The "Back Field" continues to deliver enjoyment and some old treasures (mystery large copper and buttons)

brianc053

Bronze Member
Jan 27, 2015
1,007
3,630
Sussex County, DE
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800
XP Deus 2
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hi all. I got out to the "Back Field" (Link to previous post) again this morning in the windy 32 degree Fahrenheit weather. Wind chill was killer.

I continued to work the grid and track my progress; no map on this post, because I was kind-of all over the place. I did a few passes to the left of where I'd been detecting, then looped around to the right side to test the area - and found some buttons over there, so it appears that old stuff is everywhere. Love it!

The first target of the day was a scratchy 88 on the Deus 2 mixed with an iron grunt, so I honestly didn't have high hopes - but the 88 was repeatable enough that I dug. (Plus the soil here in Delaware is such soft sandy soil that it's easy to dig just about anything. Literally no rocks, unlike my years in NJ where every thrust into the earth hit a rock.)
I was really surprised when a large copper came out of the hole (along with a nail, explaining the mixed signal). The copper is slick, although a bust is barely visible on the obverse (there is literally nothing on the reverse, so no pics of that). I think it might be a KG3 - the bust seems to be looking right - but the 26.5mm diameter is a little small for a KG3. That size is more like a KG1. Any input from all of you on what this could be?

As for the other finds, I was super excited to dig a really bad condition V Nickel; I think it's a 1902, but I'm not going to touch it any further because when I tried to work on the "19" of the date it completely went away. The coin was like a 58 on the Deus 2.
And as for the buttons, I found a second gold button from Hammond Turner & Sons that perfectly matches one found some weeks ago in the same field; both buttons have the unusual "9429" number on the backmark.

I won't get back out to this site before Christmas, so - Merry Christmas everyone, and I look forward to one more outing before the New Year!

- Brian

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Upvote 20
The 1/2 penny was 30mm, Farthing was 24mm

Just kinda-sorta looked like possibly two overlapping busts. I didn't even take size into consideration. Stuff like that is non-existent where I live so what I know about it would fit on the head of a pin. LOL
 

Just kinda-sorta looked like possibly two overlapping busts. I didn't even take size into consideration. Stuff like that is non-existent where I live so what I know about it would fit on the head of a pin. LOL
I like the double profile part of your reply.
The 3rd photo shows that off better.
(not enough coffee when I did the post.)

Brian the site that just keeps producing the old finds. Congrats once again.
 

Thanks for all the input, everyone. Given all that input, I thought I'd do a bit more research, so I've laid out the "usual suspects" side-by-side. The picture includes:

KG 1 - KG2 - KG3 - William & Mary

Looking at the coin I found compared to each, I think the most likely candidate is the KG 3.
(NOTE: coins not to scale, i.e. I did not account for millimeters of diameter in the image.)

I think my diameter of about 26.5mm is confusing, since the KG 3 is typically 30mm. But so is the KG2 and the W&M. The only one that was between 25mm and 27mm was the KG1, but usually the KG1's outer ring is visible even on worn coins.
Honestly, we'll likely never know what it is. And it doesn't really matter; it's just going in a coin holder in a sleeve in my book anyway.

@pepperj yeah this site has been such a blessing. It's really renewed my belief that there's still good stuff to be found out there. I plan to just keep working it over the winter, and will keep posting what I find.

- Brian

compare1.png
 

Hi all. I got out to the "Back Field" (Link to previous post) again this morning in the windy 32 degree Fahrenheit weather. Wind chill was killer.

I continued to work the grid and track my progress; no map on this post, because I was kind-of all over the place. I did a few passes to the left of where I'd been detecting, then looped around to the right side to test the area - and found some buttons over there, so it appears that old stuff is everywhere. Love it!

The first target of the day was a scratchy 88 on the Deus 2 mixed with an iron grunt, so I honestly didn't have high hopes - but the 88 was repeatable enough that I dug. (Plus the soil here in Delaware is such soft sandy soil that it's easy to dig just about anything. Literally no rocks, unlike my years in NJ where every thrust into the earth hit a rock.)
I was really surprised when a large copper came out of the hole (along with a nail, explaining the mixed signal). The copper is slick, although a bust is barely visible on the obverse (there is literally nothing on the reverse, so no pics of that). I think it might be a KG3 - the bust seems to be looking right - but the 26.5mm diameter is a little small for a KG3. That size is more like a KG1. Any input from all of you on what this could be?

As for the other finds, I was super excited to dig a really bad condition V Nickel; I think it's a 1902, but I'm not going to touch it any further because when I tried to work on the "19" of the date it completely went away. The coin was like a 58 on the Deus 2.
And as for the buttons, I found a second gold button from Hammond Turner & Sons that perfectly matches one found some weeks ago in the same field; both buttons have the unusual "9429" number on the backmark.

I won't get back out to this site before Christmas, so - Merry Christmas everyone, and I look forward to one more outing before the New Year!

- Brian

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great saves all around, wtg
 

your coin might be french as well

maybe not this exact one...but an avenue worth exploring

1734963374376.png
 

your coin might be french as well

maybe not this exact one...but an avenue worth exploring

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thanks for the suggestion, @grasshopper . In 2023 I actually found this King Louis XV 1 Sol coin in a field across the road (maybe 1 mile away as the crow flies) from the "back field", so that shows there were French coins used in the area.
But I still think my new one is most likely a KG3.

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