Found my oldest coin ever ! 1832 silver !

[pl8man]

Just found my 2nd 1800's coin in the past week ! That's great for me due to hunting mainly schools and parks that are maybe 60 years old . This coin was not really a surprise find in this location . About 5 years ago I found a 1972 Seated half at 8 inches at this same location . Also found a 1892 Barber dime at this location around 3 years ago .
This coin was a good 7 - 8 inches deep and it gave off a high tone of +81 - +83 . When I first saw the coin I knew I had silver ! At first I had no idea what it was till I just lightly wiped away some dirt and then I saw 1832 ! It turned out to be my oldest coin ever !

It's a 1 Franc with King Louis Philippe I on it . Very cool looking coin . Could this have been used here in California before it was a state ? Any info would be great !
HH
Glen

 

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[DiggItUp]

If it was spanish, I wouldn't doubt at all that it was used before American colonization in the 1850's. French, though? The French weren't anywhere near California. If I had to guess, I would say a traveller or trader (maybe a trapper?) lost it while traveling through the area. Many times a lot of them had different country coins because of traveling. If only we knew for sure... Cool find and thanks for sharing.

 

[eagleforce]

That is fricken awesome!! Its gunna be a good year, I feel it! You got the nose for those old coins pl8! Congrats!

 

[detroitdigger]

Sweet find!!

 

[Mach1Pilot]

1800s silver is always a great find no matter who minted it.... congrats!

 

[Terry Soloman]

Great find - Congratulations!

 

[Jason in Enid]

Zoot alors! Sweet find!

 

[treblehunter]

Wow, that's great, nice find.

 

[Stripeythecrab]

About 5 years ago I found a 1972 Seated half at 8 inches at this same location .

I'd love to find one of those!

Just kidding, but nice find though! Old silver is always great!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Congrats on the 19th c silver Franc Glen!
Feel like helping me shovel my driveway buddy, as swinging a detector's at least 3 months away for me!

Take care bud,
Dave

 

[pl8man]

Congrats on the 19th c silver Franc Glen!
Feel like helping me shovel my driveway buddy, as swinging a detector's at least 3 months away for me!

Take care bud,
Dave

Sorry to hear that Dave ! I know when the snow is gone you will be digging that old silver up once again !
Glen

 

[jewelerguy]

very cool. coulda been lost during the gold rush era

 

[detectahead]

Old silver is even better! Great find! Congrats on your oldest!


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[Showtime2385]

Great find, Congrats!

 

[JimDon]

Awesome find. It sure is a long way from home.

 

[war-digs-it]

You're a hardworking finder, kudos!

 

[WHADIFIND]

Wonderful find!

Thing is, we'll never know if it had been in the ground since 1832 or if some school kid brought it for show & tell. LOL

 

[chkn]

Awesome find pl8. It seems you are on to a very hot site. Yeah, jeez, I agree about the French trapper theory. Nothing but missions back then. No Gold Rush. Coulda been dropped during the Gold Rush though. I would comb everything! You're gonna find that Spanish Real one day my friend!

 

[ModernMiner]

Holy smokes, you guys are tearing it up out there in sunny San Jose. First Jade Buddah's, and now 1832 silver.
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Super recovery & very interesting too.
Congrats Big Guy!
-Doug-

 

[CC Hunter]

If it was spanish, I wouldn't doubt at all that it was used before American colonization in the 1850's. French, though? The French weren't anywhere near California. If I had to guess, I would say a traveller or trader (maybe a trapper?) lost it while traveling through the area. Many times a lot of them had different country coins because of traveling. If only we knew for sure... Cool find and thanks for sharing.

A French Franc dating from the 1830's is a very nice find, and certainly not out of the relm of possibilities by any means in California.

Foreign currency was legal tender in the United States up to 1857, and widely accepted during daily commerce. The French 5 Franc was equal to the Spanish 8 Reales, as well as equal to our US Dollar (The US Dollar also being based on the current world currency at the founding of our country, the Spanish milled dollar or 8 Reales).

In research, I have personally read accounts where French 1 Franc coins were imported into California by ship, literally by barrels full, during the 1850's. Considering the two principal forms of silver coinage circulating there in California were the silver US quarter dollar ($0.25), and Latin American (Spanish Colonial and independent states/countries) silver 2 Reales (1/4 of an 8 Reales in value), the French 1 Franc was found to circulate at equal rate being near the same size and shape. However, those enterprising individuals taking advantage in importing these French 1 Franc pieces gained an instant 25% profit at the first exchange in California markets, as there were five coins of silver 1 Francs needed to equal a US Dollar! With the Act of Congress in 1857 abolishing acceptance of foreign silver as legal tender, the French Francs and other foreign coins soon disappeared from circulation. For an interim period, the United States mints in 1857 offered to accept all foreign coinage, even worn and devalued, at full value, in exchange for US coinage. The majority of this was paid for though, using the newly minted Flying Eagle cents, which for the first time in our history carried a metal value well below face value (the earlier Large Cents and Half Cents were originally intended to circulate carrying a metal weight almost up to 100th of a dollar, and 200th of a dollar respectively). Of course the government made a hefty profit on this exchange (even when allowing "full" value for worn-down foreign silver coinage such as Francs & Reales! The silver Francs, Reales, and other foreign coins were soon melted at the mints of San Francisco, New Orleans, and Philadelphia, and reborn as Seated Liberty coinage, as well as the new silver $0.03 pieces.

A French Franc such as we see here, would have been a common sight in daily commerce of California, for nearly a decade up to 1857. After that date, the probability of circulaltion is rare indeed. So, rather than some lone trapper, early explorer, or similar romantic thought, the facts of circulation and loss of such a coin are more in line with everyday people conducting normal trade for goods and services, in a period possibly slightly before, or more likely during, the early statehood.

CC Hunter