Interesting untouched spot with 1738 Silver

Cape Hunter

Sr. Member
May 17, 2019
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1,493
Cape Cod
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 900
Minelab CTX 3030
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All Treasure Hunting
This morning, found a clearing near a failing old pond. Pretty dried out. Lot of iron signals then buttons started showing up. Parts of a small buckle, cast pewter button and unusual chunk of lead. Then a coin! It's a 1738 British King George II Farthing. But this one is Silver. Cleaned an edge and bright shining Silver. I did not know they could be Silver. All the ones I see are copper. Then I found this: https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=345&lot=2681 The bust is a perfect match, lettering is a match. Anyone else come across one of these? th1.jpg
 

Upvote 23
Did they make a six pence that date? That would be silver I would think, and about the right size.
 

Do you still have the iron pieces that we believe might have been the mold? Looks like the guy tossed his whole counterfeiting operation into the pond at some point. Go back and hit the area hard and dig those pieces of scrap too that appear to be his base metal. Like I said with the mold (hope you didn’t break and toss it) you have a Banner find there.
 

Did they make a six pence that date? That would be silver I would think, and about the right size.

Farthings and sixpences were within a few millimetres of one another, but no sixpences were struck in 1738 and sixpences (from any date) don't have a Britannia reverse.
 

Thank you Crusader! I am not not very good with coins. I mostly find less valuable items as our area of the cape was very poor in the 1700's. I did clean the coin as best I can. I'm still wondering why it's does not look copper like? I have several old copper coins of the period this size which I compared the ring on our marble table top. The non copper coin is by far the winner. Does have a high ring. I attached a of better image. View attachment 1866891 View attachment 1866892
I rarely say this as I'm pretty good with pictures, but that one I would need in the hand. Something odd about it, either its been badly bent out of shape or it may be a counterfeit but I'm unsure.:dontknow:
 

The iron pieces on each side were very swollen with iron rust. I'm going to do my best to check, but not till late this week. I can find more scrap for sure. It was frequent.
 

If this "is" a counterfeit which certainly looks plausible. The maker must have been nuts. It would never pass as a Farthing and the owner would be hanged. Had to be a sand cast test.
 

It's rather oval, not round. Heavier than a copper coin of the same size.
 

Do you still have the iron pieces that were on each side? You might be able to clean them up with electrolysis or apple cider vinegar if they are not too far gone. How did you know that there was a "coin" between the iron pieces?

The iron pieces on each side were very swollen with iron rust. I'm going to do my best to check, but not till late this week. I can find more scrap for sure. It was frequent.
 

I started to dig iron signals to see if this was construction related. I was also getting a solid 24 on my equinox. When I pulled up a chunk of iron, I could see something in between. One side came off in one piece the other side was much more crumbly. It's the one better side I will go back and find.
 

Very much looking forward to your return trip to find that mold and hopefully more counterfeits.

I started to dig iron signals to see if this was construction related. I was also getting a solid 24 on my equinox. When I pulled up a chunk of iron, I could see something in between. One side came off in one piece the other side was much more crumbly. It's the one better side I will go back and find.
 

Cool find! I hope you can find the coin mold! :occasion14:
 

Careful what you ask for. Went out this morning for a quick check of the area looking for the iron piece off the first coin I found. Only to do much better finding another coin still in what looks like a almost full cast. Thought I was crazy when it came out of the ground. Bit closer to the pond than the last coin. Gives a solid 22 to 25 ring in all directions with my Equinox 800. Just like the last coin but this one is still encased. Sandwiched between some round slightly soft material, not iron. Not familiar with sand-casts, so maybe it's part? Definitely something other than iron cast 1.jpgcast 2.jpgcast 3.jpgcast 4.jpginside.
 

Carefully crack that puppy open!:headbang:
 

Yes, I'm tempted. But I want to keep this piece intact for the moment. I hope there is more that are not as good shape. I would prefer to use one of them and keep this one as is. There are other iron targets that I will get back to soon. Had little time this weekend.
 

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Very interesting find. Congrats.
 

Great thread, very interesting find, I wonder of you may have found a significant site. Looking forward to seeing what else you pull out of there. Congrats from a fellow Mass hunter
 

Thats freakin cool thats an oldie. Bet your excited to keep rippin into that spot.
 

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