The find of a lifetime!

[Donnie B]

Got out yesterday with Danny LaMontagne to do some Colonial cellar hole diggin. I'm still in shock and it hasn't sunk in yet but I pulled out a bucket list coin yesterday. I would like to thank Danny LaMontagne for letting me tag along with him. Danny is the best friend a guy could have and I am so grateful to him for letting me tag along and dig colonial! I thought I knew what it was in the hole but I called Danny over and let him pull the coin out. It's a 1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree Shilling. After 300 plus years in the ground, Danny was the first person to touch it since it was lost by a colonist.5951859519

[lee]

wow Donnie, that is an incredible find mate and in fantastic shape to.
did it ring up just like a copper ? how deep was it ?

[lee]

just a bit of history that brings into context just how old that coin is

OLIVER CROMWELL (http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Oliver-Cromwell/), Lord Protector 1653 - 1658
Cromwell was born at Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire in 1599, the son of a small landowner. He entered Parliament in 1629 and became active in events leading to the Civil War. A leading Puritan figure, he raised cavalry forces and organised the New Model Army, which he led to victory over the Royalists at the Battle of Naseby (http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/The-Battle-of-Naseby/) in 1645. Failing to gain agreement on constitutional change in government with Charles I, Cromwell was a member of a 'Special Commission' that tried and condemned the king to death in 1649. Cromwell declared Britain a republic 'The Commonwealth' and he went on to become its Lord Protector.
Cromwell went on to crush the Irish clans and the Scots loyal to Charles II (http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/The-Battle-of-Worcester/) between 1649 and 1651. In 1653 he finally expelled the corrupt English parliament and with the agreement of army leaders became Lord Protector (King in all but name)

[Lodge Scent]

:shocked05::shocked04::shocked03::thumbsup02::perf ect10::congrats:

[Tony Two-Cent]

:shocked05:

This is probably the most amazing find I've seen on this forum! Words cannot express! :notworthy:

It is in INCREDIBLE condition too, and worth a pretty penny! This is a find where you should take great care in it's handling. Personally, I would not attempt to clean it.

Huge congrats on the fantastic piece of colonial history! This is a mind blowing find!

:perfect10:

[Digger Don]

That settles it, I'm moving to Connecticut:lolsign:!!

Congrats Donnie, that coin is a RARE and FANTASTIC find.:perfect10::clapping:
And it's condition is unbelievable :wow:

[aloldstuff]

Find of a lifetime to say the least.....huge congrats on such a beautiful and rare coin.

[Donnie B]

It was probably less than four inches deep. I thought it was a copper when I got the signal. I told Danny it rang up in the 80's underground on my MXT Pro. Out of the hole, it was a solid 77.


wow Donnie, that is an incredible find mate and in fantastic shape to.
did it ring up just like a copper ? how deep was it ?

[Donnie B]

Thanks Tony! I'm not even going to attempt to clean it any further. Danny and I sprayed a little water on it from a spray bottle when I dug it and that was it. I'm afraid to touch it!


:shocked05:

This is probably the most amazing find I've seen on this forum! Words cannot express! :notworthy:

It is in INCREDIBLE condition too, and worth a pretty penny! This is a find where you should take great care in it's handling. Personally, I would not attempt to clean it.

Huge congrats on the fantastic piece of colonial history! This is a mind blowing find!

:perfect10:

[Full Metal Digger]

HUGE CONGRATS DONNIE! Word of your find spread fast and I been looking forward to seeing this post! It's a real beauty. I'll bet it was hard to do any detecting after you realized what you had. Did you sleep with it last night? I would have! LOL. You got my vote for find of the year. Congrats again and thanks for sharing with us. Best wishes and HH, Dave.

[Digger_O'Dell]

WOW, you certainly hit the lottery! That certainly is the find of a lifetime! I briefly looked at values and depending on your variety and being in such awesome condition, that could easily be valued between $10,000 to $30,000 if it's a common variety. Maybe add another zero for the really rare ones. :omg:
Definitely, do not clean it. But if I were you I would seriously consider getting it to PCGS for grading, verifying authenticity, determinjng variety, and preservation.

