Second Hunt of 2009, Frozen Ground and I Mangled a War Nickel

[mpostma]

I have to own up. I mangled a 1943 War Nickel.

Decided to hunt a wooded hillside near a 1904 Soldiers Reunion Encampment. This hillside is between the encampment site and a creek. Still has quite a bit of snow on it, with some open brown patches. Hill is pretty steep, and slippery leaves and mud where the snow is missing.

Worked my way up and down the hillside digging only memorial cents and a 1963 Canadian Penny. Found plenty of little brass nuts and bolts.
So, I get a nickel hit, again. The ground was frozen pretty hard and decided to pry up the clod with my pick. Showed about 3" down, so I cut the clod wide and chopped down and pried up a 6 inch deep chunk. When I flipped it over I was looking at a nickel frozen into the clod. I split it right at the coin!

I try to make myself feel better by seeing that it wasn't in too great a shape anyway. The bottom line is it could have been a buff or a V-nickel pretty easy in that location.

I guess I need to work on the patience factor yet this spring. I feel pretty rusty after the long winter, but there really isn't a good excuse for hacking up a coin.

Hoping nobody else gets in a hurry and does this.

Good Luck,

Mark

 

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[Old River]

Nice find. Congradulations....

 

[crazyjarhead]

That happens sometimes, especially if the ground is still frozen. Hasn't the warmth hit you yet? I bet your in the up or close to it

 

[silverfreak]

Mark...if you're going to hack a coin...might as well do it right brother
It happens bro...especially in hard or rocky ground. It always makes me be more patient for the next ones that pop out of the ground.
Nice find...and glad you are hunting again

 

[mpostma]

Thanks for the kind words!

CJH,
I'm in East Jordan, about 50 miles South of the Mackinaw Bridge. About 40 degrees here this morning, and drizzle.

Thank you Bryce! Yeah, I didn't mess around, I really hacked it up good! So proud of myself!

Good Luck All,
Mark

 

[kimsdad]

I agree with Bryce - The front looks great and you only scratched it - it's not split in two!

Nice find!

I'm still looking for my first war nickel....

Thank goodness this was clad!

HH
Neil

 

[mpostma]

Thanks Kimsdad!
The only real saving grace. I found two War Nickels last year, my only two, and they are a 43 and 44, both P's. They are both in great shape. So this would have been a duplicate.
All things being equal, I would rather mangle a memorial cent than anything else!

That chopped up clad looks good. You did that one right!

Thanks,
Mark

 

[John (Ma)]

Well thats a little togh to swallow when that happens, but unfortunatly it does. You will find plenty to make up for it.

 

[RSHEA DIGS]

It happens to everybody sooner or later.
Hope we can get together this summer.
Ralph

 

[Michiganne]

Blame it on the l-o-n-g winter, Mark! Glad it is a duplicate for you.

HH

 

[muleskinner]

Mark, that really bites ya dinged the coin. It could be worse though, it could have been alot older. Chalk it up to experience.

 

[itbeepsidig]

Still nice to find a war nickel.

 

[jgas]

What can I say brother...We all do that. I hope for softer ground for ya...Goodluck on the next hack...I mean dig....LOL.... jgas

 

[Atlanta Mi Dave]

It happens. Years ago I gouged up a 1931-S semi key Merc that just broke my heart as the coin probably graded at least X-fine until I wrecked it.
Very bad weather here in Shreveport, LA. Will be heading for Mich. on Mon/Tues. Can't wait!
HH! David

 

[Twin Digger]

You said it. but no the less good find.

Happy Hunting

Twin Digger

 

[UTcoinshootR]

I hacked up a wheatie that was between two big rocks and a bunch of other little ones. Sometimes the circumstances just won't let you dig a coin out decent unless you have a back hoe handy. Lesson learned though so you don't do it to that 1918/7 buff when you dig it .

 

[mpostma]

Thank you all for the kind words!

Nick,
If I promise to be more careful can you PLEASE not report me this time?!

Went back out to the old fairgrounds last night. Had to walk over a snowbank just to get in. Wore tennis shoes, and sank in up to my waist!
finally got out into the sports fields swinging my new pro coil, and found some clad dimes, couple of memorials, and a single wheatie.

Was disappointed until I got home and cleaned the mud off the wheatie, 1909! I cleaned very gently, noticed I had NOT mangled it!
Looked for the S, no. Looked for a VDB, not. Naked variety! Still a hundred years old, and the oldest wheatie I've ever found.
Pretty sure it's the oldest wheatie I will ever find! lol.

Let me know when you get home Dave!

Ralph, I agree, we should hunt together this spring or summer!

Good Luck All!
Mark

 

[NGE]

Heck, I made two half dimes out of a nice merc. one time with a hatchet, those were my first and second half dimes ever ......NGE

 

[arizonaames]

I did the same thing today with a Canadian penny and scarred it up pretty bad.....jim

 

[allen]

still a good looking nickel...