Spanish Silver! 1784 1/2 Real!

[DoctorWhy]

Thought I'd go out for a brief hunt today on the island where I live off the coast of Maine. I wanted to do something outdoors before the predicted rains for the next several days. Decided to visit a friend's 10 Acre grassy field. Old maps show a long-disappeared homestead there in the late-1700's and another nearby from the mid-1800's that still stands today. Today's search was in the vicinity of one of the old stone walls defining the borders of the property. Along that wall is a huge mound of field stones, presumably removed one-by-one in the olden days when the land was under cultivation. I searched in the vicinity of the stone pile and was pleasantly surprised with a sharply-defined high tone. I dug the target out of the almost swampy ground and at first, based on its size, I excitedly thought it might be a US. "Trime" coin. After a bit of a water rinse it was evident it wasn't a Trime, but a 1784 Spanish (Mexico mint) 1/2 Real silver coin! For years I have seen several of the metal-detecting 'stars' on YouTube extract similar coins, but never dreamed to find one up here on an island on the coast of Maine!

Oh yeah, on the same hunt I also found a 1935 Washington Quarter -- that alone would have made my day...

Happy Hunting!
--Bert

[Soil Surgeon]

Great find Bert , Congrats , I know you are super thrilled ! It's in awesome shape for a circulated coin of that age . Congrats on your 1935 Quarter also . I guess you can safely say you reached 'Star' status . Nice play by play and photos also .

[mxtswinger]

That's Awesome! And so is your neighborhood. Congrats.

[metaladdict]

Congrats on that tiny silver coin that drips with age👍

[CallMeGrey]

Congrats on an awesome find! You just never know what you'll dig up next - and that's what I love about this hobby.

[markinswpa]

Very nice save Bert. Congrats on the Spanish silver and GW. Seems like a lot of Real's being dug lately. Good luck and stay warm up there. Mark

[maxxkatt]

That would be on anyone list of great finds. From my research, in colonial days Spanish silver coins were used along with English coins. But finding them is very rare.

Super find.

[kaufenanger]

Congrats on the 1/2 Reale!

[Tom_in_CA]

Great post and great pix ! Nice reale.

[atomicbrh]

That is a super find!
Great play by play story and details.

[Rock Jock]

Excellent find, Bert. It must be getting chilly up there. When do you usually have to shut down for the winter?

[DoctorWhy]

Originally Posted by Rock Jock View post
Excellent find, Bert. It must be getting chilly up there. When do you usually have to shut down for the winter?

Hi Rock Jock,
Thanks for your comments! Here on an island just off the coast of Maine, not far from Mt. Desert Island, the weather is a bit more moderate than 'inland' Maine. Still its no 'tropical paradise'... Historically I am able to get out and dig almost up to New Years Day -- if there is no snow on the ground. Up throughout December grassy open fields usually have enough frost in the ground to prevent digging. That time of year I tend to hunt in the deeply wooded areas where 6-9 inches of organic overburden (decaying leaves and pine needles) insulate the underlying ground delaying hard, deep frost developing. Heavy frost eventually forms and I can't dig in Jan., Feb, and March...

Happy Hunting!
--Bert

[Bajanick]

WOW! Nice find.

[GroundSweeper]

Just beautiful, crazy old! Congrats!

[Florida Tabdigger]

Definitely a bucket list item. Great find!

[turtlefoot]

Congrats on the great hunt and finds. I love seeing Spanish silver found.