[The Rebel]

WOW! Find of a lifetime for sure! That's in amazing shape and if it could only talk!
Guess you'll be retiring from the hobby & selling all of your gear, LOL!

[Robbie]

:shocked03: That thing is nice, amazing how it`s lasted.

[OxShoeDrew]

HOLY COW!!!! That is UNREAL!! I don't have words.....I've been sitting here for 5 min trying to find words. I'm happy for you Donnie and best of luck with its preservation and displaying!

[BTV Digger]

Incredible and rare find sir. Among the top on the forum along with the Higley Copper posted here years ago. Much congrats! Do you plan on having it PCGS'd?

John

[del]

Donnie called out to me and said "I got a good one " ;) I said "you got a copper " he said "better" , :thinkingabout:I said "you got a shoe buckle" he said "i think its better" :yes: I walk over to where he was at and I see a nice shallow plug and a "quarter sized "greyish disk right in the middle . He was still squatting near the ground and looked like he didn't want to touch it :lol:so I picked it up and loosened some of the dirt from it and instantly saw 1652 XII and I couldn't believe what he just dug up :shocked05:I am truly honored that he let me be the first to touch it in about 332 years :notworthy: It is in amazing shape and wasn't in circulation very long as there is practically no "clipping" visible on the coin :wow: a bucket list coin for many in the hobby Donnie including myself , "Huge-Mega-Congrats :perfect10:

A few of the coin guru's gave the coin an EF (Extra fine) grading which could bring the coin's value to about $7,500 dollars :cheering:

[Donnie B]

For now, it will be going in the lock box at the bank. I am not going to touch it or clean it. I had a wisdom tooth pulled today so I'm drifting in and out between pain and extreme pain. I know it probably doesn't work this way but if I could drive the coin to PCGS and have it graded and slabbed in my presence, then I would do it.


Incredible and rare find sir. Among the top on the forum along with the Higley Copper posted here years ago. Much congrats! Do you plan on having it PCGS'd?

John

[Donnie B]

You know that every time we speak for the rest of our lives that I am going to thank you! Thank you for letting me tag along with you! Thank you for your knowledge. Thank you for your friendship.

I thought I knew what it was in the hole before you picked it up. It looked like a very busy and detailed coin with the details in all the right places. I had my glasses on but didn't pick it up so I couldn't tell for sure. I waited for you. I thought it could be a shilling and then my mind started racing. Is it British? Is it French? You pick it up Danny!



Donnie called out to me and said "I got a good one " ;) I said "you got a copper " he said "better" , :thinkingabout:I said "you got a shoe buckle" he said "i think its better" :yes: I walk over to where he was at and I see a nice shallow plug and a "quarter sized "greyish disk right in the middle . He was still squatting near the ground and looked like he didn't want to touch it :lol:so I picked it up and loosened some of the dirt from it and instantly saw 1652 XII and I couldn't believe what he just dug up :shocked05:I am truly honored that he let me be the first to touch it in about 332 years :notworthy: It is in amazing shape and wasn't in circulation very long as there is practically no "clipping" visible on the coin :wow: a bucket list coin for many in the hobby Donnie including myself , "Huge-Mega-Congrats :perfect10:

A few of the coin guru's gave the coin an EF (Extra fine) grading which could bring the coin's value to about $7,500 dollars :cheering:

[Lodge Scent]

Donnie, tell us about the site. All of us are praying that this wasn't a virgin site because it will give us hope that there could be a tree shilling lurking at any old cellar hole, virgin or not.

[Digger_O'Dell]

Wondering what Donnie will find next, I'm guessing a Birch cent! :shocked03:

[Donnie B]

Lodge Scent: It was a hammered site. It seems that all of them are now. There's hope out there. I really owe it to Danny because I have watched him pull great finds out of hammered sites that I had given up on and started bushwhacking. He taught me to never give up.


