Ed (Upstate NY)
Active member
A few months ago I made it my goal to dig 50 indian head cents and 80 older nickels for the year. Digging 50 indian head cents was no big deal as I have hit that mark many times over the years. Today's key date 1868 was number 54 for the year. I have never even come close to digging that many nickels and Park Pirate can tell you I have been struggling to get those last couple nickels to get to 80. Finally this morning I dug a crusty old Buffalo to reach that magic number. What a relief ! Park Pirate has been digging Buffalo and V nickels like crazy lately to close in on my total. I think he must be close to 75 after today's two V nickels. Here's shot of all 80 nickels. (2 Shields, 23 V nickels, 44 Buffalo's and 11 silver war nickels-all P mint marks). Today I also dug what I believe is called a pocket Saint. I'm told they were carried by civil war soldiers heading in to Battle. About an inch tall and come in a small brass tube. This is about the 5th one I've dug over the years. That last nickel took a load off my shoulders. I felt like a baseball player who gets stuck on 499 home runs and presses too hard to hit that 500th one !
