Thread Showcasing Member's Two best Finds of 2012

[angellionel]

It's a new year, and many of us whose detecting is currently limited by bad weather are quite likely very eager to give our detectors another workout. But until then, how about enjoying the fruits of everyone's 2012 detecting labor? :drool:

Each member is encouraged to post their two best finds of 2012 on this thread. Simply post a photo of each find, a brief comment, and if possible, a link to the original post made in 2012.

Yes, it can be hard to choose from the many finds made. :twirlingeyes: But only two selected finds can be posted here by each member, though of course the photo of the find may be part of a group of other finds. Just make sure to indicate which find is being showcased.

A maximum of two photos per member (one for each find) is allowed. Multiple images of the same find can be added to one photo however, to show obverse and reverse of a coin or a relic's detail, for example.

Don't be shy now! This is not a competition. \:hammer: We all have made finds we are proud of, so why not share them with others? :smitten: In the past we haven't had much in the way of participation in these types of threads, but hopefully we can set a new precedent. thumbsup01

Post away! :peace:

[Cheap Thrills]

Here's my two best of 2012 . A class ring that I was able to return the same day as found in January and my recently found Gold St. George medallion . Both made the banner and the ring made jewelry find of the month for January . :grin:

[aloldstuff]

I have already shown my best finds in the Coin Shooting section but these are what I consider my two best of 2012. The eagle hat plate is shown restored, the other item is the early shoulder belt plate, made Best Relic for September.

[POKIE73]

here are my two picks dennis

[Epi-hunter]

This is a great thread already... can't wait to see more. :drool: Need to live vicariously through others' finds this time of year :frozen:

[buck57]

Great looking stuff so far :clapping:
Here are my two, what I consider my better finds. First it would have to be the Civil War Era Pistol (1860-1867) and second my 1852 Half Dime. Happy hunting all for the 2013 season thumbsup01

[Tony Two-Cent]

Lots of amazing finds in the thread so far! |:confused:)

Great idea for a thread, I would like to see a post from every member of this forum!

I thought long and hard about it, as it is somewhat difficult to narrow my 2012 finds down to the two best. Eventually I decided on two finds, one that I found at the beginning of the year, and one that I found of the end of the year.

1. My first seated liberty coin ever, the 1877 dime that I found on January 21, 2012. Here is my original report from that hunt:

http://www.americandetectorist.com/forum/index.php?topic=8661.0

I was so excited to find my first seated coin that I texted Ill Digger, Epi-Hunter, DaddyDigger, and everyone else in my phone contacts, I think! lol

This coin is also pictured in the month of January in the 2013 American Detectorist calendar.

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb174/dubbl-t/Metal%20Detecting/Seated-Dime-O.jpg


2. Sterling silver Roy Rogers ring from the 1940s that I found on December 11, 2012. Here is my original report from that hunt:

http://www.americandetectorist.com/forum/index.php?topic=12067.0

It was a find that was made extra special because I was on a hunt with several other forum members at the time. (Ill Digger, Silver Star, Tech125, and Ted.)

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb174/dubbl-t/Metal%20Detecting/Roy-Rogers-Ring-4.jpg

Perfect bookends for my 2012 season. I had so much fun metal detecting in 2012! I can't wait to see what 2013 brings. thumbsup01

[dave in iowa]

Two of my better finds from this year |:cheering:

[Bell-Two]

Since my wife and I hunt together I will post my best and her best. Mine is the 1853 Half Dime with Arrows found in a farm field. Her's is the 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent found in a park where an old house once was.

[jkress]

Some very incredible finds here. Many I can only dream of getting my coil over in 2013. :daydream:

Two of my 2012 favorites just happen to come from one hunt (http://www.americandetectorist.com/forum/index.php?topic=9550.0) back in early April.

Grabbed another Morgan dollar and my first Seated quarter. :happydance01:
http://jkress.com/AmericanDetectorist2012/pictures/picture-23.jpg

[milco]

I think my two favorite finds for 2012 are two firsts from this past year. My first Civil War store card token and my first Barber quarter.

