Metal Detecting and filling a 19th Century Type Set.

[Skippy SH13]

Many of you know that I've never found a single silver coin, or coin older than 1940 (one Wheatie!). Despite that, I really wanted to create a 19th Century type set from the spoils of metal detecting.

So... I turned to Ebay! With the exception of $50 of coins (given as an Ebay gift-card this year for Father's Day), all of these coins were purchased with the CLAD coins turned into the bank, and used through Paypal for Ebay coins!

My son bought me the 19th Century Littleton coin book, for Father's Day, so I also can't claim that... but I absolutely LOVE the fact that my type-set is coming together nicely.

My point is this... CLAD PAYS. For new folks who are getting into the hobby... Clad can be a huge boon, when saved up. Those quarters DO add up, and the pennies do as well... just not nearly as fast. In fact, I haven't paid for any of these coins with Pennies... They sit in Mason jars in my garage. :0)

Here's my current collection. Of the 67 coins total in this Type Set (no Gold), I'm missing 16, but will have most of those by the end of they year, I suspect.

Draped Bust coins, of course, are going to set me back 6 months of finds PER coin, but eventually they'll happen. (Though truthfully, at some point, I'm likely to cheat and fill it in using other funds).

Cheers!

Please pardon the really weird rendering of the images. I swear I took them all with the same camera at the SAME TIME. I have no idea what some are presented large and others not!

-Skippy
Skippy

 

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[Skippy SH13]

Hmmm... picture quality makes it rough to see the details. A few of the coins are AG, though most are Good or better, with some approaching VF/EF. I tried very hard to get as detailed as I could, so some of them have damage, like a rim ding or hole, which severely diminishes the value to collectors looking for perfect specimens. Some of those coins are EF/AU details, and I LOVE them. Holes allow me to get normally REALLY expensive coins for 10%-20% of normal value. Take the 20cent piece. I got it for $40. They normally run $120 plus for good, and in the detail I have $200 or more... So 20% of cost for a hole that doesn't bother me, and I get to enjoy all the fine details. Love it.

I'm collecting for the detail and appreciation of the history, not the $$ value. In fact, other than the fact I've bought them with Clad over the last 6 months, I don't have a clue the total cost or total value of the coins. I doubt I'll ever sell the set. My son, actually, when he gave me the coin book immediately asked if he could have it when I die. nice. "Happy Father's Day, Dad! Hope you die soon... Love - Son."



Skippy

 

[Loco-Digger]

You were correct when you said the clad adds up. I have used my clad for better detectors and other MD'ing supplies as well as repairs and upgrades. I will never get rich, but you will always see me smiling when I am swinging the coil, and that's what it's all really about in my eyes.
I did purchase 13 coin folders (only for my detecting finds). It is always a win/win if I pull a keeper that fills an empty slot in one of the folders. GL & HH

 

[Skippy SH13]

Oh, see now that's something I hadn't even thought about doing. What a great idea to create a coin book of modern finds... Of course, they'd all look like they'd been in a well for 3 months. LOL

On the flip-side that WOULD make it kind of a unique coin set (all found metal detecting).... Great idea! Problem with that in my brain, is that it will cut into my Clad savings for 19th century coins... BAH!

You were correct when you said the clad adds up. I have used my clad for better detectors and other MD'ing supplies as well as repairs and upgrades. I will never get rich, but you will always see me smiling when I am swinging the coil, and that's what it's all really about in my eyes.
I did purchase 13 coin folders (only for my detecting finds). It is always a win/win if I pull a keeper that fills an empty slot in one of the folders. GL & HH

 

[Carolina Tom]

I like the way you think. That type set is a really cool idea.

I didn't realize that you had never found a silver coin. Keep at it, one of these days, when you least expect it, a shiny rascal will show up in the hole.

It was April 5th 2014 for me. I had been looking for one and looking for one, then it happened... I dug a hole and there in the bottom was a shiny silver dime.It just took my breath away. As soon as I saw it I knew that it had to be a silver coin. It was all downhill from that point. I have found a total of 93 in the 15 months since then. GL&HH.

 

[Skippy SH13]

WHOA!!! 93! That's incredible. Very cool and inspiring. I think a lot of my "lack" of success is limited by lack of locations where Silver can be mined.

My city had less than 4000 people in it until the 1980's... and all of downtown is now paved. While it has 49,000 people now, the explosion has occurred in the last 15 years. Over 3/4 of our cities now numerous parks (we've 17 of them!) are less than 15 years old. While clad is plentiful, OLD clad is not.

I've been surprised once by a Wheatie in the tot-lot, but the only silver dimes I've come across were while trying to fill out a modern dime set in a Blue book, coin roll hunting (2 of them!). Same goes for the two silver war nickels I've found.

What I lack in ancient silver, I make up for in clad (We've got GREAT hills in our parks just made for kids rolling and clearing out pockets. LOL), and rings (43 of them year-to-date!).

I was once worried about it, but since I've been collecting through e-bay, I actually REALLY hunt the clad hard. It's just as fun, when I know I hit the $15 mark and I can get a new coin.

I like the way you think. That type set is a really cool idea.

I didn't realize that you had never found a silver coin. Keep at it, one of these days, when you least expect it, a shiny rascal will show up in the hole.

It was April 5th 2014 for me. I had been looking for one and looking for one, then it happened... I dug a hole and there in the bottom was a shiny silver dime.It just took my breath away. As soon as I saw it I knew that it had to be a silver coin. It was all downhill from that point. I have found a total of 93 in the 15 months since then. GL&HH.