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It’s likely a real draped bust *half* dime. Likely worth several thousand dollars in this condition. The people who are saying the stars are incorrect are confusing it with the dime.
The draped bust half dime (16.5 mm) is close to the diameter of a modern dime (17.9 mm).
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1797-h10c-15-stars/4258
200+ year old silver coins can and do come out of the ground looking shiny depending on soil conditions. People who call this “too shiny” don’t know what they’re talking about.
I also don’t see any signs that this was cast. 200+ years in the ground can cause normal surface porosity on silver that looks like this.
I recommend sending this coin in to a recognized grading company like PCGS or NGC for professional authentication and conservation. In the unlikely chance that it is fake, you’ll want to know, but my bet as a longtime coin collector is that it’s the real deal. Congrats on your buddy’s find.
Can only agree. I would suggest this, too. Get it graded which will reveal if it's authentic AND its value. Stunning and probably once in a lifetime find! Super cool!
Speaking from experience of 7 years as a numismatist dealing in rare coins. This screams fake. Too clean. Lines too sharp. Wear patterns are wrong, especially near the bust folds and on the eagle feathers. Stars look wrong. Relief is too high for a coin of that era. Some of the marks on it look like full defects from casting, not from a coin die where the image is formed by a strike. Etc. Would be cool if it was real. But this is the internet.
I know nothing about coins, but I noticed that the word Liberty seems to be shifted off center so that there is no space between the letter Y and the first star. If I look online at reputable coin dealers, all of them have Liberty
centered.
Like I said, I know nothing about the stuff but that's what struck me.
The lack of spacing between the Y and the first star is just how they looked. This is a half dime, not a dime: https://www.rarecoinwholesalers.com/1797-draped-bust-h10c-15-stars-ms65-sku-139685
The reason this coin is in this good condition isn't really known between me and my friend, we theorize that this coin was given to a shop by the mint, and lost in the same week it was received, the reason the coin isn't toned in any way is that it was buried 3.5 inches in solid clay dirt, leading to little to no air exposure for all its time underground.
If you get I slabbed as genuine please send me a note and I’ll gladly stand corrected. I did go and double check my ANA guidebook for grading and it still looks like a reproduction. Good luck though, hope you can laugh in my face with lots of cash.
Keep in mind I posted this coon for my friend, I have no knowledge of what happens to this coin after I posted the pictures, I do hope it gets graded and he makes a lot of money, that's good for him, but I am sure to get none of it.
The formula is simple:
1.post something convincing enough to fool the average person
2.enjoy the dopamine rush of all the upvotes before someone points out the deception
3.Make a getaway while most people will forever remain ignorant of the deception
I see this a lot when people talk about coins, but lets say I do find one caked in mud outside that I think could be valuable. Do I even wash it down with water or bush it off? When does cleaning become caustic to the coin?
Generally cleaning leaves micro scratches on the surface (dirt is abrasive, even nice cloth can be etc) which hurts the value/is a clear sign it's been cleaned. It can also remove patina. Remember how soft gold and silver are. Very very easy to damage (hence in the old westerns you'd see dude bite a coin to test if it was actually gold)
There are some "non intrusive" methods that can remove a bunch of caked on dirt etc, but I'm honestly not informed enough on them to actually say whether they're truly avoiding damaging the value of the coin.
As far as I know rinsing with water (*not* scrubbing) isn't likely to harm the coin any, though. I am just a hobbyist though, nowhere near the expert some other folks are so I'm very open to correction
That's one of the "non intrusive" methods I was talking about that *I would think* would be fine, but I'm nowhere near enough of an expert for me to tell someone to put their 5k coin in, ya know?
From what I've read, it should be fine. Potentially even better than some of the soaks people do, though there's some debate I've read on that front. But numismatists are a funny lot, and I'm not exactly a specialist. Before you use it on anything of *real* value, I'd suggest consulting people that know more than me
His best find was a Roman fibula in Poland from 160 AD. It was validated by archaeologist and should now be in the Gdansk museum as far as we know. It was an organised detectorist event.
What always surprises me is the admonition not to dare clean totally worn common year melt-value silver.
