Finally Dug a Large Cent in Nice Shape! 1812 Classic Head!

[FreeBirdTim]

I've probably dug a dozen big coppers this year, but all have been toasted and not worth posting here. But I finally got one today that is worthy of this site!

I was deep in the woods at a spot I've just started to explore. Stone walls are everywhere, so it's got a lot of potential. Got an 83 signal, so I knew it had to be something decent. Pulled out a copper around 7 inches down. Very thick, so I was thinking Matron Head cent. Too grungy out of the ground to confirm, though. I cleaned it up when I got home and discovered it was an 1812 Classic Head cent! Way better than a Matron Head!

This coin has large date and small date varieties, but I can't tell the difference. Any help on that one would be appreciated.

 

[MasonDixonMding]

Wow! She is pretty. I’ve found a 1812 but I can hardly read the date. Hope you can find some more there.

 

[CTpilgrim]

That is definitely a nice one. I haven’t found many classic heads. Not sure on the small/large date but definitely a nice one to add to the collection

 

[jhanson]

Congratulations on a really nice LC!

 

[Reelfoot Relics]

can only dream about those in these parts. Nice Job.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I've probably dug a dozen big coppers this year, but all have been toasted and not worth posting here. ....

Sshheesskk, I'd settle for a few "toasted" ones. ANY ones.

 

[M40bnk]

Awesome find with nice details. I’ve only found one but it’s toasted the only thing you can read is one cent.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Thanks, guys! I got lucky with this LC because it was on the side of a hill. I think a spot with better drainage helps keep them in nicer shape.

I let it dry out for a couple of hours before I attempted to clean it. I got most of the crud off with my Andre's pencils. I could probably get more of the dirt off, but I didn't want to push my luck. Definitely going back to this spot tomorrow!

 

[cellrdwellr]

Nice largie Tim, always nice seeing big coppers pop up. Good luck on your return trips!

 

[diggin4clad]

Congrats on the 1812 Large Cent. I checked the Redbook and I'm leaning toward "large date" but there's such a small difference in the two varieties that's I'm not totally sure. I posted an 1808 a few days ago and it's a "12 star variety" which used to be listed in price guides but no longer is for some reason, possibly because there was no real price difference between the two. Neither date variety of the 1812 is listed as having more value than the other.

 

[stetam]

Nice one!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Nice largie Tim, always nice seeing big coppers pop up. Good luck on your return trips!

Thanks, Jeff! It's a tough spot with over 400 uncleared acres, but I'll eventually find a cellar hole or a spot that once had a cabin on it.

Congrats on the 1812 Large Cent. I checked the Redbook and I'm leaning toward "large date" but there's such a small difference in the two varieties that's I'm not totally sure. I posted an 1808 a few days ago and it's a "12 star variety" which used to be listed in price guides but no longer is for some reason, possibly because there was no real price difference between the two. Neither date variety of the 1812 is listed as having more value than the other.

Thanks for the info! That's what I wanted to know. If they're worth the same, I'm not going to worry about which date's on mine.

 

[Digalicious]

I've dug up a lot of large cents, but none even close to that condition. Every one that I've got, were so trashed, that I tossed them in the garbage. So ya, great find!

Also, that dirt imprint looks like a head and upper body profile

 

[yooper69]

Nice ya really batted it out of the park with this find!

 

[Leave-No-Coins-Behind]

Sweet find!

 

[Country Dirt Kid]

One day someone should post an interactive map where people can post what state and how many LC's they have found. It would be interesting to see how the coins migrated across the country over time. It would be historically interesting to see their progression south and west. There is no way to share such a map without someone sabotaging it though.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

One day someone should post an interactive map where people can post what state and how many LC's they have found. It would be interesting to see how the coins migrated across the country over time. It would be historically interesting to see their progression south and west. There is no way to share such a map without someone sabotaging it though.

More bust halves and Philly gold coins made it to the west coast, than LC's. Because think of it : When they were getting ready to pack up their entire lives, and move west, then it made sense to consolidate. Eg.: Why carry 500 LC's, when you can pack a single $5 gold ? Because cargo space & weight was at a premium.

So I've found philly gold coins out here (of that "westward -Ho" date-range era), and multiple bust coins (halves, quarters, dimes, and half-dimes). But .... in all my 45+ years here, found only 3 LC's in CA. We are more likely to find gold coins, than we are to find LC's.

So you can only imagine what your distribution map would end up looking like !

 

[metaladdict]

More bust halves and Philly gold coins made it to the west coast, than LC's. Because think of it : When they were getting ready to pack up their entire lives, and move west, then it made sense to consolidate. Eg.: Why carry 500 LC's, when you can pack a single $5 gold ? Because cargo space & weight was at a premium.

So I've found philly gold coins out here (of that "westward -Ho" date-range era), and multiple bust coins (halves, quarters, dimes, and half-dimes). But .... in all my 45+ years here, found only 3 LC's in CA. We are more likely to find gold coins, than we are to find LC's.

So you can only imagine what your distribution map would end up looking like !

Also California was just kinda starting at 1850! Way past the years L.C.s were being made.

 

[bluebird66]

Great job!

 

[maxxkatt]

really great coin find. How did you find that site? Looks like one to keep hunting for a long while.