This time honesty didn't pay "UPDATE"

davbec

Some of you may remember the 1865 two cent piece I found last fall. Well I was looking for some sites to
detect with family while they are visiting. I asked the land owner from who's property I found the two cent
piece for permission to detect his land again. Then preceded to tell him the good fortune I had of finding the coin.
I was happy to hear him say that I could go back and detect again. Then one day later I got a phone call
from him and he said he'd rather me not detect on his property any longer and he would also like to have the
two cent piece I found. Thats what I get for being honest and telling him what I'd found. I'm not a coin
collector so I will give him the coin. The bad thing about it is, it's my oldest coin I've found. Oh Well.

Dave

joestalin

could give him a 2 pence coin instead!

Kevin

pcgs69

just glue two lincolns together...

GoldenEyeNumismatics

Go buy a worn out piece of junk piece to give to him. That one is too cool to give up. He won't know the difference.

mrguby

oh sorry i gave it to my cousin in germany and he died.lol

pcgs69

<< <i>Go buy a worn out piece of junk piece to give to him. That one is too cool to give up. He won't know the difference. >>



Here you go... this one would be perfect

cars

Ridiculous! I would just tell him to eat dirt since he isn't let you go back anyhow.

BunchOBull

Honestly I think everyone has got it right...I'd purchase a 2 cent piece that's in circulated condition and give it to him in its stead. He's probably thinking dollar signs when the only value here is the importance the coin has as your oldest dig.

BentFork

This is just my 2 cents. No pun intended. You were given permission originally without any stipulations at the time for return of objects found - right? That being the case, since this is not the treasure of the Central America, let the gentleman take you to court over it. You'll end up in small claims court - if at all. Nothing was written down. It's all hearsay. So, even if the judge sides with him it'll be a Judge Judy or Jerry Springer thing and he'll look like the fool over a coin that might bring $20.

Donate it to a local museum. Let him fight with them over it.

G Man

Norseman88

<< <i>Ridiculous! I would just tell him to eat dirt since he isn't let you go back anyhow. >>



Exactly, just blow him off and remember to never tell anyone of any good finds where you live especially land owners. if you need to share your finds come here and tell strangers about it.

seatedcollector

spend $50 and buy a handful of holed, damaged type coins on ebay, when you ask permission, you show landowners what types of coins you are looking for, you even offer them one, even a person that knows nothing about coins can see that a damaged coin is not going to be worth thousands of dollars, you dont have to tell them that "i have found these coins" just mention that those are the types of coins you are looking for, and here, you can have this one, the landowner will most likely not care if the 2c piece you give him is the exact one you found, or one that someone else found, he just wants it. if it means more to you, then keep it, but dont blow the guy off and give him nothing, he will most likely see that it is pitted and rough looking and come to his senses,

grip

Screw him! Give him nothing.

jessecarlk

keep it

marym

I'm spilt on this one. You certainly can keep the coin as there were no restrictions in place at the time of the search. But, and there's always a but, you do have to hold yourself to whatever standards, morals or ethics that allow you to continue enjoy looking at that coin. So, dear fellow detectorist, at the end of the day you need to do whatever feels right to you. And, if all else fails, flip the damned coin. Heads you keep it, tails the property owner loses it!!!

Musky1011

Send him a BILL for the time you spent looking for the 2 cent piece
Write on it that he has to pay you 1st before you give up the coin

Say $20.00 an hour plus $50.00 fuel surcharge

Jim

davbec

The situation does suck. This person is a member of my church so I do see him each Sunday, and he has allowed me to
pheasant hunt his land ( which I'll probably stop doing after this occured). I'll probably leave the coin and a small note in
his church mailbox. Maybe good things will start to come my way.
Dave

pocketpiececommems

About the only people that I tell what I find are on these boards.

fishercz20

Keep the coin Dave. It's the first 2cent piece you found and the oldest coin. Go to a local coin dealer and find the cheapest 2 cent coind you can find. You worked for it and deserve it.