[rsarge1]

:omg: :wow: I can't even come close to some of those finds but here are my 2 picks:

[Ill Digger]

:wow: The membership made some great finds last year! :perfect10:

After much deliberation :confused: .... my 2 favorite finds from last year is....
My 1926 Illinois Chauffeurs License.
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/4.jpg

And my second pick came on a special day! :daydream:
My first 2 cent piece!
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/Metal%20Detectin%202012/IMG_1397.jpg
It just so happened to come on the same day as my first dime grand slam! <: lol

[angellionel]

Awesome finds everyone! Just awesome! :smitten: :smitten: I better keep several more napkins handy. All this drooling is going to cost me a keyboard. lol

[Tony Two-Cent]

Awesome finds everyone! Just awesome! :smitten: :smitten: I better keep several more napkins handy. All this drooling is going to cost me a keyboard. lol


And where are your two best finds of 2012, mister? :poke:

:cheesysmile:

[angellionel]

And where are your two best finds of 2012, mister? :poke:

:cheesysmile:


:embarrassed:

Well, last year I was able to get out to detect only about 33 times, so there aren't many finds to choose from relative to other years. :blush: I still made several good finds though. My two favorites are below. :yes:

1786 Spanish 2 Reale (http://www.americandetectorist.com/forum/showthread.php?9422-1786-Spanish-2-Reale-1909-Barber-Quarter-Coppers)

http://www.angellionel.com/myfinds/2012/May/1786_2reale_obv_050412.jpg


1855 Three Cent Piece (http://www.americandetectorist.com/forum/showthread.php?8756-3-Trimes-Half-Dime-Half-Reale-Copper-2-Cent-Gold). Only 139,000 were minted. Finding such a tiny coin was very exciting by itself. :smitten:

http://www.angellionel.com/myfinds/2012/March/1855trime_031312.jpg

[lee]

ah angel , i remember the day you got that 2 reale....sigh.......remember i was going to mug you for it ?.
that truly is a wonderful coin , and it was thanks to that hunt with the master and how he told me to hunt that i began to find so much more.

anyway , i think my best two finds of 2012 are as followed.

1798/99 large cent found at the site of a 1650 tavern .
1917 standing liberty quarter found whille hunting with chrisinct and bama.

http://i47.tinypic.com/mo8z9.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/95v7rp.jpg

[angellionel]

That was a fun day of detecting Lee. We do have to get together again! :yes:

Thanks for posting your two excellent finds. The Draped Bust copper is a wonderful find, and the SLQ is lovely. :smitten: All the beautiful finds posted here are making me want to go out and start chipping away at the icy ground. :drool:

[skribnodsister]

:wow: :wow: :wow: You guys have lots of amazing finds!!!! Didn't get out much last year except for my mom's back yard and one other place so here are my two best finds. Almost forgot how to do this it's been so long-lol -1871 California half dollar and 1831 Bust half dime.

[leslie(nova scotia)]

From the land ofthe Bluenose.....wowzer some super finds by the forum mebers. Trust that 2013 will be just as good for everyone! <;)

[RaZR]

I'm only putting in one picture this is the 1854 seated dime that was engraved on the back (it was made into a pin)
i found it in the corn field across from my house. Along with my first large cent an 1849 and my first half dime an 1839
with a hole in it. But i really like this the best!

[Snapolson]

Happy New Year all! I've been super busy in the new year. I've hardly had any time to hunt but I have found my first silver of the year a few days ago, a 1940 Mercury dime!

As for 2012? It was tough for me to decide. My first full year of detecting has brought me many nice finds, but I think I have to go with two hunts from early in the year. The first was from my first hunt of 2012. I found the 1974 Yale class ring. I was able to track down the owner who is still the head coach of the Yale fencing team! The ring was bought for him as a gift from several of his students who were on a team that won a championship that year.

The second would have to be my BEST silver day thus far: five in one hunt which included TWO walking liberty halfs! When it rains it pours as they say. lol

I hope everyone has an amazing 2013!! :groovy:

[CTDirtFisher]

Hello ALL!

Post our two best finds for 2012 you say... Well... An objective question that will resusult in subjective posts... Depending on who is looking at your finds for the year the results and posts could vary... but I'll have to apply my own bias and preferences for my post on my finds :-)

Overall I had a good year... I had a few first... 2 cent piece (in fact I got 2), a Complete Colonial Buckle, Cap Liberty Copper (recovered 2 of them), and a 2 Reale... My Silver totals were down @ 41 for the year... IH count was fair at 22... 15 Coppers including 2 Cap Liberty's... 30+ nice muskets balls, nice variety of military buttons, 3 pieces of spanish silver (a Two Reale and 2 Half Reales)...

My two favorite (best) finds of 2012 are my 1774 2 Reale and a complete Colonial Buckle...

[angellionel]

More eye candy. :smitten: Thanks for sharing, everyone! It is very much appreciated. :clapping:

[del]

you all have had a great 2012 just from the two finds alone you posted :perfect10: :perfect10: some very amazing detecting eye candy on this thread.

while my two aren't not as eye pleasing as some of the gold bling and silver coins they are pretty special to me...

