Big silver!

[Donnie B]

I haven't been digging much the past year. I did get out with my buddies, Del and Ron, about a month ago and should have posted this sooner. It's not every day when you dig BIG SILVER! We weren't finding much that day, except for Ron, but we don't like him anyway. I had found a few buttons at ye ol' hammered cellar hole but nothing much to speak about. There was a rock wall near the cellar that kept calling me over and I finally decided to listen to my inner voice. I'm glad I did. I took a few steps and got a 99 on the Deus II with a solid and beautiful X/Y in my Deep Hardcore Program. It also sounded beautiful. I called out to Del and Ron and said, "I've got a 99 and it's a good signal!" I failed to mention the solid X/Y. Neither one of them came over and both were thinking 99 is iron, you big dummy. That was true on the old Deus I but the Deus II seems to be a different beast. I dug it because of the X/Y and the sweet signal. My eyes got as big as the coin when I saw it. BIG SILVER! An 1858 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Dig those 99's on the Deus II if they sound good!

[Full Metal Digger]

Oh, that's a beautiful coin! Well found! Is that your first seated half? A few years ago, I did some research on the US Labor statistics website and back then a half dollar is how much an ordinary laborer made for 5 hours of work. They got paid $1 per day for a 10-hour workday in the 1850's. Think how much we make now for 5 hours of work and just imagine if your company gave it to you as a single coin and then you lost that coin! Thanks for sharing and happy digging. BTW, the guy in the middle in the first picture looks very shady. Better keep an eye on him! LOL!

[Digger_O'Dell]

WOWZA, that's a big beauty for sure!

A few years ago, I did some research on the US Labor statistics website and back then a half dollar is how much an ordinary laborer made for 5 hours of work. They got paid $1 per day for a 10-hour workday in the 1850's. Think how much we make now for 5 hours of work and just imagine if your company gave it to you as a single coin and then you lost that coin! Thanks for sharing and happy digging. BTW, the guy in the middle in the first picture looks very shady. Better keep an eye on him! LOL!

Nowadays I "lose" a half day's pay any time I pull up to the pump or more at a grocery store. I'm guessing one could survive a long time on a half day's pay in 1859, where today it might afford 3/4 of a day. Remember, there were no income taxes until 1909 (exception was the temporary tax imposed by Lincoln to fund the Civil War). There were only local taxes, and they were minimal. The federal government survived solely on tariffs and some excise tax. So in 1859, one earned a dollar, they got to keep the whole dollar.

One more reference point, CW soldiers pay per month by rank:

	Confederate	Union
Private	$11.00	$13.00
Corporal	$13.00	$13.00
Sergeant	$17.00	$17.00
First Sergeant	$20.00	$20.00
Quartermaster Sergeant	$21.00	$21.00
Sergeant Major	$21.00	$21.00
Second Lieutenant	$80.00	$105.50
First Lieutenant	$90.00	$105.50
Captain	$130.00	$115.50
Major	$150.00	$169.00
Lieutenant Colonel	$170.00	$181.00
Colonel	$195.00	$212.00
Brigadier General	$301.00	$315.00
Major General	$301.00	$457.00
Lieutenant General	$301.00	$748.00
General	$301.00	--------

Colored soldiers were paid $10/month with a $3 deduction for clothing

[Donnie B]

Oh, that's a beautiful coin! Well found! Is that your first seated half? A few years ago, I did some research on the US Labor statistics website and back then a half dollar is how much an ordinary laborer made for 5 hours of work. They got paid $1 per day for a 10-hour workday in the 1850's. Think how much we make now for 5 hours of work and just imagine if your company gave it to you as a single coin and then you lost that coin! Thanks for sharing and happy digging. BTW, the guy in the middle in the first picture looks very shady. Better keep an eye on him! LOL!

Yes, it's my first Seated Half in 27 years of digging. I've only found two halves and the other was a Walker about 25 years ago. He probably looks a little shady because he ditched the beard that day.

[OxShoeDrew]

Now THAT must have been exciting!!!!! That's my favorite eagle! I can't tell you how many 99s I've dug in the off chance it'd be a half or dollar
How deep was it? I've never had a deep consistent 99 where it sounded good from all sides, the pinpoint sounded coin-like, and the XY looked good...and I've not dug a silver half with the D2 yet...but there's always tomorrow for dreams to come true

Huge congrats, Donnie!!!

[Donnie B]

Now THAT must have been exciting!!!!! That's my favorite eagle! I can't tell you how many 99s I've dug in the off chance it'd be a half or dollar
How deep was it? I've never had a deep consistent 99 where it sounded good from all sides, the pinpoint sounded coin-like, and the XY looked good...and I've not dug a silver half with the D2 yet...but there's always tomorrow for dreams to come true

Huge congrats, Donnie!!!

It wasn't deep. Maybe, five to seven inches. Big signal. It was laying on the dirt on my Predator shovel when I pried up the plug. I didn't circle it because it sounded so sweet from one direction and the X/Y was a beautiful solid straight line from the lower left quadrant to the upper right. There was no iron sound at all. If there had been then I would have circled it.

[Jeff (or)]

what a find!!! beautiful coin!!! Congrats!!

[del]

What a beautiful half , Donnie , get well so we can get out again

and I agree with Dave ( the guy in the middle does look shady )

[The Rebel]

Wow! Those don't turn up every day & to lose that back then surely would have been a huge loss.

[Lodge Scent]

What a honker! I've never found a half of any date. That's a great find.

[Digger Don]

Wow, what a beautiful half dollar. Great detail!!

[Donnie B]

"get well so we can get out again"

and I agree with Dave ( the guy in the middle does look shady )[/QUOTE]

I can't wait! And, for the record, you have made me jealous too many times to count.

[Tony Two-Cent]

That is a spectacular find, Donnie! It doesn't have much wear at all, super nice! Seated Halves aren't often found, that had to be really exciting. Huge congrats!

[del]

And, for the record, you have made me jealous too many times to count.

Yeah yeah that $20 dollar bill I eyeballed on the path was the envy of the day until your big silver find ! odd but two halves came from that site , your seated and my 1906 barber .

[wisconsin digger]

What a great looking coin. WD

[Bucknut]

Wow! Just an amazing big silver! Congrats!!!

[BTV Digger]

Fantastic find Donnie! Still looking for my first.

John

[badgers325]

Holy Moly!!! I still have yet to even find a seated, but a half? Congrats!!!

[fyrffytr1]

They don't come out of the ground any nicer than that one. Congratulations.