FINALLY after 35 years of hunting....my FIRST SEATED HALF

silverfreak

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
4,062
1,077
Wherever Silver's Hidin'
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
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Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorers and E-Trac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
This big worn out beauty is the absolute LAST thing I expected to see at the bottom of the hole.

FINALLY after 35 years I have my FIRST seated Half dollar. Yep...I know...it's worn out...but I couldn't care less.

I had called my bro... the Yeti....but he had some family stuff to do and couldn't come with me.

When I got done with my mowing....I contacted Darrell (SwampThing) so we could do some hunting.

Luckily my brother had mowed most of dad's lots this time...so in 3 hours I was done. :icon_thumleft:

We went to Darrell's cabin site and the grass was mashed down from all the farm equipment in use.

We hunted nearly 3 hours before I got a hit worth investigating. It ended up being the 1890 Injun from 9". :headbang:

About 1 hour later I got my second...and last hit for the day.

I was hoping for a silver 3 cent piece as I don't believe I have ever found one of those. I remember reading somebody's post about how theirs hit...and it was similar to what this one was doing....kind of riding down the far right edge of the smartfind screen.

I called over "Heavy D" :laughing7: ...and he agreed it was a strange hit...but did have a silver "warble" to it.

We got down about 7" and hit a big root. I then dug a little tunnel underneath it so I could run the probe.

At about 9" the probe sounded off...but it was a little broken up with the tone. :icon_scratch:

We carefully dug around the root so we could get the hole larger. We are out in the middle of nowhere...so a messy hole ain't gonna' hurt nothin' :laughing9:

There was one little part of the root that was stubborn ??? ...so I gave it one quick push with the Predator digger... but it slipped off the root and smacked off of something hard in the hole 8) ...UH OH! ???

I then caught the edge of a big rim peeping out from under the root :icon_thumleft: .....so I immediately knew it wasn't a 3 cent piece. I saw it was slightly on edge. Not straight on edge...but enough so that it made the probe sound funny over it. I also then realized that I had nicked it DEEP with the Predator digger!

I was thinking seated quarter because Darrell and I have pulled some 2 centers..seated...half dimes..bust dimes..and more from here.

"Heavy D" ;D tried to stick his big mitt in the hole...but I popped him on the knuckles with the Predator :laughing9: and said..."Let me have the honors on this one bro"

I scraped around the dirt and then realized it wasn't a quarter rim...it was BIGGER still. :headbang:

I snatched it out of the hole and then started trembling because I knew it was a half.

The dirt was caked on it pretty good and I didn't want to rub it...but then the excitement got the best of me.
I gave it a rub so much of the crusty dirt came off and I could see the BIG outline of a SEATED LADY! :hello2:

Holy crap....a coin I never thought I'd find!

Darrell and I have hit this spot MANY times over the last couple of years...but if you are patient enough to understand you might dig only one or two coins in 4 hours...if ANY...then there is always hope of it coughing up a keeper.

When I got home I rubbed it a little more to get some more of the dirt crud to crumble off of it..and I then saw where I had clearly nicked it..and nicked it quite well I might add 8) ...right along the bottom between the F and D...and all the way to the bottom rim! In fact it's not a scratch...it's a deep gouge...but I can't help it...the predator stabbed it good when it slipped off the root. ::) OH WELL...It's MINE...I DUG it...and it's my first seated half EVER! :icon_thumleft:

Darrell got what we think is another 2 center for him...but it looks more like a greenish, rusty slug right now...so he has it soaking in oil.

Anyway...thanks for sharing this with me...and good luck on your next hunt.
 

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Upvote 0
hogge said:
Tremendous find Bryce!
Thanks my friend

allen said:
congrats on that big silver !! :thumbsup:
Thanks Allen

pepperj said:
Nice going, a longtime coming :thumbsup:
Definitely...thanks pepper

crazyjarhead said:
Worn out or not it's still a seated half Bryce :thumbsup:
Yep...I agree CJH. I'll take her.

Colonial Copper Zeus said:
Congrats on your first Seated Half Bryce. I only found 1. 1859 in great shape. I found it right in front of Kirk and Kyle when I was showing them what metal detecting was all about many years ago. I was whooping it up and they thought I was nuts. You hardly nicked it. You did great my friend.
Chris
Thanks Chris. I bet the 2 loonies would have whooped it up with you if they knew what it was all about at that time :icon_thumleft: Heck...now they might try to jump you and take your claim ;D

t-bucket said:
WTG Bryce, Congrats on the seated lady :thumbsup: Big silver is getting harder to find !!!! Have a good one and good luck on your next hunt :thumbsup:
Thanks G-Money...and thanks for the phone call. It's always good to hear from you.

McNICKLE said:
A BIG Congratulations on that one silverfreak.......
Thanks Dave, It was a long time coming.
 