2012 was a year with limited detecting time and while i made some average usual finds for myself i did find a few firsts and made some incredible discoveries for the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Museum.

the first one was a couple of musket iron lockplates , the most resent word i have on them is they are from the 17th century (1600's) one is from an early flintlock and the other from a matchlock type muskets.also in the same hole was a large sheet of brass from an early trade kettle that was being used to cut brass arrow points from ( sorry not pictured)
http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr228/del1786/Pequot%20Indian%20Museum%20hunt%20pictures/pequothuntandmyfirstlockplate.jpg

heres a picture of them x-rayed

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr228/del1786/Pequot%20Indian%20Museum%20hunt%20pictures/x-rayedlockplates1.jpg

these were not found on the fort battle site but are believed to be from there , the fort site was farm land for a couple of 100 years after the battle in 1637 and relics were found and taken as souvenirs by people and is well documented. The area where these were found was on the edge of an old homestead and the original owner actually owned the land of the battle site as well and less than a mile away. Finding lockplates have always been on my want to find list and getting two of them in the same hole was quite an exciting day for everyone involved.

The second item also from the museum hunts was a huge find for the museum but more so for myself. Its a Brass conical arrow point from a retreating skirmish of that 1637 Pequot War battle , it was lost from one of Captain John Mason's allied Indians . the only second complete one ever found ( two in the recent year ) in the last 80 to 100 years. this arrow point has given more information to the project to study , it is made of very thin brass ( from a trade kettle) and formed around the arrow shaft . they are incredibley hard to find and don't give off a loud signal , this one was at around five inches in very mineralized soil and there was a lot of iron junk (iron nails , .22 and shotgun shell casings ) all around it .

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr228/del1786/Pequot%20Indian%20Museum%20hunt%20pictures/del_brass_conical_arrow_point.jpg

Dan

[z118]

Holy cow there are some amazing finds in this thread! I can only post so many green with envy emoticons! :envious: :envious: :envious: lol

I had a pretty good year for what I consider amazing finds, but if I have to pick two I'll go with the two that are the most unique... My honorable mentions would be a beat up 1857 trime, a pristine 1865 two center, a worn 1835 dime, an 1896 S barber dime, and several very nice gold rings. I was tickled pink that a few of these even made the 2013 calendar!

The first of my two best is a perfume locket which according to the marks was made Birmingham, England in 1810. It is gold filled, silver, and gold plate. It's dented and missing a front cover but in my mind it is one amazing find. I would pay all kinds of money to know it's full history and learn how it wound up in the dirt. Researching this item and understanding how it was used and the history of such things was a great deal of fun.

My second would be a 14k Creed crucifix. What makes this one so amazing to me is that a few years ago I dug the same item except in sterling. The sterling version is one of my best detecting stories (posted here: metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=38427 ) so to find the exact same item in 14k really blew my mind. Coincidences and luck and stories like this are some of the best parts of detecting for me.

Here's hoping we all dig some more amazing keepers in 2013!

EDIT: Apologies for missing the part about two pics max. :embarrassed:

[Fire Fighter 43]

Copper culture knife blade and gold ring are two of my best.
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll27/firegolf43/7b7f346d7f789dfa23bb8e10d753055e.jpghttp://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll27/firegolf43/28341c27ad87a3d94540769a6f209c7c.jpg

[JdsCoins]

Ya'll had some great finds! Been fun looking through them! :grin: Here are my top 2. Both coins. 1897 full liberty barber quarter and 1921 mercury dime. :happy:

[Rgorman]

Here are my favorite dimes from 2012...
1894 plain and 1897 S :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
http://jkress.com/ron2012/pictures/picture-9.jpg

[angellionel]

More excellent finds! :loveit: :loveit: You guys had a terrific 2012! :clapping: Congrats to all! |:cheering:

[lee]

can we just keep this thread running all year ? its bloody amazing !!!!! .
my hero used to be isambard kingdom brunnell , now its all you metal detecting nerds on here :grouphug:.

fantastic finds lads and lasses , thanks for the eye candy to see us over the ground freeze :white:usaflag::
and remember......it will soon be summer :yes:

[Lodge Scent]

It is hard picking out your two favorites. It's like asking which of your children do you love more. The two finds below might not be my prettiest finds of the year but the might be the rarest two finds.

I dug the USA button back in October. I didn't know what I had because I couldn't see what the raised lettering was (need glasses). I shouted out to my buddy I found a strange button, then put it in my pouch and kept detecting. Two minutes later I find a Fugio copper and forget all about the button. At the end of the hunt my buddy says hey let me see that strange button. I can still see his face twist and contort and his eyes get big when he realizes what I had dug. I figured I has found something good at that point.


http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j364/jeffhdfx2/2012-10-28_20-04-11_456.jpg

I dug the Rosa Americana back in the spring. 1723 twopence. Like all dug Rosa's it doesn't fare very well in the ground. I was fortunate to find some real pretty coppers last year but the ugly Rosa sort of stands out.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j364/jeffhdfx2/1723RosaAmericanaTwopence.jpg

Lodge Scent

[angellionel]

It is hard picking out your two favorites. It's like asking which of your children do you love more. The two finds below might not be my prettiest finds of the year but the might be the rarest two finds.


