Sorry this wasn't from metal detecting, but what a find!

[marky777]

As they say, "gold is where you find it", and this didn't get got from my PI detector.

While in a waiting room one day, the kids wanted some coins from Mom's purse (my wife that is). She nonchalantly showed me a coin someone had given her in change, thinking it was just a fake something or other (it is same size as a dime btw). I took a look at it and thought, "huh, it does look fake", but just in case.... It had a slightly orange hue to it, not quite like gold. Turns out indeed these coins do have a small amount of copper in them to make them more resilient.

So the first thing I did was of course, look online. Then I put it on a food scale, comparing it to a real dime, and it weighed quite a bit more than a regular dime, THAT got my blood pumping. Of course it seemed that way holding it anyways but it was so small it's hard to tell.

I then looked up the weight on it from some site, and sure enough it was right on the money! Oh boy that's sweet! Had myself a bonafide gold coin just banging around in the wife's coin purse all those weeks.

Long story short, it sold on Ebay for eight-hundred and fifty dollars!

Puts my PI finds to shame to date, but still hoping!! These are scans of the actual coin.

[sectshun8]

Remarkeable that coin was somehow in circulation and gotten back in change!?!?!? I wasn't aware they were so small, but sheesh, 3.75g of gold in a coin is sweet. I woulda kept it personally... gold isn't gonna get any cheaper.

[marky777]

Originally Posted by sectshun8

Remarkeable that coin was somehow in circulation and gotten back in change!?!?!? I wasn't aware they were so small, but sheesh, 3.75g of gold in a coin is sweet. I woulda kept it personally... gold isn't gonna get any cheaper.

Amen to that lol.

Unfortunately we were unbelievably broke last year so 850 was lookin REAL good at that point...

[filo]

I can't believe whoever gave that out in Change didn't know it was a valuable coin. It's not like we handle 2 1/2 dollar coins in the US every day! That's crazy.

Also, how in the heck did it bring $850? Even in MS60 condition a 2 1/2 indian from 1929 is worth only about $370 according to numismedia. Double crazy but good for you.

[Warthog1]

Holy Cow...in your wife's change ???? Incredible.

[Don]

That's unbelieveable!!!

[JBEXPRESS]

That is one awesome little coin a would have liked for my collection. I would have kept it. COngrats!

[Digger Dan]

Originally Posted by filo

I can't believe whoever gave that out in Change didn't know it was a valuable coin. It's not like we handle 2 1/2 dollar coins in the US every day! That's crazy.

Also, how in the heck did it bring $850? Even in MS60 condition a 2 1/2 indian from 1929 is worth only about $370 according to numismedia. Double crazy but good for you.

That's the magic of E Bay... I love bidding wars especially when I am selling something

And that was a REMARKABLE FIND in your wifes change purse!!! I wish I could be so lucky.. Good thing is my wife is hip to old coins, she brought home a dime roll full of MERCS from her job last year, and she got a 1920's in mint condition out of an ATM machine a few years ago and she brought them strainght to me....

Thanks for sharing that story....

[leslie(nova scotia)]

From the land of the Bluenose....well me bouy treasure is where you find it whether that be in the ground or a purse. Awesome!

[RIdetector]

That's a sweet find.I own a few but never paid close to $850.I'd go out and buy a new MD

[CreepyCrawler]

I never knew such a thing existed, and the size of a dime? Wow.

[treasure state]

The quarter eagle coin is 18mm, even smaller is the type 1 liberty gold dollar is 13mm, type 2 and 3 are 15mm.
Awsome find.

[13rannon]

I called two people right after reading your story.

Amazing catch. Unbelievable.

[roadrunner_426]

That's one SWEET find...and like Leslie said, a find is a find, metal detector or no...my eyeball finds have been outdoing my detecting finds for a long time...so far this year, 3 gold earrings and a gold ring found on asphalt...best detector find was a sterling religious medallion..Roadrunner

[Jae.999]

you gotta be s**in me! I'm just wondering how long it's been out there circulating b4 your wife came across it. I've always looked at my change since i was little... always hoping to find something rare. I wouldve kept that piece personally but hey to eaches own....great find though.

[Keith K]

A two and one half dollar coin? Really? Looks great, but why did they do this coin in so small a size? Who was our President back then? Good for you.

[daddydigger]

Originally Posted by Keith K

A two and one half dollar coin? Really? Looks great, but why did they do this coin in so small a size? Who was our President back then? Good for you.

The coin was so small because that was $2.50 in actual gold. Who was President in 1929? Not an indian chief, that's for sure. The history of our coinage is very interesting. Check out google or wikipedia HH!

[Stang1968]

The President in 1929 was Herbert Hoover.
The Indian Head Quarter Eagle was commissioned by Teddy Roosevelt in 1906-7ish. I believe the design was done by Bela Lyon Pratt. It still is unique (along with the the half eagle from the same time) for its incuse design.
I've heard stories about them fitting into dime rolls. Maybe someone threw it in the salvation army kettle and they didn't notice when they rolled the change? Maybe someone thought it was fake and used it to stuff a roll of dimes?
Still a very cool find. I'd have a cow if I got a gold coin in change.

[RickO]

That is truly amazing and if that is the actual coin in that picture, it was in remarkably good condition. Awesome. RickO

[jayreef]

At least I have an excuse foe going throughy wifes purse now

Thanks