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Tell us about the best coin you ever FOUND.

ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,785 ✭✭✭✭
Doesn't matter if it was in the dirt, in circulation, or in your father's sock drawer.


Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
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  • CladiatorCladiator Posts: 18,155 ✭✭✭✭✭
    While walking to school my freshman year in highschool I found a 1943 Walker, well circulated, in a pile of trash on the side of the street. I had no interest in collecting at that time and don't remember what I did with the coin. I may have lost it in a drunken poker game.
  • OKbustchaserOKbustchaser Posts: 5,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1961, age 10...I found what I later learned was a type 1 1917D Standing Liberty quarter. WHOO-HOOO naked boob!! I was a collector for life.
    Just because I'm old doesn't mean I don't love to look at a pretty bust.
  • STONESTONE Posts: 15,275
    1920 Buffalo Nickel when I was 5, which got me interested in collecting coins
  • I was given a WLH from the store cashier at a local family run grocery store. She had found it in a roll of halves that they used for change... I guess I didnt find it... but she did... and I would have found it, because Im allowed to go through them all... well, was, when I was younger and still living there.
  • I found a 1789 spanish reale metal detecting an old carriage road in Lancaster, Massachusetts several years ago.
  • silverpopsilverpop Posts: 6,709 ✭✭✭✭✭
    the best coin that i've found was this 1972d Lamanation error penny that i found in change

    image

    1997-present

  • GritsManGritsMan Posts: 2,599 ✭✭✭
    I found a F 1909 VDB in change about ten years ago. I'm sure it had recently been liberated from someone's coin collection, but I thought it was pretty cool.
    Winner of the Coveted Devil Award June 8th, 2010
  • WaterSportWaterSport Posts: 6,892 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When I started collecting and searching rollls in 1964, my best find, and STILL in my collection..1924 D Lincoln in AG!

    WS
    Proud recipient of the coveted PCGS Forum "You Suck" Award Thursday July 19, 2007 11:33 PM and December 30th, 2011 at 8:50 PM.
  • sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    1886 cent (type II) on top of a fresh dirt pile.

    1908 cent in circulation.

    1912 cent in my old dirt driveway.

    1926 nickel in circulation.

    1943 dime in AU. I got it as a tip when I was a paper boy in 1978. And yes, I was collecting then!

    1981-P dollar in circulation.

    1985-S half in circulation.

    1996-W dime in circulation.

    2005-P dollar in circulation.
  • itsnotjustmeitsnotjustme Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭
    At about age 13, a 1723 Half Farthing while metal detecting in Concord Massachussetts.
    Give Blood (Red Bags) & Platelets (Yellow Bags)!
  • I found a 1872 2 cent piece in a safe that was thought to be empty and set out for trash . I also had keys made for the safe and kept it to.
    ''Coin collecting is the only hobby where you can spend all your money and still have some left''
  • CocoinutCocoinut Posts: 2,515 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A 1929-D half in EF/AU. Found in a bag of junk silver halves.

    Jim
    Countdown to completion of my Mercury Set: 1 coin. My growing Lincoln Set: Finally completed!
  • An MS 63 Wisconsin low leaf.
  • A 1945 silver walking liberty half, in a roll of kennedies...
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,463 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The best coin I found today is an MS 67 1964 D Washington quarter. I think PCGS will disagree with me, though.
  • CollectorcoinsCollectorcoins Posts: 3,209 ✭✭✭
    1900-0/CC Morgan in a BU roll of Dollars. Got it certified by NGC MS63.
  • A 1955 Double Die cent.
  • It's funny how you remember the best finds:

    Age 7, got a 1907 EF Indian penny in change, went back with my Dad asked the cashier if there were any more and got 6

    Age 25 or so, found a 1949-S dime while walking the dog, it was laying in the street?

