Unbelievable! 1785 Nova Constellatio dug + Scarce variety + Live Dig!

[Scrappy]

I’m still a bit shaky. Actually in the live dig you can see my hand start shaking the minute I realize what I had dug, lol.

I’ve been clearing out a cellar hole lately and went there this morning for my second round of gut-busting stone removal. The first day had good results with a shoe buckle frag and some iron scissors, so I decided to commit my winter to a complete excavation. Here’s day 1 View attachment 1522484

Today I took a “before” picture even though I’d done some removal already. Here’s how it looked


View attachment 1522486

I spent a good 2-3 hours removing stones and grooming the dirt for detecting but hadn’t had any luck besides square nails and cauldron fragments. I was beginning to feel quite dejected after removing a ton (no kidding) of rock and finding zero non-ferrous targets when I got a pretty decent signal. That’s when things got weird...





And here it is...




It actually looks like an off-strike on top of everything else. Here’s a guide for Identification



The video says it all but I must say it was quite a wonderful surprise to dig a copper, much less a transitional piece in good condition. Here’s an “after” pic of the cellar hole from 3 hours of work

This is my second Nova and I now have two Scarce varieties!



Here they are together





I left after that find,but I’ll surely be back soon. Remember, you never know what’ll be in that next hole so always keep at it. Enjoy, and good hunts!

Steve

 

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[Scrappy]

You said in the beginning of the video you were wasting the day digging a cellar hole but I think not!

Yes, I did say that in so many words. Lol. It just goes to show you never know what’s in that next hole. You’ve been crushing it lately with the reale and seated silvers

 

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[Scrappy]

Banner?

Haha, that’s up to you all. A Nova I found went banner a year ago that was arguably more “common”. What
Attends to me is people enjoy the pics and post.

 

[Scrappy]

Steve - A big congrats to you on a hard won but totally worth it Nova Constellatio copper. Your post and video provides inspiration for my own cellar hole dig over the winter. I find that some cellar holes can be a bust, but when they pay off, they pay off big! To get a pre-Federal issued coin in such well-preserved condition should provide encouragement for further digging so good luck! Field recovered coppers are usually in miserable condition, but as you know, coppers recovered from the woods, especially when dug from a deep celler hole, is another matter. Now go get a Chain Cent!

Thanks for the kind words Jim. I guess it’s a mutual inspiration thing because that latest tree coin post of yours reinvigorated me to go “1652 or die trying”. So after that I decided to tear out this cellar hole. So thank you!

 

[Scrappy]

Oh, it wasnt accidental! I saw Abe clearing a beautiful spot and it looked like a good place to hunt. I figured Abe and I could team up.... he could clear the brush while I detected the cleared area. I didn't really, but we joked about it. After all, I was poppin pewters from the trash dump area and convinced Abe to come join in.

Haha, I know it wasn’t by accident buddy. But it was a pretty funny scene. Here he is a bit later with his spoils.

It could have been all yours...

 

[Scrappy]

Wow... that is a hell of a spread Scrappy! There should be a thread on here showing everyone’s “trophy case”! (Maybe there is?) Absolutely amazing!

You’ve inspired me to excavate my oldest site, a small cellar we have pulled 20+ buttons, 9 silvers and 2 coppers including a Connecticut. Gotta be more goodies and obviously the backbreaking work can potentially lead to phenomenal results!

Hey man, that’s great to hear! I wish you the best of luck with your excavation. It sounds like a really prime spot!

 

[A2coins]

wow scrappy you have an awezome collection i dream about that. thanks for always sharing your finds

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using TreasureNet.com mobile app

 

[creade]

What a awesome coin I hope to find one someday!

 

[Evolution]

Such a great cleaning job bro. You did those coins justice. The finished product looks great on both.

 

[Scrappy]

Stellar Steve! Congrats!

Thanks bud. Lord only knows how many times this site has skunked me before this find. Lol.

 

[Patriot Relics]

Late to the party, but you got to be kidding me Steve... second Nova and condition looks outstanding. hopefully another banner headed your way

 

[treblehunter]

Banana nana fo fanna fi fo foe fanna banner! where the matter fanna fe fi foe banner banner!

