1808 Cent - Probably a Ground Find from Massachusetts
Eddi
Posts: 509 ✭✭✭✭✭
While on a vacation in the U.S about 15 years ago, in Massachusetts to be precise, I had an opportunity to visit a local coin show in the western part of the state. There weren't many sellers at the show, probably less than 12-15 or so, but one of them had some early US coins which were interesting, among which this 1808 cent.
The seller did not identify it as such, but based on my experience detecting, it is most likely a ground find.
In spite of the obvious environmental damage, it is a lovely coin with an appealing deep jade green colour which is typical of some detected copper coins. The variety is Sheldon 278.
I think this coin was probably found locally in Massachusetts, an area rich in history and where many interesting finds have been made, from what I have read.
For me, the history alone was worth the purchase.
Comments
Definitely a ground find, and probably lost when the coin was newly minted or soon after. She's still a beauty
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
Cool cent, I can't imagine how much fun that would have been to dig it up.
I can only dream of making such a find in the ground, that being said for a coin collection they don't do it for me because of the damage to the coin's surfaces caused by being in the ground. I guess I would have 2 collections then, historical finds in the ground and coins bought in excellent condition.
It would be a lifetime achievement to dig up something like that. Amazing!
Having fun while switching things up and focusing on a next level PCGS slabbed 1950+ type set, while still looking for great examples for the 7070.
I once dug an 1808 large cent metal detecting (in Maryland). Still have it. It was dropped on a large, flat stone, and it was all of half an inch deep. You want to talk about ugly? PCGS would run out of room on the slab label listing all the reasons for the details grade.
That's in great shape for coming out of the ground the 8 large cents I have dug look nothing like that
Amazing condition indeed.
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
2003-present
1997-present
Considering it came out of the ground, that Large Cent looks amazing.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
While I haven't found any ground finds that old, my oldest is an 1887 Indian Cent. Like this one, the obverse was in worse shape than the reverse, which IMO means that it was buried obverse side up.
That coin is an amazing piece as Classic Head cents are stinkers to find nice examples of anyway - and for a ground find the soil didn't do much damage to the surface of the coin.