D luck wasn't with me today.

[Grunter]

I quess close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. I was running the 5x8 today and got the sweetest silver sound and a solid 82-83. Down about 7 inches a nice little silver honey but when I pulled it I saw a shiny streak across the face, flipped it over and another on the reverse. I said to myself oh well its probably just a common date. I didn't clean it off immediately to see the date. When I got home I started to rinse it off and saw where I had gigged it with my digger. I noticed the coin was in great shape ,high relief and IMHO a VF-20 grade coin. I gently cleaned off the date a clear 1916. I was almost reluctant to turn it over and look for the D. When I did I noticed that my blade went right across where the D would have been. I studyed it for about 15 minutes trying to find a remanent of a D. There was not a D. I was happy and sad that I was so close but so far and extremely disappointed that I ruined such a beautiful coin but in a small way happy that I hadn't ruined a once in a life time coin. Oh, I'm still looking.

 

[senda]

Hi, I understand your pain. I've seen that line in some of my findings, I felt pain. As if it were my own back. In my case, the mark of carelessness and haste. Sometimes fatigue. But always my fault. A miscalculation. Errors that teach you. Better next time. Keep looking, good has not yet come.
a greeting

 

[John-Edmonton]

Any silver is good silver

 

[Grunter]

John you are right any silver is a good find but the difference in value of a 1916 Mercury to that of the 1916 D in VF-20 is a little significant.