Bad day turned into Big Silver, 1892-s Barber Half!

[Damon64]

Went out to one of my old spots in the woods that has some history to metal detect. I've been all over this place many times and it's kinda dried up as far as finds lately. I spent hours detecting and had nothing to show, not even a Memorial cent! I was ready to pack it in about 1:45 pm when I decided to take a rest and set the coil down. I set it on a spot I had been over before. For some reason the V3i started screaming like it was over an aluminum can. I think the VDI was about 89, so I decided to pinpoint it, and it was showing 2.5 to 3 inches down.
Gotta be junk...I better dig it. I cut a plug and a dirt clod rolled out. The edge of a silver coin was showing. I thought, "Cool! A silver quarter! -Probably a Washington." I broke the clod away and it revealed an 1892-s Barber half!!! My best coin find ever! Sweet!

I didn't rub it, and carefully placed it in my fleece jacket pocket by itself. I got home, called my brother to tell him about the find and he looked it up and told me it was the first year Barber Half, and being an "S" mintmark, this coin is worth a least a few hundred bucks or more!!!
I didn't clean or even wash the coin off, it's just as it came out of that clod. If you guys think this coin is worth slabbing/appraising, I'm open to any advice. Any ideas about cleaning would be cool too. I haven't done a thing to it, I don't want to ruin it.

 

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[pong12211]

Thats's a great find and an awesome coin.. Congrats..

 

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[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Nice find !
Cleaning, I'd just soak it in warm water for a few minutes, then give it a shake in the water, If a little bit of dirt remains around the letters, I'd leave it, but if you want while still wet a little q-tip is fine.

Slabbing, with return shipping your looking at 100 bucks, save your money it's a VG coin, "LIBERTY" must be fully visible to make "F" And if you want to watch one sell in a true auction, here is one just a tad better than yours, liberty is nearly fully visible.

1892-S Barber Half 1/2 Dollar - *Fine* - Key Date coin, San Francisco (HI021916) | eBay

 

[MNcoinhunter]

$233 in poor condition to $3500 in perfect condition.
I'd say you found yourself a $1000 coin from the looks of it.
What a killer find! Great job!

That coin would have to be at least (Mint State) MS-60 to fetch $1000 .... I would put it at Very Good to Fine condition. Still around $350 to $400. Nice !!!


Very nice find !!! Congratulations !!

 

[reednc]

Congratulations on having such a great find save what was a nothing day. I know from this weekend's experience that it is hard to keep at it after several hours of digging nothing but trash.

 

[releventchair]

Easy peasy,just gotta put your coil over it to find it!
Awesome find. Congratulations!

 

[BuckleBoy]

take a look at my video here.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/cleaning-preservation/329041-how-remove-dirt-dug-silver-coins.html

Then decide how best to proceed.


The longer you keep the dirt on a coin, the more chance there is of scratching it, and I do see hairline scratches on your coin already, so not much lost by going this route.

-Buck

 

[RobRieman]

That coin would have to be at least (Mint State) MS-60 to fetch $1000 .... I would put it at Very Good to Fine condition. Still around $350 to $400. Nice !!!

Very nice find !!! Congratulations !!

I was just going by the info I found on cointrackers for a stab at it. What site do you use to find the correct values of coins?

 

[materdigger1]

I bet the happy dance was going on - very nice find indeed - As far as cleaning - just hot soapy water bath for that gentleman and a soft q-tip - looks like it's in very good condition. Get it slabbed for sure.

 

[Damon64]

I bet the happy dance was going on - very nice find indeed - As far as cleaning - just hot soapy water bath for that gentleman and a soft q-tip - looks like it's in very good condition. Get it slabbed for sure.

Thanks! I was pretty excited to find the coin for sure, especially after nothing but trash all day. I didn't know what I had as far as worth at the time until I got home. I'm not knowledgeable on coin values and just figured it would be a nice addition to my coin finds.
-I'm certainly pumped now!

 

[Keene1]

Congrats-- in Diggers lingo that's "huge silv in the pock" for Washington State!

 

[DirtDodger]

Thanks! I was pretty excited to find the coin for sure, especially after nothing but trash all day. I didn't know what I had as far as worth at the time until I got home. I'm not knowledgeable on coin values and just figured it would be a nice addition to my coin finds.
-I'm certainly pumped now!

Congrads... A great coin: here is some info on coin grading and pricing. Please remember that coin prices are generally the amount you would expect to pay for one, not what a dealer would pay for it. Profit margins for dealers can be as high as 40%. Sounds big but the cost of shops and inventory can be expensive.

Grading link: Barber Silver Half Dollar Coin Grading Guide How To Picture Grade

this one is on barbers: Barber Coin Collectors' Society

this site is a fair site on prices: NumisMedia Online FMV Rare Coin Price Guide Index - Retail Fair Market Value Prices for U.S. Rare Coins - Numismatic Values - the Official Price Guide of NGC and the Collectors Society

 

[Damon64]

Congrats-- in Diggers lingo that's "huge silv in the pock" for Washington State!

I got nectar! Haha

 

[TreasurePirate69]

I agree with others who have said that this will probably grade VG to F. If you look at the gray sheets, the bid price in that range is $250 to $330. Also, if you go to have it graded they may mark it as having "environmental damage" (even if it looks fine) which could greatly reduce the value even further. You can have it graded but I would probably leave it "in the raw" since grading it could actually reduce its value and cost you a significant amount of money for the service.

Still, it is an awesome find! Enjoy it not for the high value but for the joy it brings when finding such a treasure. This is a once in a lifetime find for most of us. I just hope I find something as nice during my lifetime.

 

[tidetraveler]

Slab it!

What does slab it mean? sell it?

 

[TreasurePirate69]

What does slab it mean? sell it?

"Slab it" means to have it graded and placed into a "slab".

 

[MNcoinhunter]

I was just going by the info I found on cointrackers for a stab at it. What site do you use to find the correct values of coins?

Rob, I am just a novice coin grader. I use my 2012 Red Book, also an Official ANA Grading Standards for US coins guide, and then I will check Ebay for current prices, which is giving you more or less what a buyer is willing to pay for it on any given day.

 

[Damon64]

MNcoinhunter: Great Youtube vids! Subbed!

 

[hamiddetecting]

Very nice Congratulations

 

[RelicHunter97]

Wow nice find, $425 according to my coin book!

 

[Gridwalker306]

Very nice find! Congrats on having the presence of mind NOT to rub it when you dug it. Personally, I would get that coin into a flip, put it in my binder of sweet finds, and keep it!