Grade my "dug up" 1903-S & 1899 Barber dimes

rhedden · May 25, 2006 11:45PM

I should really post this "dug up" barber dime over on the metal detecting forum, because I found this one in the ground... a key date 1903-S with no damage. What it was doing in upstate NY is a mystery, but it was a whopping 1 inch deep in the soil, if that, and it looks like I just pulled it out of circulation yesterday. I believe I found this one in 1999. Anyone care to grade it? I think it might actually slab at PCGS, because there is very little evidence of burial, and no corrosion at all.

TheRaven · May 25, 2006 11:48PM

That certainly don't look like it was in the ground.....

I might say VF on that coin.....

Sharp find.....

rhedden · May 26, 2006 12:05AM

Here's another that doesn't look like it was in the ground... 1899-P in AU-58 dug up in Washington, DC in 2001. Has a few interesting die cracks.

ziggy29 · May 26, 2006 12:11AM

That '03-S is really sharp for a find out of the ground. How did you get all the gunk off? Just stuff like olive oil and distilled water?

I'd never guess (based on this image) that the coin was buried. Looks like an easy F-15 to me with a shot at VF-20.

Barndog · May 26, 2006 12:40AM

Rhedden, what collector was asleep when you were metal-detecting his pockets?

Fabulous finds. I like the look of the 1903-S!

originalisbest · May 26, 2006 12:42AM

Great finds - both would easily slab, no question, based on the images. Far worse have been - these are great and problem-free.

I have never found anything so choice while metal detecting. Gotta visit your neighborhood.

ziggy29 · May 26, 2006 12:49AM

One other thought: The fact that an old S-mint coin was found in NY makes me think the '03-S may have been a fairly recent "burial," since I don't think it's too likely an S-mint coin would have been lost on the east coast many decades ago. It's possible, sure, but I think it might have been a coin that was purchased by someone from NY and subsequently lost. But that's part of the fun of it all -- the mystery of how it got there!

rhedden · May 26, 2006 1:34AM

the '03-S may have been a fairly recent "burial," since I don't think it's too likely an S-mint coin would have been lost on the east coast many decades ago

The thought crossed my mind, but there were about 15 other coins in the area from the same era... lots of early merc.'s, early lincolns, and a silver medal from 1904. It was an old picnic area. None of the coins were deeper than 2-3 inches because the soil was hard and rocky. The 1903-S almost certainly made the trip cross country in someone's pockets and got lost in NY some time in the 1920's or 1930's.

Dave99B · May 26, 2006 1:36AM

VF25

Dave

JadeRareCoin · May 26, 2006 1:43AM

Ya know, my great-great-great uncle lost an 03-S dime in upstate NY and an 1899 dime in D.C. back in the 1920's. Your coins look identical to his coins! I will PM you my address so that the coins can be returned to our family. Thank you.

rhedden · May 26, 2006 2:02AM

I will PM you my address so that the coins can be returned to our family.

LOL- this is the reason metal detectorists shouldn't post pics of jewelry they've dug up- 25 different people will claim they lost it within 5 minutes of posting the message!

Craton · May 26, 2006 2:52AM

Silver is weird. The little bit of time that I did detecting, sometimes you'd pull up a silver and it would be black and corroded and other times you'd pull one up and it would be like the day it was dropped to the ground. It all depends on the condition of the soil where it was burried.