Goes4ever said:
beautiful coin, Congrats!
Thanks G-4

Earthworks said:
Very nice!!
Thanks Earthworks

4-H said:
Wow! Congrats. After what you have been through this year....You deserve it, and many more...Mike
Thanks Mike. That means a lot to me :thumbsup:

mikewaz said:
Nice going Bryce!
Not many of us get to dig one of those. Well deserved because you sure put in your time.
Mike
Thanks MikeW. I wish I could put in more time...but I just have a lot on the plate.

Michiganne said:
A beauty of a seated half, Bryce!! :hello2: Excellent job!

Keep digging!
Thanks Michiganne. I wish I wouldn't have nicked her...but stuff happens :D
 

mpostma said:
Bryce!

Congrats!

I've said it before, and I will say it again: "You are an artist with the Explorer! You earn every great find you make!"

Seated Half! Very Very Cool!

Congratulations again.

Wishing you all the best.

Good Luck!
Mark
Thanks for the kind words Mark. The only part I'll take credit for is that I feel I earn my finds...and do work hard for them.
Thanks again bro...and I see you have been popping out some goodies yourself :icon_thumleft:

Brian in MA said:
Awesome coin Bryce. Finding any half is a major find. But a Seated is just way too cool.

I can relate to the 1 or 2 coins per 4 hours of hunting. But, my one or 2 coins are usually worn-out, corroded, unidentifiable coppers and most definitely not Seated Half's.....

Congrats on your first Seated Half....

Brian in MA
Thanks Brian. These sites that give up only a signal or 2 in a few hours are about all I have left.
Take care buddy
 

The Buzzard King said:
Nice find Bryce! Congrats! :thumbsup:
My only seated half so far was a lead counterfeit!
I'm heading out later today to where I found my first seated quarter, maybe I'll have some luck tonight.
Again, sweet find! Keep at it!
Thanks BK. Good luck on popping out an oldie this evening.

CurbdiggerCarl57 said:
You, of all people, deserve that half! Me, I'm still looking. And looking.
Carl
Thanks Carl. Maybe one will pop out soon. You just never know with this hobby.

rtde3 said:
Congrats! I know that was a great feeling! :hello2:
Thanks. Yes it sure was :wink:

spartacus53 said:
That is one great coin there, and to think it was 9" down and under roots. :headbang: It was well worth the work in recovering the beauty
Thanks friend. I worked hard at getting it out. Maybe too hard ;D

Sniffy said:
Killer find!
Thanks sniffy

kevin11 said:
Wow a fine coin that's for sure.You can change your Handel to silver magnet........Kevin
Thanks Kevin ;D

Neil in West Jersey said:
Congrats, dude!

Those tree roots can make recovery difficult. Sometimes you can't help nicking things in those conditions. The coin sure looks good to me!
Thanks Neil. I did the best I could...but I just couldn't get the last root out of the way ::)

Johnny Ringo Silver said:
BRYCE.......ATA-BOY Buddy!!! Way to go on the first!! I agree with you, regardless of the condition its
a seated half with a readable date man! The ol' gouge could have been alot worse to.
Keep up the great digs. 8)
Thanks JRS. Ya'...I guess it isn't that bad of a nick 8)
 

So,
Did I tell you how I had a great signal that came and went at the grove this spring?
Solid huge roots covering the signal.

Went home and got my 18 volt sawzall. Cut the roots one by one, sweating my buns off and cutting them all up.
when they were all out of the way it was much easier to get to the old skill saw blade! But, I did not nick it! LOL.

Best of luck my friend,
Mark
 

Excellent! What a coin to dig, congrats!
 

Ahhhh, :P

You hardly nicked it at all, :dontknow: compaired to those 1 inch scratches I've seen people put on coins. :laughing9: Awesome job and awesome half worn or not it is a sweet piece of silver. I'm still looking for any kind of silver half dollar. :icon_scratch:

Keep @ It and HH!! ;D :D
 

WTG and HH Im still looking for one to. :icon_thumright:
 

I am proud for you. Never have I found that old a half. Congradulations, and I hope you find more. HH......
 

This is what makes it all worth while, the thrill of the hunt and the find.
 

:notworthy: Congratulations, it looks great to me. I would have never noticed the nick had you not mentioned it. And I fully understand how you came to nick it. Roots have led to many of my nicked coins. >:( I've never found a seated half and come to think of it, I don't think I've dug a seated quarter either. :-[
 

That is one big piece of silver SF; congrats - finds like that are what encourage me to get out there and swing!

ffd
 

WAY TA GO S.F. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok ...first the Merc.16D and now a seated halfie !! Next its gonna be buried loot from Bonnie & Clyde !!!

I hope I'm around in the summer of 2044 to see your next first in 70 years !!

Congrats dude !! :notworthy: :headbang: :notworthy:

D.
 

holy crap !!!! ya went out and found yourself a seated half. big congrats mad man. wooohooo!!! willy.
 

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