Scott

kiyote

This is the uncomfortable part of metal detecting for me. I've been too shy to even ask someone demo'ing a 1960s sidewalk in Sunnyvale of I could detect in their dirt pile from the demo. I always think I sound like this:

"Hey, I think there's some valuable things on your property, rare coins, maybe even gold! Mind if I dig up your yard looking for it?"

2bits

As unpopular as this is going to sound ! Im a little disturbed by the lack of morality displayed here . even though the land owner is out of line he has a right to the coin and once you disclosed its existence to him he has a right to it as it came from his property .

take some good pics of the coin for sentimental reasons and as a reminder of the coin you found , offer the coin to the land owner with a smile and tell the story to everyone else who will listen from the church .

you never know what other doors will open from the integrity you show and what doors will close from the selfishness of the land owner .

BunchOBull

I think the only lack of morality or integrity in this situation belongs to the owner of the land. We're talking about a coin of little monetary value that the owner would have never known about and would have wasted away in time had the OP not dug it up.

The owner obviously thinks there is something to gain by owning the coin and, rather than honor his word, has decided to become greedy with dollar signs in his eyes. It's one thing to hault future detecting (after granting permission), it's another to be so unscrupulous.

fishercz20

Dave next time you go to church, put the 2 cent piece in the offering plate and then later let the guy know where he can find it.

millennium

This could very well be a test of your honesty..I'd give it back, tell him you appreciated the opportunity to hunt and if in the future he changes his mind, you would appreciate another shot.
You'll come off looking honest, and you can never have that as a bad thing.

cars

<< <i>I think the only lack of morality or integrity in this situation belongs to the owner of the land. We're talking about a coin of little monetary value that the owner would have never known about and would have wasted away in time had the OP not dug it up.

The owner obviously thinks there is something to gain by owning the coin and, rather than honor his word, has decided to become greedy with dollar signs in his eyes. It's one thing to hault future detecting (after granting permission), it's another to be so unscrupulous. >>



I feel like the guy gave up rights to all finds when he granted permission without the stipulation that anything found goes to him. There are exceptions to always being honest. When your wife ask if her outfit makes her look fat, When someone robbing you asks if you have anything else, when your kids ask you if Santa is real. I feel this falls in that category.

mr1931S

Go buy a worn out piece of junk piece to give to him. That one is too cool to give up. He won't know the difference.

This is what I would do.

mr1931S

Dave next time you go to church, put the 2 cent piece in the offering plate and then later let the guy know where he can find it.

Put a different two cent in the offering plate.Otherwise,this is brilliant.

Along with letting the guy know where he can find it,tell him you've decided to dirt fish for Jesus.

mr1931S

offer the coin to the land owner with a smile and tell the story to everyone else who will listen from the church .

WWJD? I think he would give the land owner a different coin.The church reverend should know about this incident so that everyone in the church does know, since this story could be part of the sermon one fine Sunday.

pcgs69

Any updates?

davbec

I kind of feel bad for doing this but I kinda feel burned from what happened. I decided to keep my coin
and purchase one on Ebay (which I just received today). So I'll be giving it to him probably next
Sunday. What made me change my mind? Family persuasion and knowing I will most likely never find
a two cent piece ever again.
I will be posting future finds here, but will be keeping my mouth shut to the locals.

CROCKofCOINS

:-)

crispy

He'll never be the wiser and you both will be satisfied. I'm glad you got to keep your coin.

cars

You handled it better than I would have

grip

<< <i>He'll never be the wiser and you both will be satisfied. I'm glad you got to keep your coin. >>



I agree.That was a good call.Now every time you see him wave and smile,and with a little chuckle inside

ormandh

And this man goes to church?!? Hippocrite..... I do not have patience for people like that. I am sorry, but I would tell him to kiss my A$$. -Dan

fishercz20

Yep, you did the right thing Bro! Now lets see some of those pics of the finds we made last weekend.

The Fish