This is a story most of us can only dream about...pictures will follow when the finds get properly cleaned up......
First a little background:
Long Island, NY has a settlement history that dates back to the mid 1600's, with both Revolutionary War and Civil War action. Most of the tracts of land have been developed or converted to State/local parks with detecting prohibited. However, Long Island did have a long history of farming and there still remains a significant number of working farms "out East". I have only been detecting since mid June of this year starting out on the ocean beaches with an Excalibur and have since migrated to the dirt with an E-Trac that I purchased in September. I like to tell my friends and family that I am now hunting for "history" as opposed to hunting for "misery" (as in someones lost jewelry)...
This past Wednesday, I was fortunate enough to be invited to detect a working farm about 90 minutes away with a new friend that has been detecting for over 25 years and hunting this farm with permission for the last 15. When we got there we were very excited to see that the majority of the land had already been turned. Rain from the prior few days made the ground flat and conditions almost perfect for swinging and digging. It almost felt as if we were on the farm fields of Colchester, England (if any of you have watched the videos from Chicago Ron).
Very quickly, within 10 minutes, I got my first solid repeatable signal at about 8". Screen read 12/44 - I knew I had copper, only I didn't know what. Within 20 seconds I was holding my first large copper - of course NO RUBBING - the dirt stayed on. I was ecstatic. The "rush" I got was incredible. Basically my day was made - I had told my wife the night before my objective was a large penny and I had gotten one almost immediately. The hunting progressed as we moved among two fields encompassing about 50+ acres and the signals continued. I found two more large coppers (12/41-12/43) PLUS three large silver coins (12/46-47) - two of them larger than a modern quarter and one very thin and slightly curved about the size of a quarter - again NO RUBBING - the dirt stayed on. Add a couple of buttons and some bits and pieces of brass/copper and it was 5 hours later and time to head on home. My hunting buddies didn't find any coins but turned up a number of great military buttons and a 1700's era shoe buckle - totally intact and in perfect condition...a good day was had by all. And now to the good part.
When I got home, I was so excited and quickly emptied the top pocket of my hunting coverall's and took out my four coins (I know I mentioned six just before) and went right for the sink and the ultrasound machine. The coins were/are badly encrusted. I must have used the ultrasound machine for 30 min. Still looking at the coins I could not make anything out. However using the magnifying glass I was able to make out a left facing bust and the words GEORGIVS on the left side of the coin....what the heck - immediately hit the internet - YEP, it's a British half penny, and from the way the bust is facing and the letters are positioned it could only be from the 1729-1754 George II minting. WOW - now that's an old coin....BUT there's more - as I begin to study the second big copper, even more encrusted then the first, I start to make out the pattern and I'm astonished - it's the same pattern - a second George II British half penny - are you kidding me - two amazing coins but both in terrible condition - have not seen the dates yet on the reverse side. Now onto the two silver coins. I cannot get any information off of either of them. They are really in bad shape. All I can say is that the larger one is oblong 28mmx27mm and the other is very thin and curved at about 25mm - I have no clue what they could possibly be.
Oh - and about the other two coins, I happened to find them in another pocket of my coveralls yesterday while cleaning up my stuff (I totally forgot how many coins I had found)...it's the third silver very, very badly corroded and, you guessed it - what I had originally longed and hoped for - a US large cent - in decent condition, 1818 - now soaking in olive oil....if anyone has any clues about getting the corrosion/crud etc off of the coppers and the silvers I'm all ears. I tried electrolysis (12V, 840ma) for about 15 minutes to no avail and hydrogen peroxide to no avail. At this point it's not about value it's about identification - thanks for allowing me to share my story and excitement - non-hobbyists just don't seem to share in the excitement of the finds as we detectorists do...HH to all.
First a little background:
Long Island, NY has a settlement history that dates back to the mid 1600's, with both Revolutionary War and Civil War action. Most of the tracts of land have been developed or converted to State/local parks with detecting prohibited. However, Long Island did have a long history of farming and there still remains a significant number of working farms "out East". I have only been detecting since mid June of this year starting out on the ocean beaches with an Excalibur and have since migrated to the dirt with an E-Trac that I purchased in September. I like to tell my friends and family that I am now hunting for "history" as opposed to hunting for "misery" (as in someones lost jewelry)...
This past Wednesday, I was fortunate enough to be invited to detect a working farm about 90 minutes away with a new friend that has been detecting for over 25 years and hunting this farm with permission for the last 15. When we got there we were very excited to see that the majority of the land had already been turned. Rain from the prior few days made the ground flat and conditions almost perfect for swinging and digging. It almost felt as if we were on the farm fields of Colchester, England (if any of you have watched the videos from Chicago Ron).
Very quickly, within 10 minutes, I got my first solid repeatable signal at about 8". Screen read 12/44 - I knew I had copper, only I didn't know what. Within 20 seconds I was holding my first large copper - of course NO RUBBING - the dirt stayed on. I was ecstatic. The "rush" I got was incredible. Basically my day was made - I had told my wife the night before my objective was a large penny and I had gotten one almost immediately. The hunting progressed as we moved among two fields encompassing about 50+ acres and the signals continued. I found two more large coppers (12/41-12/43) PLUS three large silver coins (12/46-47) - two of them larger than a modern quarter and one very thin and slightly curved about the size of a quarter - again NO RUBBING - the dirt stayed on. Add a couple of buttons and some bits and pieces of brass/copper and it was 5 hours later and time to head on home. My hunting buddies didn't find any coins but turned up a number of great military buttons and a 1700's era shoe buckle - totally intact and in perfect condition...a good day was had by all. And now to the good part.
When I got home, I was so excited and quickly emptied the top pocket of my hunting coverall's and took out my four coins (I know I mentioned six just before) and went right for the sink and the ultrasound machine. The coins were/are badly encrusted. I must have used the ultrasound machine for 30 min. Still looking at the coins I could not make anything out. However using the magnifying glass I was able to make out a left facing bust and the words GEORGIVS on the left side of the coin....what the heck - immediately hit the internet - YEP, it's a British half penny, and from the way the bust is facing and the letters are positioned it could only be from the 1729-1754 George II minting. WOW - now that's an old coin....BUT there's more - as I begin to study the second big copper, even more encrusted then the first, I start to make out the pattern and I'm astonished - it's the same pattern - a second George II British half penny - are you kidding me - two amazing coins but both in terrible condition - have not seen the dates yet on the reverse side. Now onto the two silver coins. I cannot get any information off of either of them. They are really in bad shape. All I can say is that the larger one is oblong 28mmx27mm and the other is very thin and curved at about 25mm - I have no clue what they could possibly be.
Oh - and about the other two coins, I happened to find them in another pocket of my coveralls yesterday while cleaning up my stuff (I totally forgot how many coins I had found)...it's the third silver very, very badly corroded and, you guessed it - what I had originally longed and hoped for - a US large cent - in decent condition, 1818 - now soaking in olive oil....if anyone has any clues about getting the corrosion/crud etc off of the coppers and the silvers I'm all ears. I tried electrolysis (12V, 840ma) for about 15 minutes to no avail and hydrogen peroxide to no avail. At this point it's not about value it's about identification - thanks for allowing me to share my story and excitement - non-hobbyists just don't seem to share in the excitement of the finds as we detectorists do...HH to all.
Great Finds & Great story, looking forward to seeing more great stuff come from your new hunting grounds. Good Luck .....Joe