500 6750 10000 - - -
1857 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2400 7000 14000
1857-O 32 55 150 350 845 1050 2700 6000 11500 -
1857-S 63 145 600 2350 4750 12000 14500 17500 25000 35000
Description G F EF AU 60 62 63 64 65 66
1858 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2400 6500 12500
1858-O 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2400 8750 17500
1858-S 40 70 225 500 1000 1800 3750 8000 17000 35000
1859 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2450 7000 13000
1859-O 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2475 9500 17500
1859-S 35 65 190 330 685 1250 3200 6750 11500 18500
1860 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2400 7500 15000
1860-O 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2400 6500 12500
1860-S 35 60 165 500 1350 2250 4000 8600 - -
1861 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2400 6500 12500
1861-O 30 50 140 300 525 720 1125 2400 6500 13500
1861-S 30 50 140 350 600 1150 2700 5000 11000 17500
1862 37 72 185 350 575 815 1150 2500 6500 12500
1862-S 30 50 140 300 600 1350 2500 5000 12500 22000
1863 35 70 145 325 550 800 1125 2475 6500 13500
1863-S 30 50 140 300 550 1200 2100 4200 12000 -
1864 35 70 170 340 550 750 1175 2500 6500 12500
1864-S 30 50 140 300 685 1250 2700 5750 13500 20000
1865 35 70 160 350 550 850 1225 2500 6500 14000
1865-S 30 50 140 300 585 1300 2500 6000 - -
1866-S No Motto 375 700 2300 3500 5000 8000 12000 25000 50000 -
1866 Motto 26 54 135 300 425 650 1300 2250 5500 10000
1866-S Motto 26 54 125 240 550 900 2200 5300 11500 -
1867 34 70 180 310 450 800 1700 4000 7250 12000
1867-S 26 54 120 275 850 1500 2750 5500 12000 22000
1868 50 100 215 310 575 750 1350 2750 6000 10000
Description G F EF AU 60 62 63 64 65 66
1868-S 26 54 125 220 475 750 2200 4200 10000 17500
1869 26 54 130 250 435 650 1300 2100 5000 -
1869-S 26 54 155 240 675 1250 2400 3900 6000 9500
1870 26 54 145 240 500 650 1100 2700 6000 9500
1870-CC 1400 4200 17500 37500 - 150000 - - - -
1870-S 26 54 130 260 800 1050 3000 5900 10000 -
1871 26 54 115 220 410 520 1200 2250 5750 9000
1871-CC 350 700 3150 9000 15000 25000 42000 65000 - -
1871-S 28 60 120 240 550 950 1500 3000 6500 10000
1872 28 60 120 250 460 620 1600 2800 5000 8750
1872-CC 125 250 1450 4500 13500 27500 45000 - - -
1872-S 37 72 225 600 1300 2500 3700 6500 18000 -
1873 No Arrows, Closed 3 33 80 160 350 550 650 1225 1875 6500 -
1873 No Arrows, Open 3 3000 4500 6750 9500 - - 45000 - - -
1873-CC No Arrows 275 450 1750 7000 11500 17500 37500 55000 70000 90000
1873 Arrows 35 65 275 475 950 1450 2250 4200 19000 35000
1873-CC Arrows 240 450 2100 4500 7000 11000 18000 30000 50000 75000
1873-S Arrows 56 145 550 1700 2850 3750 6500 12000 30000 -
1874 Arrows 35 65 275 475 950 1450 2250 4200 19000 35000
1874-CC Arrows 550 1400 5000 7500 13500 20000 27500 47500 62500 85000
1874-S Arrows 40 85 390 715 1900 2425 4250 7950 24000 37500
1875 26 54 115 210 375 485 750 1350 4500 6800
1875-CC 45 70 170 350 700 1000 1700 3750 9250 15000
1875-S 26 54 115 210 375 485 750 1350 4500 6800
1876 26 54 115 210 375 485 750 1350 4500 7500
1876-CC 40 65 150 300 675 900 1950 3000 6000 10000
Description G F EF AU 60 62 63 64 65 66
1876-S 26 54 115 210 375 500 800 1400 4750 9000
1877 26 54 115 210 375 485 750 1350 4500 6800
-
 

Hey Book,
In the 3rd picture down it looks like your coin is smiling at you.
She has found a home now looks very happy.
Congratulations on your big discovery!
That is one nice coin.
It would sure make me more than smile.
 

Great find, Bookfisher!! :o
I had the same feeling as you did when I dug my '58 Seated Half a few months back. Just awesome!

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan
 

Congratulations Bill!!!! That Seated sure is a beauty! Like you said, hopefully we will have a mild winter here on Long Island. I plan on spending alot of my weekends in the woods this winter! Great hunt and story. Steve
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom