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1779 at 12/39 - 12/40

joedirt

New member
I went out again today with a few friends for a group hunt. We hit an old school and park. At the school I found a bunch of clad but no silver. We decided to go across the street and hit the park.

The old park was sprinkled with iron. I got a lock on a target and dug one Zincoln. About 20 minutes later I was able to lock on to another target hitting 12-39 / 1240 depending on which way I swept it. I was preparing to dig it when my friend walked up.

He had just found a silver or pewter ring. It was very delicate double wire with a decorative top with a red stone in the middle. It may have been a very small ruby chip or just red glass we don't know yet. So after looking at the ring we start talking about how trashy the park is and I say "yeah, there's a lot of iron to deal with. I got one zinc penny and I'm about to dig my second decent signal."

So while he stood there watching I zeroed in on the target. 12/39 one way 12-40 the other way. Back and forth until I had a fix on the exact location. I made a comment that I had dug a Wheat penny at 12-39 the other day so maybe that's what it is. Boy was I WRONG!!!

Under about an inch of peat the soil was like grey powdered sugar. My blade when in right up to the hilt. I cut a big circle and started to remove the dirt a handful at a time onto my tarp. After about 6 handfuls of this grey sand material out it came!

A 1779 Whatchamacallit. I could not believe my eyes. Still can't because I don't even know what it is.

I think it is from England. I'm on the shore of Virginia so that makes sense.

If you have seen this coin before please let me know. I'm still searching to find an exact match. Below are some pictures of the coin.
 
That's Spanish silver. It's a 1/2 or 1 Reale and a dam nice find. Congrats get a picture with some size ref in it and I can tell you exactly which Reale it is.
 
In response to a coin shortage the colony of Virginia struck the copper halfpenny, the likeness of George 111 on the obverse

and the seal of the colony of Virginia on the reverse.

Hope this helps.

Les in the U K.
 
It's a 1 Reale very nice find. Congrats
 
oh and didn't you JUST find your first etrac silver yesterday? a 1946 dime??? and your second silver is 1700's...........wow! :clapping::thumbup::clap::jump:
 
Yeah, that's quite a stretch in dates. It's must be metal detecting justice for all the crap I had to dig to get to this weekend. :super:

Thanks for the help Todd. At first I thought I had a very old American dime. I guess this is better. :eek:)
 
Congrats Joe,

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!! Helluva second silver indeed :drool: They say it only gets better the longer you use and learn your E. If this is the case, I want too hang with you.:twodetecting:

Thanks for an outstanding coin and story,

Moose
 
I don't have any of my reales here to compare but it may be a 1/4 without the normal hole in it. Whatever Great find
 
I think it may be a quarter reale too. It is very small, thin, and light. I have yet to find a picture of an exact match.

I might have left out the most ironic part of this story.

After finding that 1946 Rosie yesterday I posted in the other thread "I think I'm finally getting use to the sounds and run much less discrimination than when I first started. I'll need to hunt again every place I've been so far. I'm sure I left a lot behind."

This was one of the places I had hunted once before. The first time there I picked up a few clad and left.

I've got a lot of back tracking to do. It should keep me busy for months. :lol:

Below is another picture from the back of the coin. I noticed that the "I" in the IND lines up directly below the point of the shield. I can find no other pictures where the letters line up like that. Still looking.....
 
I found this online, maybe it will help ID it for you

Spanish Coin Denominations:
1/2 REAL or One-Half "Bit" is equivalent to American HALF-DIME or 1/16 PESO also called a PICAYUNE, DIAMETER: 16.4 mm - 17,7 mm

1 REAL or One "Bit" is equivalent to American DIME or 1/8 PESO, DIAMETER: 20.3 mm - 21.6 mm

2 REALES or Two "Bits" are equivalent to American QUARTER or 1/4 PESO, DIAMETER: 26.2 mm - 28.1 mm

4 REALES or Four "Bits" are equivalent to American HALF-DOLLAR or 1/2 PESO, DIAMETER: 34.9 mm

8 REALES - a Piece of 8, or Eight "Bits"(a "Cob"), coin is equivalent to American 1 DOLLAR or 1 PESO, DIAMETER: 38.8 mm - 39.9 mm

On Spanish Reales denominations are abbreviated "R" (on both 1/2 Real and 1 Real coins), "2 R", "4 R", and "8 R" respectively.

16 REALES = 1 ESCUDO
 
Thanks - that's good info.

It must be the 1/2 REAL. It weighs 1.5 grams and 16.75mm if I'm reading it right.
 
Regardless of what one it is that is a very cool find here in mn im glad to find anything 1800s. Awesome!
 
JUST AMAZING

Probably the best story I heard for a long while
You did say your second silver!
How can you be happy again after finding this one? what are your expectations going to be?

Then again, JUST ENJOY
 
joedirt....OUTSTANDING second (SPANISH) silver. 232 years old!
 
banditicey said:
JUST AMAZING

Probably the best story I heard for a long while
You did say your second silver!
How can you be happy again after finding this one? what are your expectations going to be?

Then again, JUST ENJOY

Going forward I think that any coin that is NOT a Zincoln will continue to make me smile.

Obviously some harder than others. :bouncy:
 
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