Your all time favorite find?

kiyote

Maybe not the most valuable (I pulled a vintage gold chain from the same swimming hole) but your favorite. I almost tossed this, thinking it was a modern piece of junk before I checked the bottom.



Someone's personal effect from 1910! I'm guessing a lighter like this was something of a luxury at the time. What an era; between the San Francisco quake and the start of WW1. Rusted out oxen shoes are a close second for me.

johnny9434

I found 2 4 reales in the next town, one being a 1775 and a 1790. it was a great day that i fondly remember

lordmarcovan

That's a cigarette lighter, I take it? I don't know the evolution of those, but that's darned early for that type of lighter, I would think. Pre-WW1! Very cool.

As to johnny9434's post- wow- two 4-real pieces in a single day must have been truly amazing. I'm not sure, but I think the 4-real denomination circulated the least of all the Spanish colonial fractional coins. I had a similar rush, once- my first 1700s coin find was a 1776 half-real found one late afternoon, and the next morning I found a nice 1787 half real a few feet away. I had another "double header" when I found a 1782 French Cayenne 2-sous and a 1782 Irish "Hibernia" halfpenny within a few feet of one another, minutes apart. (And a 1779 2-reales a few hundred yards away). You never forget hotspots like that.

This is probably still my favorite find, though it's a tough call. As of this April, it is no longer my oldest "found" coin, though- I leapfrogged backwards about another 1,100 years with April's find!

johnny9434

I'll take another look at them and double check. One is not to sure a time at my age. Best wishes no and you are right you never forget them hot spots

demodigger

i have dug many things and my favorites change. i don't think i can say i only have one favorite. lets say this is my fav relic/jewelry item. the large religious medal in this picture came from a memorable evening. i can't say specifically, but i was hunting a property with 2 other persons. this property dated from the 1770's-1850's. the items in this photo date between 1830-1840's. the medal was only maybe an inch down. i had to pry it from rock hard ground with a screwdriver. i was wearing shorts and a tee and the wind was really cold. one friend came over very excited. he had just dug an 1840's $5 gold. i think that was his 12 gold coin dug at that time. i tried to be happy for him, but it was really difficult. i got him back on another night when i dug a half reale in spot he just walked over.

lordmarcovan

Whoa. Phoenix button. Ding-ding-ding- there's a winner.

johnny9434

ok i went checked out the 1 reale i did find today and it was a 2 reale 1775. didnt find the other one yet so ill look for it when i can sorry about the bad info all happy hunting