Donnie, tell us about the site. All of us are praying that this wasn't a virgin site because it will give us hope that there could be a tree shilling lurking at any old cellar hole, virgin or not.

[catskillcomics]

Wow, that's one hell of find! Congrats!

[Bucknut]

Im in awe! No words! That's the stuff dreams are made of!

[chief5709]

WoW! A huge congratulations! That is one incredible find!

[MangoAve]

That is a great find Donnie. Grats on scoring a really early part of the colonial coinage. I've got a guess that came from the site as a 1500s hammered shilling came from based upon the age... and where I saw ya parked. :lol:. I see Dan didn't include his ID on AD of NOE-16 ( small planchette).

[Full Metal Digger]

Wondering what Donnie will find next, I'm guessing a Birch cent! :shocked03:

I heard they are sending him to Oak Island so the treasure can finally be found!

[Lodge Scent]

That is a great find Donnie. Grats on scoring a really early part of the colonial coinage. I've got a guess that came from the site as a 1500s hammered shilling came from based upon the age... and where I saw ya parked. :lol:. I see Dan didn't include his ID on AD of NOE-16 ( small planchette).


Wondering what Donnie will find next, I'm guessing a Birch cent! :shocked03:


You know, Donnie has posted a bunch of great finds since he started on AD. I'm with Jim, I think we need to start stalking him. Jim, don't you have some of those wireless tracking tags ? :envious:

[catskillcomics]

What a Hell?! What a great find!! I was just telling the wife the other night about how I'd love to find one those.. HUGE CONGRATS! I'm sure you are still staring at it..:)

[fyrffytr1]

Being from a part of the south where we are extremely lucky to find anything that dates older than the early 1800s I cannot grasp the magnitude of your find. But, from reading all the replies I do realize that it is an exceptional find and I congratulate you for recovering it. The only coins like you find up there that I have seen were on the internet. My oldest coin found here was a 1776 Irish penny and it is the oldest coin known to have come from this area. Again, congratulations on an excellent find.

[Mr. Digger]

Holy s____ Donny....I don't know what to say. I've been addicted to detecting videos and forum posts for 5+ years now and I've never seen anything like that put up as a NEW post. I know there are some dated posts from finds a few years back but nothing recent that I can recall on any forum. I know you have been posted some YouTube videos lately. Did you film it? Please keep us posted on grading, which variety, more pics. Please.

[CTTodd]

Terrific find Good for you

[Donnie B]

Yes, I did film it. I'm so glad that my wife bought me a GoPro for Christmas a few years ago. I didn't start using it until this year but I have it mounted on my detector.


Holy s____ Donny....I don't know what to say. I've been addicted to detecting videos and forum posts for 5+ years now and I've never seen anything like that put up as a NEW post. I know there are some dated posts from finds a few years back but nothing recent that I can recall on any forum. I know you have been posted some YouTube videos lately. Did you film it? Please keep us posted on grading, which variety, more pics. Please.

[Bucknut]

Yes, I did film it. I'm so glad that my wife bought me a GoPro for Christmas a few years ago. I didn't start using it until this year but I have it mounted on my detector.

Really you filmed it? How awesome is that! Live dig? Do you post your videos on Youtube? I hope you do as I (and everyone else) would love to see that thing come out of the ground and your reaction!

[Donnie B]

It was almost a live dig. When I heard the signal, I called out to Danny and said "this sounds good." I dug an appropriate plug so I wouldn't scratch it and when I popped the plug the coin was laying in the bottom of the hole. I called out to Danny and turned on my GoPro. I didn't touch it and asked Danny to pick it up out of the hole. I will post it after I edit my footage.


Really you filmed it? How awesome is that! Live dig? Do you post your videos on Youtube? I hope you do as I (and everyone else) would love to see that thing come out of the ground and your reaction!