That's part of the fun! :clapping: Going back on what was found last year helps us recollect the exciting hunts we had as well as again savor the many greats finds that were made. :yes:

Thanks for sharing your two excellent finds with us! |:cheering:

[PL8MAN]

Here are my two best finds of 2012 ! A one OZ silver Eagle and my all time favorite ring a sterling San Quentin State Prison ring . thumbsup01
HH
Glen

[For Airborne]

If not here, strongly don't abuse, but perhaps rare find a helmet of CC

[CODY]

Two Silver Dollars. One in Feb. One in Nov.[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]

[leslie(nova scotia)]

From the land of the Bluenose.....
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/leslie19/slideshow/UK%202012

[leslie(nova scotia)]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/leslie19/UK%202012/P1010057.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/leslie19/media/UK%202012/P1010057.jpg.html) <;) <;)

[steelheadwill]

Nice Finds everyone! 2012 was a great year!!
Though not in the greatest condition, I found these two Shillings on the surface at the bottom of an eroding hillside, I'm convinced they came from a cache buried beneath the new fill and landscaping from the house at the top of the hill built in the '70s.
Have used a gpx on the prop looking for the stash. If there, it is deep.
Anyway, # 1 is a Noe-1 Pine, fairly common for Mass Silver, judging by the state of the classic 'Fish' die break around the date, this was likely one of the last Noe-1s Struck,
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YcyFFpEjRBg/UNhU-iKIMUI/AAAAAAAABOU/9w-X5347fCc/s200-no/NH+FINDS+02-23+069.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PtRMws2C:shocked01:4/UNhU-ppOloI/AAAAAAAABOY/PabLV6ot3Pc/s161-no/NH+FINDS+02-23+copy3.jpg

an example showing earlier die state included.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-J4bQm5pcmXM/Uk1tV7Z0SII/AAAAAAAADxs/JtRQQPNWABI/s500-no/NH+FINDS+02-23+056+copy2.jpg

#2 is a Noe-3 Oak, the only variety with 'New England' starting at 2'oclock, this is an R-6 rarity coin with fewer than 30 known examples.


I'm gonna add a third. Undated 400 Reis of Johannes IV Portugal, They were struck between 1640-1654. The dots in the arms of the cross are a Lisbon mintmark.
(also known as a 'Cruzado', The next series of Cruzados were smaller and struck in gold) This may be a unique coin, there are a few others, all revalued by the next King Alphonse and countermarked 500 Reis. If you had these coins back then, you would certainly want 500 reis rather than the original 400, this is why most were revalued. This particular specimen must have left Portugal prior to the revaluation. Been looking since I found it and find no auction records or any records at all of this issue without the 'SOO' revaluation mark, If anyone can find one, please let me know.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GtDkqCNs68g/UNhU9_qzWTI/AAAAAAAABOE/kOyjw1miz1o/w300-h288-no/NH+FINDS+01-26+015+copy.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lJACjNZrm20/UNhU9wIkYzI/AAAAAAAABOI/uy1Uf565uj4/w280-h307-no/NH+FINDS+01-26+014+copy.jpg

A revalued example:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GbEHGyy03W8sPO5QN6FlKcstz28hYWkN_41ZEEKHns8=w189-h204-p-no

Thanks for looking & HH all, Herbie.

[steelheadwill]

Here's the Oak
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L_d92tuuL-k/UNhVAelM6fI/AAAAAAAABOk/oLnA-4ycikA/s511-no/NH+FINDS+03-05+041+copy.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iWZ7KmpSk6Y/UNhVBBiUB5I/AAAAAAAABOs/OFeMQTVgPNE/s511-no/NH+FINDS+03-05+049+copy.jpg

[steelheadwill]

And the Cruzado.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lJACjNZrm20/UNhU9wIkYzI/AAAAAAAABOI/uy1Uf565uj4/w280-h307-no/NH+FINDS+01-26+014+copy.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GtDkqCNs68g/UNhU9_qzWTI/AAAAAAAABOE/kOyjw1miz1o/w300-h288-no/NH+FINDS+01-26+015+copy.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tACQJB9LM7E/Uk1tV-BzmGI/AAAAAAAADxo/7XydjWlMDZ4/w220-h237-no/NH+FINDS+01-26+015.3.jpg

[steelheadwill]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/leslie19/UK%202012/P1010057.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/leslie19/media/UK%202012/P1010057.jpg.html) <;) <;)
Killer Hammered Silver, Shouldn't even be on this side! Congrats!!