    Age 36, last year got a 1901 Indian penny in change, really poor shape, but sure made my day

    Still own all the above. image
    Life member of the SSDC
  • originalisbestoriginalisbest Posts: 5,971 ✭✭✭✭
    "Best" coin I ever found was a really nice G, no-problem '14-D cent - unfortunately it was my neighbor's wheats I was checking, and not my mom's. Nevertheless, I dutifully stapled it into a 2x2 for her and indicated on the holder what it was and the retail value. Which I think at the time was $60-$70? Nice memory.
  • MrHalfDimeMrHalfDime Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭✭
    Like Oildvr, I found a 1769 Spanish half reale using a metal detector. Other finds include a 1749 British half penny, a ca. 1787 French 10 centime, and an 1867 Quebec token, all in the northern New England area. From circulation, in addition to nearly all dates of Canadian small cents and five cent nickels, I have found an AU 1936 1/12 Anna from India and numerous other foreign coins. Around 1980, I was able to complete a collection of Jefferson nickels entirely from circulation, including the 1939-D and 1950-D (2 examples).
    They that can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin
  • GTOsterGTOster Posts: 868 ✭✭✭
    Heres My Best find ever
    Linky
    Paul
  • gonzergonzer Posts: 3,045 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A Fine '69S DDO (the big one) Lincoln in 1973. Couple years later needed cash and realized $385 for it.
  • DoubleEagle59DoubleEagle59 Posts: 8,371 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It was actually my brother who found this coin....

    We were kids at a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game in the 60's, when during the intermission, my brother and I watched this penny being kicked about, to and fro, by about 10 different people. My brother, being the person that always finds money on the ground (you know the type) finally tracked down this penny and picked it up. The look on his face was pure joy. It was a 1909 VDB!! We wished for the elusive 's' mintmark to appear, but no such luck. Anyways, it's still a fond memory for me of my brother.
    "Gold is money, and nothing else" (JP Morgan, 1912)

    "“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)

    "I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
  • RichieURichRichieURich Posts: 8,523 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>A Fine '69S DDO (the big one) Lincoln in 1973. Couple years later needed cash and realized $385 for it. >>



    WOW! I bet you (and me, and everyone else on the Forum) would like to own it now!

    Edit to add: My best find was a 1950-D nickel in VF in change from a copy machine in 1977.

    An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.

  • Back in march we were lucky enough to find a good amount of gw smoothies, found this a week later while sorting the smoothies for grade...............................
    image
  • I was demo'ing a building once and found a shiny 1942 Merc inside a wall. I didn't know about overdates then but my ex-wife kept it. I hope it was just a regular 1942.
    imageDo not taunt Happy Fun Ball image
  • CameonutCameonut Posts: 7,337 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Back in the early 60's I found a 1917-s Walker with the mint mark on the obverse in my father's pocket change. Probably the best coin I ever found in circulation. I still have it somewhere in the vault.

    “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson

    My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!

  • 09sVDB09sVDB Posts: 2,420 ✭✭✭
    Don't know if this is considered "found" but I bought $100 face of WLH's for $100 from a bank about ten years ago.
  • I was about 13... so this goes back to 1964 or 65.

    I found a Jefferson, from the same year, that didnt look "right."

    turns out, it had multi strike clash marks.

    I sent it to Coin World, who published photos of the coin. Yes, they returned the coin.

    I thought it was the coolest thing in the world to have a photo of my coin in Coin World with a "credit."

    cheers, Alan Mendelson
    BestDealsTVshow.com
  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,785 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Age 7, got a 1907 EF Indian penny in change, went back with my Dad asked the cashier if there were any more and got 6 >>

    At such a young age, you were quite wise to go back.
    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,785 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Around 1980, I was able to complete a collection of Jefferson nickels entirely from circulation, including the 1939-D and 1950-D (2 examples). >>

    Many have tried this (me included), but you're the first person I've known to actually accomplish it.
    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • ShamikaShamika Posts: 18,785 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Don't know if this is considered "found" but I bought $100 face of WLH's for $100 from a bank about ten years ago. >>

    When you say "WLH's" do you mean WALKING LIBERTY HALVES? If so, all I can say is YOU SUCK!!!image

    Buyer and seller of vintage coin boards!
  • coindeucecoindeuce Posts: 13,490 ✭✭✭✭✭
    On Tuesday of this week. I was searching a bulk bin of EF Morgans that the boss had brought back from a buying trip. An 1894-P was with all of the common crap. He didn't even offer to buy me lunch for finding it.image

    "Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
    http://www.american-legacy-coins.com

  • sfs2002usasfs2002usa Posts: 874 ✭✭✭
    While digging dirt in a garden on 13th St in Albuquerque I found a 1944 S Mercury. It's somewhat
    worn and I made the big error as a kid of "cleaning" the dirt off it with toothpaste. Yikes! I'm embarrassed
    to admit to it. I also found the same year in circulation a 1935 Series F Silver Certificate. Funny but
    I rec'd quite a lot of silver dimes in change and a 1969 silver Kennedy. I haven't rec'd any silver
    in change since. Maybe I don't shop as much with currency anymore.
  • drwstr123drwstr123 Posts: 7,045 ✭✭✭✭✭
    In the ol' days, it was fun checkin' change:
    image
  • fcfc Posts: 12,793 ✭✭✭
    1909P wheat penny at seven eleven. slightly bent, corroded, dirty,
    and etc.. and looks so hot in my album.