[MangoAve]

You know, Donnie has posted a bunch of great finds since he started on AD. I'm with Jim, I think we need to start stalking him. Jim, don't you have some of those wireless tracking tags ? :envious:

I drove by Dan's jeep one time. Lol. Yup, I got some tags but I think they need to go on the Jeep as he drives to these sites.

[del]

I drove by Dan's jeep one time. Lol. Yup, I got some tags but I think they need to go on the Jeep as he drives to these sites.

That jeep is getting to "famous" here in Connecticut with hobbyists ! I think it may be time for a new ride !

[Donnie B]

We need to buy some green and black paint and camo the jeep!


That jeep is getting to "famous" here in Connecticut with hobbyists ! I think it may be time for a new ride !

[Full Metal Digger]

That jeep is getting to "famous" here in Connecticut with hobbyists ! I think it may be time for a new ride !

Yeah I think you're right Dan. When I pulled into that Dunkin Donuts that day I immediately recognized your jeep, and I'm from Illinois!

[del]

We need to buy some green and black paint and camo the jeep!

yeah but it would stick out like a sore thumb in the fall and winter months !;)


Yeah I think you're right Dan. When I pulled into that Dunkin Donuts that day I immediately recognized your jeep, and I'm from Illinois!

Wow , see Donnie even from about a 1,000 miles away hobbyists know this Jeep ! :lol:

[Donnie B]

Green and Black for summer. Desert tan for fall and white paint for the winter! :lolsign:


yeah but it would stick out like a sore thumb in the fall and winter months !;)



Wow , see Donnie even from about a 1,000 miles away hobbyists know this Jeep ! :lol:

[Mr. Digger]

Note to self: wait until July to submit my coin for find of the month.

[Noah]

HMM. Can't wait. :cheesysmile:

[Bell-Two]

Congratulations Donnie seeing that really made my day! Well deserved and such a find, more than a Coin it is living history and a work of art!

[Donnie B]

Note to self: Find a Six Pence Pine Tree for July's Find of the Month! :rofl:
Note to self: wait until July to submit my coin for find of the month.

[Lodge Scent]

Note to self: Find a Six Pence Pine Tree for July's Find of the Month! :rofl:

Hey I just noticed that my trime is right after your shilling on the banner. That just isn't fair ! ;)

[Donnie B]

I've never found a Trime and have detected for 22 years! That just isn't fair! ;)


Hey I just noticed that my trime is right after your shilling on the banner. That just isn't fair ! ;)

[Lodge Scent]

Let's trade !

[del]

Hey I just noticed that my trime is right after your shilling on the banner. That just isn't fair ! ;)


I've never found a Trime and have detected for 22 years! That just isn't fair! ;)


Let's trade !

Lol :rofl::lol:

[Ill Digger]

:shocked05:

This is probably the most amazing find I've seen on this forum
I agree Tony.

Wow!:wow:
When we were out East by you guys Dan mentioned possibly finding a Mass shilling. We even hunted in Mass one day with Aloldstuff.

I'm at a loss for word too. Words don't describe the magnitude of this find! Unreal!:shocked05:

[Donnie B]

You noticed I went dead silent! :rofl:


Lol :rofl::lol:

[Donnie B]

Dan and I went to a site about a month ago that is very old. He said on the way there that he likes to go back to these old sites (even if they are quiet and hammered) every so often because you might find something really old like a Pine Tree Shilling. It wasn't that site where I found it but I haven't forgotten that he said that and, now, when I am at one of those really old sites I work it hard. You never know. Thanks!


I agree Tony.

Wow!:wow:
When we were out East by you guys Dan mentioned possibly finding a Mass shilling. We even hunted in Mass one day with Aloldstuff.

I'm at a loss for word too. Words don't describe the magnitude of this find! Unreal!:shocked05:

[Lodge Scent]

You noticed I went dead silent! :rofl:

Ok, Ok, I admit the deal may be a bit slanted in my favor. I'll throw in 20 unidentifiable coppers, my 5 best ox shoes, and my second best Merry Widows tin to seal the deal.

