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View Full Version : 1873 church gave up only one coin...but what a coin!



Full Metal Digger
10-08-2012, 05:27 PM
Hi diggers,
I was out in the country driving and looking for places to MD when I came across an old brick church out in the middle of nowhere. The date over the door was 1873. I was looking around to see if I could find a phone number to call when a black pickup pulled in. An older gentlemen asked if he could help me and I explained our hobby to him and asked permission to MD. At first he said no but I just kept talking and after awhile he said I could hunt just don't leave any holes.

He told me the original church was built in 1835 and it had been somewhere over there (he pointed to the east side of the church lot). After he left, I started swinging and could not find ANY signals. Not even stinking lincolns. Nada, zip, zilch, no signals. I wasn't even getting any pulltabs! That place must have been really MD'd over the years. I decided I would have to think outside the box a bit. I went to the far eastern edge of the lot and started swinging there.

There was tons of iron and my e-trac was nulling quite a bit. All of a sudden, I got a loud 06-46 bouncing to 07-48 at 6 inches deep! There was no doubt it was a coin and I was positive it was going to be big silver. I was thinking maybe a Walker or a Barber or possibly a Seated! I dug the hole and the dirt was that soft black dirt. The kind that lets you know you are digging some old grounds. I dug down about 7 inches, placing the dirt on a small towel. I put the pin pointer in the hole and there was no sound. I swept over the dirt pile and the pin pointer started vibrating and chirping like crazy. I moved the dirt a bit and there lay a dark disc. I knew right away it was a large cent. I wiped some dirt off and could see the date, 1851!

I spent another two hours there but got no other good signals. I was getting tired and decided to call it a day. Here is a picture of the coin with the dirt wiped off. I'll post another pic once I get it cleaned up. The coin has a lot of detail and I don't think it was in circulation very long before it was dropped. Thanks for looking and HH, Dave.

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af95/daddydigger1/MD%20FInds%202012/IMG_0907.jpg

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af95/daddydigger1/MD%20FInds%202012/IMG_0908.jpg

del
10-08-2012, 05:44 PM
great looking copper Dave :perfect10:

Rob L
10-08-2012, 06:34 PM
Beautiful large cent. Your right, it looks like it was droped when it was new. I love finding them. Congrats.

Tony Two-Cent
10-08-2012, 07:20 PM
I guess this means you got your E-Trac back from the shop? :grin:

Awesome find, Dave! I think it looks great as is, I would be tempted not to clean it any further. Maybe just rub some olive oil into it or something? :dontknow:

Way to think outside the box and rescue a terrific coin! :happydance01:

Full Metal Digger
10-08-2012, 07:30 PM
I guess this means you got your E-Trac back from the shop? :grin:

Awesome find, Dave! I think it looks great as is, I would be tempted not to clean it any further. Maybe just rub some olive oil into it or something? :dontknow:

Way to think outside the box and rescue a terrific coin! :happydance01:


Thanks Tony, you were my inspiration to thinking outside the box. I remember you found that SLQ by going all the way to the back edge of the park. The area I was hunting had several huge maple trees. All the iron in the ground made me think there had been a cabin there or maybe the 1835 church (also probably a cabin). Since large cents weren't in circulation in the 1870's I suspect the coin is from the previous structure. GL and HH, Dave.

Ill Digger
10-08-2012, 08:56 PM
Great find Dave! thumbsup01 :clapping:
She's a beauty :smitten:
Congrats! :grin:
Think back a few years ago.... :daydream: Remember coming home with 90 or 110 coins and being tickled pink about it? happydance02
Today you went out for hours and hours and only found one coin. :thinkingabout:
And your probably happier over finding only one coin, than you ever were about finding 100 or more coins in hours of hunting. <: lol
Funny how things change... huh? thumbsup01

aloldstuff
10-09-2012, 04:56 AM
Nice looking copper and great hunting, thinking outside the box. I wonder how many other people know of the location of the origina church?

Full Metal Digger
10-12-2012, 06:24 PM
Great find Dave! thumbsup01 :clapping:
She's a beauty :smitten:
Congrats! :grin:
Think back a few years ago.... :daydream: Remember coming home with 90 or 110 coins and being tickled pink about it? happydance02
Today you went out for hours and hours and only found one coin. :thinkingabout:
And your probably happier over finding only one coin, than you ever were about finding 100 or more coins in hours of hunting. <: lol
Funny how things change... huh? thumbsup01


That's a really good point Tim! I guess we have to dig up all that clad when we first start so we can afford to upgrade to e-tracs after a couple years! It was definitely worth the 2-hour round trip drive to find that coin. Now if I can just find a SLQ... Thanks for commenting and HH, Dave.

BHNugget
10-12-2012, 09:07 PM
Great LC!! Even though you only pulled the one coin, I dont think Id give up on the site.To much history for there not to be other finds there. thumbsup01

CODY
10-14-2012, 10:52 AM
WOW Very nice. In great shape! Congrats.

SeabeeRon
10-16-2012, 04:54 PM
That is one nice looking coin Dbl D!! :beerbuddy:

Ill Digger
10-16-2012, 10:35 PM
Now if I can just find a SLQ...
You can. :yes: I give you permission. thumbsup01...... ;) lol
Heck! If Tony can find a 2¢ piece :poke: You can surly find a SLQ :yes: lol

Tony Two-Cent
10-17-2012, 07:24 PM
Heck! If Tony can find a 2¢ piece :poke: You can surly find a SLQ :yes: lol


But I still can't find a shield nickel! :girlcry: crying01

CTX Tom
10-19-2012, 06:52 PM
Great lookin LC! There's just something different about digging a old copper!great find!

Fire Fighter 43
10-21-2012, 12:45 PM
Well worth the effort, congrats on a very nice find, WTG |:cheering: