Got One! Now with Pictures

We didn't work Friday, we were as far as we could go until the concrete is poured on Monday.
I did some office work, ran some errends and met my buddy at the park building to get our yearly detecting permits, then figured we would hit the turf for a couple hrs.

The wind was blowing a little more than a breeze and the temperature was hovering in the freezing zone, not too bad, only the hands were uncomfortable.
I was swinging my Tom tuned 1021 3d. My bud useing his ML 3030
.
Not too long in the swing and Bam! I dug a large cent. Then again many minutes later, Bam! out comes another, same size, figured another large (turned out looking like a Connecticut Copper). My friend dug a nice button.
Of course, in between the good stuff we dug some car door handels and other good sounding targets... as usual.

My battery power was getting low and happy with my finds, I meandered toward my truck, not really wanting to leave just yet.
I get a high tone with a iron grunt about 16" away, so I shortened my swing to make sure it wasn't a false, walking around the target , high tones all around.

During the short hunt, in my mind I was picturing early 1800's dimes like a draped or capped bust.

Sunk my shovel in and poped a plug, swung coil over the hole, target still in the hole. Took a bit more dirt out, coil over the hole, targets out. Garrett PP located the target in a chunk of dirt. As I crumbeled the chunk, a coin fell to the ground. Put on my trifocals and nodded my head to get a focus. What the he!! is this! play money. Is the sunlight playing tricks with my vision. I shouted to my bud, who was nearby....Got something here with a gold color, think it's a coin'.

He came fast stepping over and I handed it to him. With the wind blowing in the eyes, well you know how that is, blinking and wiping to focus, he said' I think it's a gold coin' ,,'no way' I said.
I saw miss liberty, 1885, eagle and five d.on the reverse. I'll settle this and pulled out my phone, typed in those words and my coin came on the screen...holy mackerel, it's a gold coin!!! We stood there looking at each other with our mouths open.

I can't believe it. I'm on cloud nine.....a gold coin!! ....my first!
The details are great but it appeares it was subject to heat. Under glass, it has microscopic alligatoring. Along with that, It looks like when you spray gold paint on metal that still has bits of crud or dirt on it.

I'd like to post some pictures after my wife shows me the procedure.

The sun has cracked, time to bundel up and hit that spot again...ya never know.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2013 02:33AM by ozzie.

Wow! Congrats on the find! Looking forward to the pics. CZ comes away with the gold and the CTX3030???

So, how deep was it exactly? I think a regular CZ would not high tone on a gold coin right?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2013 12:27PM by earthmansurfer.

Congratulations.
Hope to see a picture soon.

A "regular CZ" will give a mid-tone, a 3D a high tone... exactly as designed!

I'm thinking that the $5 gold coin may be a counterfeit. Crude fakes were/are common.

Hope to see a picture soon.

Albert, , , that is correct. A regular CZ (or any other brand 'tone' detector).... would ID a Half Eagle gold coin as a mid-tone/trash-tone.
Ozzie and I have been PM'ing each other about this find......... and I shall cut-n-paste some of my shared words here:

STUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!! And that is EXACTLY what the CZ- "3D" is for!!!!!!!! Yes...... I would most certainly post this (with photos.....if possible) on the forum. . . . including the two early coppers. This is a experience that you will NEVER FORGET for the rest of your life!!!! It is my strongest recommendation that you document/post this data......... while it is still fresh on your mind. As years pass........ you will see exactly 'why'.

WOW!!!!!!!!!

First.......... take a standard Oral B 40 toothbrush ....... with the bristles cut to half length............ and running water........... to clean the coin. TAKE PHOTOS "BEFORE and AFTER" the clean-up process. How bad/dirty is the coin?

What a good way to start off the new year!!!! (((Does it justify the 'permit')))???!!!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!

HAPPY INTELLIGENT HUNTING!

Sincerely,

Tom

-------------------------------------------

Hi Steve,

I too..... am still stunned by the Half Eagle! Thought about it most of the night. Had to re-read your e-mail. This significant 'find'....... states a lot about our nations United States history. It is also......... on average.......... about 1/2 months pay for an individual.......... assuming it was lost around 1888. And if it was lost by a farm laborer...... it might even be more 'pay'. I consider this to be "The Find Of The Year" thus far. And.......... even though you may find items that trump the 'dollar' value of this coin....... it still takes the cake. As long as the area is not too trashed out....... I'd start digging the mid-tones also. (((Remember..... people 'hated' .... did not trust.... paper money during this era. This is important........ critical !!! ))).
Sounds like the Half Eagle was at about the 10" depth range....... and your (older) large cents were even deeper. Glad you have a 12.2" capable "deep" running CZ! Pay's off..... doesn't it!!!!

And......... anything to 'boost' mankind is paramount. Inspire!

Sincerely,

Tom

(((more to follow)))

Thanks earthman,
My buddy hit on a small ornate button and also found what appeared to be a colorful bead with copper in it. He didn't walk over any coins as I'm sure they'ed be in his pocket. He did say that he swung his coil only a foot from the spot the gold was recovered.

The Half Eagle was 7 to 8 inches deep as were the copper coins.
I asked my friend to find a clean spot, and placed the gold coin on the ground so he could see what numbers came up on his 3030. They read 12--32/34, if I'm remembering correctly.

First.... I would NOT initially clean the coin! Although coins were minted at the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints that year, neither is considered "rare" within the series. Still, I'd personally like to see the coin "as-found" before proceeding with any type of cleaning.

However, if the surfaces are indeed damaged, as you have described, then you can't hurt the coin any further.

Rare coins are significantly devalued through cleaning... even very slight cleaning, usually degrading numerical grade by one or two levels; a "VF" coin will be valued as a "Fine" or "VG". I damaged a rare find a few years back by gently rubbing a 1866 seated dime in a clean puddle. I will post that story in a new thread this weekend.

Tom, you cut the bristles in half, thus making them stiffer to yield a more aggressive cleaning. Hmmm...

I "conserve" coins now through a combination of electrolysis and chemical dipping. It is the safest way to clean corroded / badly toned coins, however the process is time consuming. I posted my setup on FM a year or so ago but that thread has probably been deleted. Electrolysis is documented elsewhere on the web.

Still, congrats on "the find of a lifetime"!

Absolutely AWESOME FIND!!!!!!! Congrats!!!!! I know the feeling, yet in bit smaller way. Mine was a qone dollar gold piece (Indian Princess design) minted in 1859. What a feeling. I had similar feelings when it still had dirt on it. I thought that I have found a button with gold gilting on it. When I saw the word "ONE" I knew it was no button. I'll never for get that day. Take plenty of pics.

Congrats on a nice find and one never knows..Judging by your description could be a counterfeit but one wonders if a faker would hold up buried so long. Once found two Barber quarters in one hole and one was a faker and my coin man picked it right out so take it to a coin dealer for verification. Indeed coins were counterfeited in those days as one coin could easily be a day or weeks pay. Have no doubt if your partner went over a good coin it would be in his pouch and would hate to hunt that area after that duo scanned it...

Great find........however........allegatoring???

Gold coins in the UK after 600+ years don't get like that.........hmmm.......

Congrats, what testiment to the 3D and it's ability. Work that area thoroughly and from different angles. How many years of detecting before this event?

Congrats on the gold coin.....I'm still lookin'. gl and hh!!

Wow, what a treat! Can't wait to see a pic. Congrats Ozzie! I was thrilled on Dec. 21 to find my 1st gold ring, I cannot imagine the elation of finding a gold coin no matter it's condition. Heck, I'd be tickled pink to find one cut in half even! Get the Mrs. on the stick and show us that treasure. I was wondering what was up. I have been PMing Tom about my CZ5 and he told me to watch the forum for your announcement. Glad I was here to share in the fun! Headed out right now myself, hope I find something half as worth posting! HH everyone!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2013 04:06AM by Blissterd1.

WOW, ozzie! Just WOW!! What state are you in? Just curious!

Congrats on a once in a lifetime find! AMAZING!!!

Steve

Is it a counterfeit?

1. Weight it - a 1885 Half Eagle should be 8.359 grams. If it is significantly less (4-5 grams) it isn't gold, may be brass or copper.
2. The coin edge may have a flat spot or slight bump where the metal was poured into the mold via a hole. Check for uneven edge
3. If the coin surface is bumpy, uneven, or cracking - it is probably a fake (alligator skin?) due to other metals being used

Sounds great...Man 5 dollar piece,,, nice..

Congrats

Keith

Super find Ozzie. The 3D did exactly what it was supposed to do !!!

Whew!! that was a chore. Here are the pictures of the Half Eagle. It's stained somehow, dieing to clean it. Maybe it is a conterfeit.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2013 02:31AM by ozzie.

way to go!

Yes............ 80-seconds in Lime-A-Way....... and brush. You may need to do this 2 or three times...... but I doubt it.

Man, WHAT A BEAUT!!!!!!!! Congrats again!!!!!!!! That is a RARE find!!!!!!!!!!!! Great job!

BEAUTIFUL!

Nothing to be lost cleaning that one.

Have at it...

Congrats again I know the thrill must of been awesome...

Thats a good size piece of gold...few will ever dig any size gold coin but especially the bigger ones are going to be tough to get...

If theres one there could be other's...especially a larger one like that...

I have heard of people digging the 5 dollar ones then go back and find the 10 dollar ones...could very well be a cache there somewhere...

Keith

Awesome!!, congrats.

Looks about VF-25 or so. Worth about ~$425. If it's real.

Even so, great find.

Thanks guys, for all the kind words.

Congrats! Sure an exciting find!

I hope you get a chance to weigh it. I just picked up a spare scale from Amazon for under $10.

HH Joe

It's the same size as a nickel.
Thanks DrJoe, that will tell me if it's real.
I tried cleaning it with CLR (lime away equal?), and E-Zest, nothing touched it. I'd sure like to get the stains out.

Okay........... then.......... the next step/phase.......... is to clean it with Aluminum Jelly and the same toothbrush. "Duro" is the brand of Aluminum Jelly that I use. It can be found at ACE hardware...... and other hardware stores.
Apply the aluminum jelly..... and let it sit for 90-seconds. Then brush the coin for about 90 seconds. Then rinse the coin under running water..... using the same toothbrush.
I'm still quite certain the coin is real. Not sure why the coin (especially the reverse side) is abraded.

We'll get that coin cleaned yet! And without any additional damage.