Bucket lister heartbreaker from the frozen ground

[tnt-hunter]

At last the weather has gotten warmer and I can actually dig chunks out of the frozen ground with an occasional partly thawed spot that I don’t need a jack hammer to dig in.

I have been out the past 3 days trying my luck. Monday and Tuesday I went to campus because it has been warmer there longer so I was hoping for easier digging. I managed a decent number of coins, but nothing special. The usual can slaw, tabs, and junk along with a cigarette lighter from a car, some melted lead chunks and an organ reed.

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Today I decided to try closer to home thinking the ground might be better now that we have had a few warm days LOL. No such luck. But I went to the park anyway and started swingin in the rainy mess. The first inch was thawed and muddy, but I was having to put all my weight on the shovel to get it into the ground deeper and I thought I might break my heavy duty shovel prying the plugs from the ground. One of my coin signals was iffy mid tone high tone mixed on the CZ 21 so I thought nickel or slaw. It was about 3 inches down. I pinpointed and used my trowel to cut chunks out of the block and eventually got the green disk out. I thought it might be a copper Lincoln, but when I rubbed it I noticed a wreath on the back so I was happy thinking I had an IHP. They have been kind of scarce recently, I haven’t found an Indian head penny since June. It was muddy and rainy so I put it in my finds box and kept going. When I got home and rubbed it with clean fingers I noticed the wreath looked a little different and there was no shield. I turned it over and wiped it off and realized I had just found my FIRST FLYING EAGLE CENT! Unfortunately during the cutting up of the frozen chunk of dirt I must have grazed it with my trowel or pushed a pebble across the front scratching it. It looks like an 1858. It is a little crusty and beat up, but at least I have one. It took me almost 17 years to find it so on one level I am happy and on another level I am sad.

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I almost never hit or damage any coin, or target. Why did I have to mess this one up?

Thanks for looking and may your coil lead you to good things. Also may your ground be soft and easy to dig.

 

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[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Congrats on the FE! I’ve found over 30 IHP’s including a number of fatties, but never an FE.

 

[Inspector]

Congrats on the find, I feel for you nicking the coin trying to retrieve it, it's really tough when you are popping out blocks of frost trying to recover a find, been there.

 

[Whyme]

Great find! Congrats!

 

[Hawks88]

Still a nice find. Many of us have damaged our best finds. At least you went out on a cold rainy day and found it other wise you would still be looking for one. Congrats on a great save.

 

[dirtlooter]

sometimes no matter what we do, it is what it is. still it is a flying eagle and a lot of us (ME) have yet to find one. congrats

 

[tnt-hunter]

Thanks folks. Your encouraging comments are greatly appreciated. I will be out in the same field tomorrow trying to find his twin brother. The chances are slim and none, but you never know what will come out of the ground.

 

[ToddsPoint]

You can tell better, but to me that damage looks old. Gary

 

[Trezurehunter]

Congrats on your first Flying Eagle. That is a tough coin to find for most people.

 

[tnt-hunter]

You can tell better, but to me that damage looks old. Gary

There is a horizontal scratch that looks old, but the scratches across the date and eagle body are fresh unfortunately.

 

[tnt-hunter]

That is a tough coin to find for most people.

It was tough for me also, taking almost 17 years to find. It may be another 17 years before I find another one.

 

[devldog]

tnt, Congrat's on the find of the FE. It is still a great find, scratched or not. As far as finding it's twin brother, well, swinging the coil is "Like a box of chocolates". Forest Gump said it best. Lol Continued Success to you.

 

[smokeythecat]

I love the flying eagles. None of mine have come out of the ground looking good. It seems to be universal.

 

[OreElse]

Great FE, nick and all!

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Trezurehunter]

It was tough for me also, taking almost 17 years to find. It may be another 17 years before I find another one.

Me also. I only have one in 30 years of searching. Good luck on future finds.

 

[A2coins]

Great find I think we all have stabbed a dig at one time Live and learn hope you find its brother lol

 

[tnt-hunter]

So far no luck on the twin brother and with 2 days of snow predicted I may not get out for a while unless I get lucky and get a few hours to hunt on Sunday.

Thanks all for the great input. Keep swingin and praying for spring to arrive.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very nice find, you do not find many of them!