 

[Cal_Cobra]

That is one awesome piece of history right there, congrats, loved seeing it dug live

HH,
Cal

 

[Scrappy]

Such a great cleaning job bro. You did those coins justice. The finished product looks great on both.

Thanks Evo. I’ve tried to learn everything I can about cleaning copper coins over the last several years. You do what you can, but this time I happened to be presented with a coin that lives in very nice ground.

 

[Scrappy]

Late to the party, but you got to be kidding me Steve... second Nova and condition looks outstanding. hopefully another banner headed your way

Thanks Jon, and if you watched the video I believe I said “you’ve got to be kidding me” expletive expletive expletive... lol.

And thanks for the banner consideration. I don’t know where this one falls among all the incredible finds lately, or if people are even voting for it. It doesn’t much matter though, it’s one of my favorite finds ever - I always thought script US Novas looked very cool.

Cheers bud

 

[Ahab8]

Haha, I know it wasn’t by accident buddy. But it was a pretty funny scene. Here he is a bit later with his spoils. View attachment 1523636

It could have been all yours...

Haha the funniest part about that entire story is the fact that I had no idea it was actually a marked brass 1812 button. As you and Brad know I don’t try to ID or clean anything in the field. So I jokingly told Brad I dug an eagle on cannon button. He asked if he could wipe some dirt off. I said “of course” and started laughing because I knew it was blank. Then he tells me it is an eagle on cannon button. I totally thought he was joking until I looked again. That button made my entire weekend after I’d pulled around 20 marked pewters from there in the past and that was only the second brass and the one I was looking for. That pic brings back great memories. We all had fun and you guys made some great finds. You pulled that awesome farthing from my ancestors mill which was such a fun moment. I was always hoping one of you would find a coin there so you could understand the condition for yourselves instead of just seeing the coins I pulled out of there. Then Old Man Harbin goes crazy with his GPX and starts pulling out 30” pewter spoons. Then I got engaged! Holy crap what a weekend that was.

 

[Scrappy]

Banana nana fo fanna fi fo foe fanna banner! where the matter fanna fe fi foe banner banner!

Awww shucks Brad - thanks for the Banner vote.

 

[Scrappy]

That is one awesome piece of history right there, congrats, loved seeing it dug live

HH,
Cal

Thanks man. We both had a very good hunt - it just takes one find!!

 

[Scrappy]

Haha the funniest part about that entire story is the fact that I had no idea it was actually a marked brass 1812 button. As you and Brad know I don’t try to ID or clean anything in the field. So I jokingly told Brad I dug an eagle on cannon button. He asked if he could wipe some dirt off. I said “of course” and started laughing because I knew it was blank. Then he tells me it is an eagle on cannon button. I totally thought he was joking until I looked again. That button made my entire weekend after I’d pulled around 20 marked pewters from there in the past and that was only the second brass and the one I was looking for. That pic brings back great memories. We all had fun and you guys made some great finds. You pulled that awesome farthing from my ancestors mill which was such a fun moment. I was always hoping one of you would find a coin there so you could understand the condition for yourselves instead of just seeing the coins I pulled out of there. Then Old Man Harbin goes crazy with his GPX and starts pulling out 30” pewter spoons. Then I got engaged! Holy crap what a weekend that was.

Yeah man, what a trip. So many good finds...in fact my favorites were the farthing and these little guys circled.



If you can’t zoom in enough, that’s the musketball/buck/flint spill. More important was the good times. I couldn’t resist posting that picture of you and the brass artillery button after it was brought up. And OMH running to his truck to get the GPX and then digging a pewter spoon 3’ down. Hahahah! He was sooo pissed!!!!!

 

[johnnyblaze]

Wow Scrap Nice condition Nova!They never come out that nice..I have found 3 and all were just about smoked..I will be putting in a banner..

~Blaze~

 

[trapperart]

Glad your hard work paid off, congrats on a great old copper