Seriously if that was mine, I would never part with it. Well, I guess it would take an obscene amount of money to make me part with it.

[Full Metal Digger]

Damn it Donnie! I just realized my 1843 Seated Half Dollar isn't getting coin of the month because of you! Enjoy the glory while it lasts!

[OxShoeDrew]

1843 seated half? pffft Not on this forum :lol:

[Donnie B]

I already have about 50 Merry Widows tins from digging across the street from a saloon 10 years ago. That place must have been hopping back in 1905! I'm good on oxen shoes but I only have two unidentifiable coppers. I did electrolysis on the unidentifiable coppers today and they came out great! I now have two very shiny unidentifiable coppers!

My wife told my son that he has to wait until she croaks before he gets my Pine Tree Shilling. I'll leave that right there but, apparently, my prognosis doesn't look good! That said, I'm fooling both of them and having the coin buried with me. I'll need a Shilling for the Boat Man.


Ok, Ok, I admit the deal may be a bit slanted in my favor. I'll throw in 20 unidentifiable coppers, my 5 best ox shoes, and my second best Merry Widows tin to seal the deal.

Seriously if that was mine, I would never part with it. Well, I guess it would take an obscene amount of money to make me part with it.

You never know! That is an awesome find! I have only found one Half Dollar in 22 years of detecting and it's a Walker.


Damn it Donnie! I just realized my 1843 Seated Half Dollar isn't getting coin of the month because of you! Enjoy the glory while it lasts!

[del]

Sorry , I just enjoy coming back here and looking at this coin Donnie !

[milco]

Big Congrats Donnie! A stunning and incredible find, WOW! I'll be bookmarking this one for frequent return views (aka drool on keyboard!)

[Noah]

In a park RIGHT?!!!!!:hystericallaugh:

[Donnie B]

I'm so glad that you were the first one to hold it in your hand after 325 years plus underground. I should capture a screen shot of the big grin on your face when you were handing me the coin and post it here. Thanks again for the fantastic memories.


Sorry , I just enjoy coming back here and looking at this coin Donnie !

[del]

I'm so glad that you were the first one to hold it in your hand after 325 years plus underground. I should capture a screen shot of the big grin on your face when you were handing me the coin and post it here. Thanks again for the fantastic memories.

:lol: do it !

[Donnie B]

This is immediately after you handed me the Shilling! 59894

[badgers325]

Congrats on such an awesome find! That is why this hobby is so awesome!

[calabash digger]

I take a break and go fishing and look what you guys have been up to. I cant believe my eyes what a coin congrats of the find of a lifetime.

[Noah]

Have it graded yet? What variety is it?

[del]

Have it graded yet? What variety is it?

Its a NOE-16 http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/pine_tree_silver/pine_tree_n16.htm

One of the two more common type of "pine tree" but probably in the neighborhood of $7,500

[Donnie B]

Thanks! I still can't believe it!


Big Congrats Donnie! A stunning and incredible find, WOW! I'll be bookmarking this one for frequent return views (aka drool on keyboard!)

It's the best hobby anyone could have. I have learned more history through metal detecting than I ever learned in school.


Congrats on such an awesome find! That is why this hobby is so awesome!

I owe it all to my friend, Dan. It's his site. I can't wait to go back!


I take a break and go fishing and look what you guys have been up to. I cant believe my eyes what a coin congrats of the find of a lifetime.

I will probably never have it graded or slabbed. I couldn't bear to worry about it going back and forth by courier to a grading service. One of the major auction houses contacted me to see if I wanted to sell the coin (I don't) and stated that it would probably grade EF or AU Details.


Have it graded yet? What variety is it?

Digging with you every weekend and learning more history than I ever learned in school - priceless!!!


Its a NOE-16 http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/pine_tree_silver/pine_tree_n16.htm

One of the two more common type of "pine tree" but probably in the neighborhood of $7,500

[Ken C]

That is stunning!!! Congrats on such an amazing find!!!!!!