🥇 BANNER AHABS WHITE WHALE: 1652 PINE TREE & 1664 COB

Ahab8

Gold Member
Oct 15, 2013
8,408
8,289
Topsham, Maine
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Teknetics T2 SE w/15' SEF Coil/ Minelab GPX 4500/2 Garrett Pro Pointers/3 Sets Killer B Headphones/ Koss Headphones/ Detekniy Wireless headphone Adapter
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
What a day! I woke up very early and headed out. Had to stop for a 9 volt at a local store. There was a cop car sitting there with the number 8 on the side. I am extremely superstitious and 8 is my lucky number. In fact, I'm so superstitious that if I set an alarm or the microwave it has to end in 8. And when I go detecting I won't get out of my truck until the time ends in 8. Ok now that you all know how psychotic I am I can get to the finds. I got into the woods and instantly got lost. Lost for about 2 hours and my phone had no reception so I couldn't use google earth. I finally got myself oriented and got into the area I wanted to be in. The finds came slow but there was no modern trash so that was nice. I got a couple of deep round balls the found nothing about an hour. I decided I was going to just get down by the water and walk the edge. I've had some luck doing this in the past. Barely any signals at all. At one point the edge of the bank gave way and down I went. Got myself back up the hill and realized my setting had gotten screwed up. So I got my machine set up again and a couple minutes later I got a deep signal. Not a very good signal. But I dug a couple inches off the top and scanned it again. It sounded much better after that. I dug a nice big plug and it was still down below. Finally I got ahold of the object and pulled it out. I don't want to sound over dramatic here but some dirt fell off the coin and I could clearly see the branches of the tree. I swear I couldn't breath for a few seconds. I knew I had just dug Lifetime #1. On my wish list. It's a feeling that I can't put into words and for anybody who's felt it....well it's just incredible. Put that baby in my keeper case and finally regained my composure. I took a few steps and got another deep signal. Once I fought through the roots for about 20 minutes I got my fingers on a very thin disc. I pulled it out and had no idea what it was. I thought I could see a design but just packed it into another keeper case and carried on. A few minuts later I found a copper coin and a very old button.
I know how stupid this is going to sound but I'm gonna tell you guys anyway. After about 20 minutes I honestly had to look in my case because I just could not believe what I had just found. After I got home I emailed IP for some advice. He graciously helped me with some advice and a bit later and put both of the coins in lemon juice. I could not believe that the other mystery disc was a 1664 cob, another lifetime wish list find. And I am so damn happy to have a hammered coin in my collection.
Today was an absolute dream come true and the pay off for tons of research and lots of hours hiking through the woods digging holes. I'm glad I was able to share this day with my Tnet friends. You've all been very supportive.
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Upvote 172
Hi Ahab; I'd add to the comments but it has all been said. CONGRATULATIONS. I Vote BANNER. !!! Actually I think you stole it from Boston.!!! :laughing7: PEACE:RONB
 

Wow, what an incredible hunt. Hopefully 2015 will be just as good for you.
 

Wow, what an incredible hunt. Hopefully 2015 will be just as good for you.

2015 WAS great for him....2016 was terrific as well...
We here at Tnet are all hoping that 2017 is amazing as well!
 

Ha ha it's funny I was just looking at that old thing today. Thanks again my friends for the nice comments....but it's a reminder that I haven't found a Mass silver for a few years. I gotta get my game on for 2017 and add another. That shilling is lonely
 

Like everyone else, I just couldn't help myself, and had to take another peek at this fabulous coin. I had almost forgotten how incredibly detailed it was compared to others that I've seen dug. You have good reason to keep that chest puffed out buddy, but as the glory fades you're gonna have to come up with another blockbuster find. And with your persistence I know you'll be successful .... soon!
 

2015 WAS great for him....2016 was terrific as well...
We here at Tnet are all hoping that 2017 is amazing as well!

2016? 2017? What, are you futureman? Next you'll probably tell me that Donald Trump is our president in your future world. Silly Dave!!
 

