My first 2 Reales!

[invent4hir]

The warm weather after Christmas got me back out. I had been detecting around an old hand-dug well, using various coils & settings, and on my last pass found this 1774 2 Reales. That made my year! In the same 900 square foot area over a 2-day period I found 5 large cents (2 in one hole along with a Imperial Standard flat button), a possible padlock keyhole cover, part of a utensil handle, various nails, bricks, pottery sherds, etc.

 

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[Gene Mean]

That's a beauty. And old!!

 

[invent4hir]

That's a beauty. And old!!

Gene Mean, I agree! Not only a first for me - but also my oldest to date. Unlike the LCs that were in terrible condition, when I saw a glint in the dirt, I knew this coin was silver.

 

[GaRebel1861]

Lucky a$$! That’s the way to end the year. Congratulations!

 

[invent4hir]

Lucky a$$! That’s the way to end the year. Congratulations!

GaRebel1861, lucky lol! It makes up for slicing my finger on some rusty iron 2 days before. Usually I just get cut w/o making such a find - so yes maybe I was just a bit lucky that day

 

[lenmac65]

That is a great old coin. I would love to find a portrait piece like that. Congrats on finding such a terrific coin.

 

[invent4hir]

That is a great old coin. I would love to find a portrait piece like that. Congrats on finding such a terrific coin.

lenmac65, thanks a bunch! I hope you do find such a terrific coin one day.

 

[invent4hir]

This coin pre-dates settlements in the area by about 20 years and the cabin site where it was found by 45 years or so. While the large cents ranging from 1825 to 1848 make sense to me, I've been wondering why this coin was found there. One theory I have is that maybe during the early 1820s when there was an economic recession, maybe pioneers wanted to get their hands on any silver coin, even if it was foreign & old. Or perhaps a keepsake. Other thoughts/theories?

 

[pepperj]

GaRebel1861, lucky lol! It makes up for slicing my finger on some rusty iron 2 days before. Usually I just get cut w/o making such a find - so yes maybe I was just a bit lucky that day

Congratulations on the 250 yr old silver.
Now you're probably going to get tetanus from that rusty can, so I'll send a PM with my address. I promise to display it well.

 

[invent4hir]

Congratulations on the 250 yr old silver.
Now you're probably going to get tetanus from that rusty can, so I'll send a PM with my address. I promise to display it well.

pepperj, thanks for the congrats. About tetanus, wonder if the shot I got in the 60s is still good? Or maybe it was one of the shots I got in boot camp back in the 70s. Time will tell...

 

[Mackaydon]

Great save !!

Lima Mint; Assayers Manuel de Iglesia Abarca & Juan Joseph Cano Melgarejo (M J)​

Don in SoCal

 

[ToddsPoint]

This coin pre-dates settlements in the area by about 20 years and the cabin site where it was found by 45 years or so. While the large cents ranging from 1825 to 1848 make sense to me, I've been wondering why this coin was found there. One theory I have is that maybe during the early 1820s when there was an economic recession, maybe pioneers wanted to get their hands on any silver coin, even if it was foreign & old. Or perhaps a keepsake. Other thoughts/theories?

Spanish silver was very common until 1857 when it was no longer legal money. Up until that time there was not near enough US minted silver. Spanish silver was an accepted money standard worldwide.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Wow ... congrats on a rare and FANTASTIC find !

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

The warm weather after Christmas got me back out. I had been detecting around an old hand-dug well, using various coils & settings, and on my last pass found this 1774 2 Reales. That made my year! In the same 900 square foot area over a 2-day period I found 5 large cents (2 in one hole along with a Imperial Standard flat button), a possible padlock keyhole cover, part of a utensil handle, various nails, bricks, pottery sherds, etc.

oh my, what a save! and a beauty at that, wtg

 

[oldmxrat]

Wow, fantastic way to close out 2024, congrats!

 

[invent4hir]

Great save !!

Lima Mint; Assayers Manuel de Iglesia Abarca & Juan Joseph Cano Melgarejo (M J)​

Don in SoCal

Don, thanks for the kudos & background info! If I donate the coin to the local historical society in an educational display case next year, the info will be a great addition to the description that accompanies it.

 

[invent4hir]

Spanish silver was very common until 1857 when it was no longer legal money. Up until that time there was not near enough US minted silver. Spanish silver was an accepted money standard worldwide.

ToddsPoint, thanks as that helps to clear up the mystery of why the coin was found at the original cabin site. While the family that lived on the property built a larger home in the 1830s about 600 feet away, it is possible they continued to use the cabin well into the mid/late 1800s.

 

[invent4hir]

Wow ... congrats on a rare and FANTASTIC find !

E-Trac-Ohio, that means a lot coming from you! Looking at your list of finds, I got a lot of catching up to do

 

[invent4hir]

oh my, what a save! and a beauty at that, wtg

Hunk-a-lead, totally agree! I was stoked because the coin was vertical in the ground - giving the detector only a thin edge to work with. Plus there was a rusty nail in the same hole. Thankfully the Sharpshooter coil was able to distinguish between the 2.

 

[invent4hir]

Wow, fantastic way to close out 2024, congrats!

oldmxrat, agree 100% with you. Once the ground freezes, I may return to the site, and give it another go. Who knows, maybe 2025 will begin the way 2024 ended