Don in SJ
Silver Member
- May 20, 2005
- 4,932
- 837
- Detector(s) used
- MINELAB SE Pro
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
This year is the year of the Half Cent in my family, I got the fifth one between the son and I today and also my 20th Half Cent total for me.
I hunted another new site today, and almost came home with just some clad I found on the dirt road, the site was supposed to be there, but once I arrived, all I saw was very thick Mountain Laurel for blocks upon blocks! I saw no signs that I typically look for, no change in underbrush, it was all the same, thick unrelenting Mountain Laurel............
After almost giving up, I went real slow along the road and although the typical Iron hits were lacking on the road, I spotted about 20 feet off the road in the thick laurel what appeared to be an old road cut, even though the road I was on is from the mid 1700s, this perked me up a bit. Nearby was a old falling apart deer hunters stand and the immediate area must have been cut back by the hunter years ago and it was the only so called open area around. I walked into this area and started getting the iron hits you always hope for, signalling a possible old site in the area. Nothing came of the hits in the open area, but I started getting better hits in the adjoining Laurel, so now I busted into it and being hardly able to swing the coil at all I got some diggable readings.
Two buttons later, I knew I had a site that could produce an old coin, visions of 1600 era up to mid 1700 era coins popped into my head and finally I spotted a well sized deep depression, about 5 feet across and about 3 feet deep. Near the edge of the hole I got a nice coin reading.
A small copper about 6 inches down came to light but right away from the appearance I knew uh oh, bad soil conditions here........ By the size and what I was expecting, I thought perhaps I had a French Liard or an early James II copper, but once I got home and started cleaning the corroded piece I saw some familiar words. HALF CENT with a Wreath and the word OF...........
By the size , a tad over 22.5mm, and I could see edge lettering, I knew I had a 1793 Half Cent! I was both happy but also disappointed on the condition. IF it had been a coin from the 1600s in that shape I would have been pleased but to have a valuable year Half Cent in such sad shape pained me to say the least.
I ended up with 3 buttons and the Half Cent and may go back again later this spring, it is quite a trek to get to the site so for now it is not high on my list of future hunts, especially with the rough conditions there.
I cannot fret too much over the copper, it is my second 1793, back in the 90's I was lucky enough to get a decent one while field hunting, so I do have one in a bit better shape. (photo attached).My son just emailed me and he got another Large Toasted copper on another quick after the work hunt, so March continues to be kind to us.
HH
Don
I hunted another new site today, and almost came home with just some clad I found on the dirt road, the site was supposed to be there, but once I arrived, all I saw was very thick Mountain Laurel for blocks upon blocks! I saw no signs that I typically look for, no change in underbrush, it was all the same, thick unrelenting Mountain Laurel............
After almost giving up, I went real slow along the road and although the typical Iron hits were lacking on the road, I spotted about 20 feet off the road in the thick laurel what appeared to be an old road cut, even though the road I was on is from the mid 1700s, this perked me up a bit. Nearby was a old falling apart deer hunters stand and the immediate area must have been cut back by the hunter years ago and it was the only so called open area around. I walked into this area and started getting the iron hits you always hope for, signalling a possible old site in the area. Nothing came of the hits in the open area, but I started getting better hits in the adjoining Laurel, so now I busted into it and being hardly able to swing the coil at all I got some diggable readings.
Two buttons later, I knew I had a site that could produce an old coin, visions of 1600 era up to mid 1700 era coins popped into my head and finally I spotted a well sized deep depression, about 5 feet across and about 3 feet deep. Near the edge of the hole I got a nice coin reading.
A small copper about 6 inches down came to light but right away from the appearance I knew uh oh, bad soil conditions here........ By the size and what I was expecting, I thought perhaps I had a French Liard or an early James II copper, but once I got home and started cleaning the corroded piece I saw some familiar words. HALF CENT with a Wreath and the word OF...........
By the size , a tad over 22.5mm, and I could see edge lettering, I knew I had a 1793 Half Cent! I was both happy but also disappointed on the condition. IF it had been a coin from the 1600s in that shape I would have been pleased but to have a valuable year Half Cent in such sad shape pained me to say the least.
I ended up with 3 buttons and the Half Cent and may go back again later this spring, it is quite a trek to get to the site so for now it is not high on my list of future hunts, especially with the rough conditions there.
I cannot fret too much over the copper, it is my second 1793, back in the 90's I was lucky enough to get a decent one while field hunting, so I do have one in a bit better shape. (photo attached).My son just emailed me and he got another Large Toasted copper on another quick after the work hunt, so March continues to be kind to us.
HH
Don
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