XL Pro finds my oldest coin in 33 years of detecting!!!

[I a thr]

I got out today with my brother, Digger, and we went to an old church site. This site is really old for my part of the country. I live in SW Iowa and unfortunately thing don't date back much past 1850 around here. Until today my oldest finds had been 1853. Last summer I found an 1853 Seated Half an 1853 Seated Dime, and 2 years ago I found an 1853 3cent piece. These accounted for my oldest finds in 33 years of detecting. Well, today I found a beautiful 1841 Seated Dime. The church site is now a cornfield as the church was used as a slave running spot prior to the Civil War and was burned to the ground in the early 1860's. I also managed to find an Indian penny and several old buttons. and a couple what zits. Digger also got an old Indian penny and a copper coin I think its date was 1857 but unsure of what it was until he gets it cleaned up. What a thrill, love looking for old coins guess we need to go back east where thing are older.
HH Bill

 

[crazyman]

I just found my oldest Seated coin an 1854 quarter not to long ago also with the XL Pro. The 6000's/XL Pro's just love that old silver. Great Find!

 

[brnn53]

Wow! Those are some nice finds. Good job!
Mike

 

[NorthCentral MN TreasureSeeker]

Absolutely great find! Many people think the Walking Liberty half is the best looking coin America ever made, but in my opinion the Seated Liberty series is the clear winner.

About 5 years ago while treasure hunting an old church site in Cold Spring, MN (first one built in the 1850's), I had found my only Seated Liberty coin which was an 1882 dime graded between EX-40 and AU-50 - you could read the word "Liberty" on the shield! I had never seen one of these before. When I found it, I didn't have my reading glasses or a magnifying glass. I thought it was just some foreign coin, so I just stuffed it in my pocket & didn't think twice about it! But within 10 feet of the location where I found it, I also found an 1868 Shield nickel and an 1865 (copper/nickel) 3-cent piece, my oldest coin! Other than some of my ring finds, this was my best hunting day to date.(with a 6000/Di PRO SL - White's of course) I need some more days like this...

Once again, it's great finds like your rare dime that make our hobby worthwhile. Much better odds than a casino! Great hunting! Now all you need to do is find some more!

 

[Monte]

There's nothing more exciting than finding an older date coin ... EXCEPT finding one in decent condition AND especially SILVER (or gold if we should be so lucky).

It's also fun to be able to reach personal goals, such as "oldest US coin" and I hope you can break your record soon. No, not too soon as you need to lavish in the thrill of the find, but when you're ready ....

Monte

PS: Which coil were you using?

 

[I a thr]

Thanks Monte, I just love looking for the older coins to the extent I rarely will look anywhere that may hold clad or newer coins. I was using the 9.5" coil, I normally use the 5.5" in corn stubble, as easier to work the rows with out so much nullng. Any way I opted for the larger one thinking I might gain a tad more depth. Probably wouldn't have mattered as the 5.5 gets pretty good depth and most everything I found was around 4"-5" in depth anyway. My brother Digger pulled a couple good items also an 1837 Hard Times Token and an 1865 Indian. He had already found them before I found either one of my two finds, so the pressure was on. He!He!
Bill

 

[I a thr]

Thanks Mike for looking and the nice comments. I'm thinking I'll need to go east or south in order to find anything much older.
HH Bill

 

[I a thr]

NorthCentral MN TreasureSeeker,
Thanks for looking and I would agree that the seated coins are a piece of beauty and have thought that for years. Now though that I have found several I am thinking the Bust Coins are sure nice. Guess that is what my next goal needs to be. Probably not around my home area though.
HH
Bill

 

[I a thr]

Crazyman, Thanks for comments. I unfortunately have not found a seated quarter. I can't figure it out. I have several Barber Quarters and have hunted with my brother Digger and he is the one that gets the seated quarters. I guess I just don't happen to walk across them.
XL Pro is great!!!
HH
Bill

