1760 Colonial Half Penny

Leave-No-Coins-Behind

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WOW...what a day!!

I started my day at a semi-rural sports field. This article post is not going to be about the 14k gold religious metal nor the 35 nickels that I found, etc. But will be about a 1760 Colonial Copper Half Penny that I found.

I was hunting the road berm leading to the sport's field area. Knowing that most comman areas have been hunted to death, I usually hit the out of the way places. This time, I got a strong, nice round signal that sounded too good to pass up, thinking perhaps it could be a can lid or so. However, I decided to dig and see what it was. About 5-6" down I found this Colonial Half Penny pressed hard into the dirt. At first I thought I was a rusty washer...never-the-less I am so glad that continued to removing it from the ground. I looked at it briefly and dropped it into my pouch.

At home, I did some research and discovered that this is a 1760-P Colonial Copper Half Penny, variety type 12 and claims that it was minted in Ireland and brought to the America Colonies and used as coinage/currency. According to an online coin article, the coin is as rated scarce.

[insert] Brief history research from online:

By 1760 small copper coins were scarce in Ireland.
No royal Irish farthings had been issued since 1744
No royal Irish halfpennies had been issued since 1755
Issues of both denominations were scheduled to be minted in 1760 but apparently they did not arrive in Ireland until 1762. It has been speculated this was partly due to the death of George II in October of 1760. Under these circumstances underweight Voce Populi farthings and halfpence first appeared in Dublin. After the arrival of the new ‘regal’ coppers, it is thought that Dublin speculators bought the Voce Populi tokens in quantity and shipped them to America, where they circulated widely until the Revolutionary War.

The photos are of the coin not cleaned. The dirt is really caked on.

**Note, the very last photo/illustration below is a photo/copy comparison of what the coin would have looked like in its prime glory days.**

As you can imagine this is my oldest coin find.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post!
 

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Thank you!

That's in great shape too. Great day swinging!

Thanks BaldAssCat! Somedays we just hit it right...

I was gonna say the same thing that thing is primo.

Thanks DiggerMD! I was very lucky that day.

Just INCREDIBLE!!!!!

AWESOME!!!

Steve

Thanks steveg! I been thinking about that coin first thing this morning.

truly amazing find, congratulations

Thanks Beach Bum! One never knows what we will find.

You must be proud!! What a save! Amazing condition on that sweet coin!

Thanks Junkminer! I hardly slept last night, thinking about it.
 
Not sure why, but here in Del. county that coin would have been toasted for sure. Lucky you !!!
 
Amazing find, and nice condition to boot!

Thanks zeemang! My first real oldie as such. It is about the size of a half dollar.

Not sure why, but here in Del. county that coin would have been toasted for sure. Lucky you !!!

Thanks Wom 27! I think the dirt is so impacted onto the coin, it is acting like a preservative. I used to live in Delco years ago too.

Wow I have NEVER seen one of those posted! Very nice find!

Thanks cellrdwellr! I am still thrilled about the find. I was just lucky putting the coil in the right place.
 
Just incredible! Amazing to think how long that was buried in the ground just waiting on you to come along. Congratulations!
 
Just incredible! Amazing to think how long that was buried in the ground just waiting on you to come along. Congratulations!

Thanks Whirly! I think about that too. I think the dry powder dirt pressed into it is what helped preserved it. I still need to clean it better, but I will hold off for now.
 
Well searching out of the way spots certainly paid off. I would frame that and put it on the wall (and I think my wife would let me). Well done and congrats!
 
Wow! The detail is stunning for a 257 year old coin that's been in the ground for who knows how long. Congrats on the amazing find!
 
Wow!!! Thats a once in a lifetime find right there. I'd be afraid to clean that myself and try and find a professional to do that. Amazing coin. Congrats.
 
Great find on the copper, Those Tejon's don't miss much, super detector!

Thanks normx2! I think you will appreciate this too, and I used the 5.75" coil. Many times that is all I use in heavy clean-outs. Plus all the nickels that were semi-deep it recovered too.

Well searching out of the way spots certainly paid off. I would frame that and put it on the wall (and I think my wife would let me). Well done and congrats!

Thanks TriadHunter! It was an odd place that I was searching. Lets face it, most of the usual easy spots are Spic and Span clean. I like your idea about framing it!

Spectacular!!!

Thanks Spectacular! Its my new favorite find.

Wow! The detail is stunning for a 257 year old coin that's been in the ground for who knows how long. Congrats on the amazing find!

Thanks Waveoff! I am really surprised the copper has held up so well too. They don't make real copper like that anymore. I think the normal vibration of the earth/ground/dirt is what caused most of the wear.

Wow!!! Thats a once in a lifetime find right there. I'd be afraid to clean that myself and try and find a professional to do that. Amazing coin. Congrats.

Thanks T-Man! It is just interesting to think how did that coin even get there. I agree with you about cleaning it. I might even just leave it alone. I have to say, it looks so easy you would think to remove the fine dirt on it...but it is like concrete it is so well pressed into it.
 
Not sure why, but here in Del. county that coin would have been toasted for sure. Lucky you !!!

Hi Wom27, I hunt nearby in Chester County. 98% of the coppers we find are toasted as well. I know we have very acidic soil, bet you do to.

OP, fantastic find, can't believe the detail. Big congrats.
 
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