    yes, hot. sexy. stunning. :-P
  • MASSU2MASSU2 Posts: 266 ✭✭✭✭
    Just last year I found a 1925 Stone Mountain half in about XF searching through a roll of Kennedy's.
  • Last fall I found a AU 1972 DDO Lincoln (the big DDO, not one of the less prominent ones) on the floor of the local library.
  • SamByrdSamByrd Posts: 3,131 ✭✭✭✭
    The best circ finds were a 51s dime bu, 1910 lincoln au with a little red still both 8 or 10 years back.
    2 years in a bag of wheats I found a slick 14d , It is for sure a Poor 1 or 2 really worn down and the trusty microscope is needed to read much of the details.
  • First "find of my life" was back in 1960 when I was 9 years old. A buddy and I were crawling around in an old house that had the windows broken out of it and no front door. It was a real "rats nest". As we dug through the trash I crawled under the sink cabinet and found a little cardboard box, about 2 inches square, on a piece of wood inside that made a little ledge for it to sit on. I opened it up and there was cotton on top. Inside, laying on another piece of cotton were TWO Unc. 1909 VDB cents (no S). My buddy and I split them between us. Funny, but I have never told this story until now!

    The latest "find of my life" was the 1835 Capped Bust Half-Dime, LM-12 Discovery Piece in February of this year!

    Edgar

    image

    image
  • tightbudgettightbudget Posts: 7,299 ✭✭✭
    3 rolls of 1999 Wide AM cents from the bank.

    A close tie would be a 72 doubled die from a roll of cents, which now resides in a PCGS 63 red holder.

    Within this year though, I have found a 16-D Walker in good, an AU 1948 Franklin, 5 proof 1957 Franklins, a trime (got it from the bank two weeks ago), and a 1908 Newfoundland 5 cent coin.
  • DoctorPaperDoctorPaper Posts: 616 ✭✭✭
    In 1954, as a kid, found this lying on the back of a kitchen shelf in a house we moved into on Long Island. It was my first "old" coin, and I still have it.
    image
    Wisconsin nationals: gotta love 'em....
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,673 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image

    image


    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • 1979 SBA wide rim image
  • As a kid, I found all the Lincoln and IHC, Buffalo and Jeffs I collected in either circulation or searching rolls. I never did find that '09-S vdb or '14-D though.


    image
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,673 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I got a 1914-D cent, but it wasn't in circulation. It was in a bag of bulk wheaties.

    PCGS XF40'ed it. Cha-ching!

    image

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • It was February, 2005 and the Wisconsin Extra Leaf Quarters had been discovered in Tucson, AZ and San Antonio - Austin, Tx. Real early on that Tuesday morning, I drove from the New Braunfels, Tx area to Austin which is state Capitol of Texas. I purchased a roll of new WI Quarters and found a beautiful Extra High Leaf variety coin in Round Rock, Tx at what was then Bank One Bank. The Wisconsin Quarter Texas Experience was the highlight of my 50+ years of numismatics. Then, Rick Snow and Chris Pilliod's theatre presentation which discussed the WI Extra Leaf Quarters in Milwaukee's ANA show last month was also a highlight !! May you enjoy collecting coins everyday !! Mark.
    Specialized Investments
  • IGWTIGWT Posts: 4,975
    I found a buried 1883 Shield Nickel while weeding the garden when I was a kid. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It’s quite corroded, but it has pretty smooth surfaces and the details are still sharp, suggesting that it had dropped out of someone’s pocket before it had seen much circulation.
    Still have it. image
  • morganbarbermorganbarber Posts: 1,821 ✭✭✭
    In circulation- 1983 DDR Lincoln
    In melt bags- 1892-O Barber half
    I collect circulated U.S. silver
  • When I bought my business, tucked in the back of a drawer were 6 rolls of cents. 4 were uncirculated 1977 cents and 2 rolls of wheaties. The best of them was a 1909 VDB in EF condition. Lots of mint marks from the teens and twenties in the rest of the rolls along with nothing newer than 1950. A good find.

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