 

[white's boy]

Congratulations, that is a great find! Yesterday, I too found my oldest coin in 26 years of detecting using my XL Pro, an 1838 Large Cent with a hole drilled in the top for suspension. I resisted the urge to rub the dirt off when I found it but I knew it was a large cent. It is in terrible condition but you can still make out the date of 1838 on the front and a good bit of detail on the back. I soaked it in a bath of oil oil last night and that helped a little, I may try electrolysis to clean it further. I also found a nice 1929 Mercury dime, 6 Wheat cents, 5 Memorial pennies, a clad dime and a clad nickel in 3 hours of hunting. The funny thing is, the Merc was ~6 inches deep while the Large Cent was about 3 inches deep, really surprised me. I will try to get some pictures to post soon. -Rob

 

[I a thr]

White's boy. congratulations on the old find. To be honest I was looking for a large cent as I have never found one. Oh well I really like the dime, just hop I can someday find an even older coin.
Bill

 

[Hunt4Fun]

Congratulations Bill,

The 1890 Indian penny is a really nice find, but that 1841 dime is OUTSTANDING. Bet you are still grinning.

I know you want to find even older coins. I suggest that you should be very proud of what you have achieved. There are quite a few of us out here that envy what you are finding.

Congratulations again and thanks for sharing.
Bob

 

[I a thr]

Thanks Bob, I am very proud of my finds but, human nature pushes me to try and find something older and better each time I go out. Unfortunately it doesn't happen very often.
HH
Bill

 

[NorthCentral MN TreasureSeeker]

I a thr,
You know how it is with this hobby - you gotta think way positive. I'm hunting in only 100 year old teritory hoping to find a "Flowing Hair" variety, but I'll settle for a Seated, Barber or Standing/Walking Liberty! What the ground spits up is what we gotta accept, & always hope the next day will be better. This sport is just as adicting to us as casinos are to gambling junkies, but we don't loose anything but time & a little bit of gas to get there!
I've been doing historical record searching of my area and found out about an old logging "party town" within 30 miles of my home that don't exist anymore. It had a Post Office, drug store, 3 saloons & a brothel. The records show that at its peak, the town had 1000 men. 800 were drunk, while the remaining 200 were fighting to get into the saloons! I have to take an old trail back into the woods to get their. I just hope some farmer hasn't tilled the land over. Wish me luck - I'm gonna need it, & good luck to you on some more great finds!

 

[I a thr]

Thanks for the comments and what are you waiting for ? Man I would be checking into the logging camp today. Even if it has been tilled it will still be excellent territory. All of the old places I look in are tilled and as you get them looked out one year they may till up something new the next year. You might think you find it all but I will guarantee you that if you go back year after year you'll score new finds. My brother and I have been detecting for 33 years and we have an old fair ground-racetrack that was popular in the mid to late 1800's and we have found lot's of old coin there but every time we go back it seem we find another. Not near as many now, but you know if you find one coin it will be an oldie.
Good luck on the Log camp
Bill

 

[white's boy]

thanks Bill, that Seated dime you found is on my wish list as I've never found a seated silver coin. Yours is not only old, it's in super condition. You never know what you'll find but you can always keep trying- that's one reason this hobby is so addictive! take care, Rob

 

[NorthCentral MN TreasureSeeker]

Hey Bill,
I just did the homework 2 days ago at a local library. Found the information in a county historical book. Yesterday I got within a half mile of the ghost town - come to find out it's back in the woods pretty much un-touched. I talked to a very old resident across the road from it who said the foundations are still there. I would have gone in there today but it's been raining hard the past 2 days - good ground prepping. Today (Thursday) it is supposed to be sunny and clear - I'll be there early in the morning! I just hope it isn't too wooded or brushed over. All I have is my stock 8" round coil which is hard to swing in tall grass & brush, but I'll sure try! I've got all day to play with...