Like everyone else, I just couldn't help myself, and had to take another peek at this fabulous coin. I had almost forgotten how incredibly detailed it was compared to others that I've seen dug. You have good reason to keep that chest puffed out buddy, but as the glory fades you're gonna have to come up with another blockbuster find. And with your persistence I know you'll be successful .... soon!

Bill thanks again. It's funny my friend....when I found that I was fully convinced that I could find one every year or two. Well....this has proven to be a bit harder than I expected.i thought if I was tenacious and could land myself on early enough sites that I could will myself into another. But now that I'm older and much wiser than Joey I understand how incredibly difficult they are to find. There's not that many sites old enough to even give the opportunity and I question just how common they are in Maine. The beauty of the one I found is that it could have only circulated for a few years. This area was wiped out around 1688 and as we know the Mass silvers were released much later than 1652. Also to find it on the edge of a steep river bank with great soil helped. I don't see how a coin that early could be much better (unless it wasn't holed of course). But I will keep on trying to get myself on areas old enough for at least a shot at another my friend. I often ask myself if I would try the 4 latten spoons for a tree coin. I suppose it would depend on which type and variety etc. but the answer would probably shock most and many will think I have a screw loose. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm convinced that it's much more rare to recover a complete latten spoon (or 4) than a Mass silver in the states? Having those early relics is awesome and I'm psyched to have them in my collection. I likely will never find another of those but I WILL find more Mass silvers.
One of the coolest parts about this find was unexpectedly seeing it beside your incredible Lord Baltimore on the cover of American Digger. I consider it an honor to have my coin next to your much more rare and amazing early silver. Kim is blowing up and framing some pics of my best finds this year for my new treasure room. I will frame and display the magazines as well. The Treasure Room is my winter project and I can't wait to do it. It will be a fun project. Take care my good friend
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Mass tree coins are great but i would like to see a NE silver coin be posted this year,and i know one of you guys is going to find it.You can't wish a rare coin out of the ground but you can keep detecting those out off the way first period sites,so good luck in 2017.
 

I almost have to agree with you about those spoons. Yeah, those coins are hard to come by and some can command a high price, but those early spoons just never seem to show up at all. Out of the hundreds of colonial sites I've searched down this way I've only recovered one complete 17th century spoon, and it's not nearly as old as yours. I have dug a couple ends to apostle spoons, and maybe one day the full stem and bowl will be attached. And thanks for posting that magazine cover - haven't looked at that for quite a while. Just wish the professional cleaning on my coin had been done before it appeared in the magazine. I bet your spoons would look awesome on a cover too. Sounds like you need to start working on another article :laughing7:. Keep hittin' it hard man ....
 

What an awesome find! Both of them, but that Pine Tree is indeed a find of a lifetime! Big congrats and even after two years I bet you still remember the feeling you had when you just realized what you have found. Again, just awesome!
 

Mass tree coins are great but i would like to see a NE silver coin be posted this year,and i know one of you guys is going to find it.You can't wish a rare coin out of the ground but you can keep detecting those out off the way first period sites,so good luck in 2017.

Well said Rhode Hog. I can promise you I will do everything in my power to get my coil over that NE Shilling. It's out there somewhere my friend
 

Double AWESOME!!!! Should be double BANNER!!! Congrats!!!

There must have been double eights on that crusier!

Christmas came early for you in a big way!
I am very happy for you!
That is one heck of a way to bring the year to a close.
...time to re-arrange the wish list!


Ps. I just had to save phots of them, so i can drool!


Sent from my VS810PP using Tapatalk
 

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Double AWESOME!!!! Should be double BANNER!!! Congrats!!!

There must have been double eights on that crusier!

Christmas came early for you in a big way!
I am very happy for you!
That is one heck of a way to bring the year to a close.
...time to re-arrange the wish list!


Ps. I just had to save phots of them, so i can drool!


Sent from my VS810PP using Tapatalk

Abe has the gift that keeps on giving. Year after year after year!
 

my plan is to dig one Tree coin every 5 years on average. So this is the year my friend. This IS the year

Your chances for landing another one of those babies goes way up with that full week of digging you have coming up soon.
 

Now my lucky number is changing to 8
 

Cmon Abe, I need to see another one of these babies dug or better yet, a NE shilling!
 

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