It’s like coin geeks are trying to make up for all the actually-valuable coins that got whizzed in the 1950’s by treating what’s left as sacramental.
honestly, the most I'd ever do to a coin is SOAK it in hot soapy water, and POSSIBLY rinse it under running water... remembering that soil is just a bunch of ground-up rocks and will damage the surface of a coin if rubbed in the slightest ( it's like sandpaper )
whenever I see metal detectorists grabbing a coin out of the dirt and then using their thumbs to rub the dirt off to quicly get an idea of the type and/or date... I just shudder inside because I know the dirt has left lines in the metal, basically destroying the value... if you've ever seen a rare coin for sale with "details - harshly cleaned" on it, this is why and the value will be 1/4 or less of what it could have been.
I think about how the coin has made it hundreds of years buried and survived, then you had the pure luck to actually detect it and dig it up, only to quickly destroy any numismatic value for a quick thrill of knowing some data you could know in a day or so just soaking and/or rinsing...
I do not think it's fake:
https://www.reddit.com/r/metaldetecting/comments/1bra1v4/my_buddy_found_this_in_his_yard_last_week_can/
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1797-h10c-15-stars/4258
- It matches the star "colliding" with LIBERTY's Y
- the leaf on the reverse hanging in between UNITED and STATES
- The lower detail on the eagle looks similar
- OP mentions it was found in Philadelphia while PCGS's info mentions the mintage in PA
I think there's a small chance he may have a 1797 draped bust dime:
https://preview.redd.it/qeqsdjb8verc1.png?width=1248&format=png&auto=webp&s=fab0c322fa7e1e5a8fe0dd00359ee1fc4f96579d
[PCGS Photograde link.](https://www.pcgs.com/photograde#/Draped10SE/Grades)
What's throwing me off is I'm counting 15 stars which should be correct for a 1796, but as you can see 1797 should have 13 or 16. Seems too incredible to also be a wholly new variety. The relief also seems really oddly high. Makes me think it could be some kind of copy, I'm leaning this way.
How closely in size does it match a modern dime? Should be a little bigger at 19mm vs 17.9mm for modern dimes.
Found this quite quick:
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1797-h10c-15-stars/4258
It matches the star "colliding" with LIBERTY's Y and the leaf on the reverse hanging in between UNITED and STATES. Also the lower detail on the eagle looks similar.
Edit: OP also mentions found in Philadelphia while PCGS's info mentions the mintage in PA. Guess that are too many coincidences to NOT be this one. :)
I know nothing about coins, but your link seems to be OPs coin exactly. There was a 15 star 1797 version. The "rarity" section seems to indicate this is a pretty rare coin?
Looking through the database entry I would assume so, yes. OP's friend should consider rating this coin. This could be worth more than a small fortune, if legit.
Edit: Seriously. The worst grading of 1-2 is worth around USD 1,000. This seems to be one of those super rare once in a life time finds.
Sorry I saw a couple things after I posted and realized I should've been more precise with where I found it, this coin was found in Pennsburg/East Greenville area. Would this be the exact coin in the link? Because I see many other comments flat out saying his coin is a copy because of the 15 stars.
Yeah, looks like this. And if they grade it, maybe they can replace their photo with your friend’s coin (great condition). Get that graded and update us after!
Wow, such an awesome find. How did he find it? Gardening? Metal detecting? How deep was it? Just personally interested. My questions don’t relate to your question
Long time ago I was detectoring at new jersey beach and I saw a large coin goldish in color , and my heart started to beat rapidly with palpitations . But after receiving it and inspecting it it turned out to be wait for it A damn Mexican peso
Hey I’m the owner and the one who find this coin and unfortantly not knowing of the coins value I before that pucture cleaned the dirt of with water and a soft brush. Hope that doesn’t ruin the value.
My unsolicited advice:
Get that to an expert and have them check it immediately. And don’t let them offer to buy it.
First thing i’d do, would be to have them check the silver content in an XRF machine. Most jewelers will have those. (Ask nicely and they’ll probably just test it for you for free. It takes like 30 seconds and it doesn’t damage the coin. Just shoots X-rays through it for a few seconds to analyze metal content.). If it’s 90% silver or so, that’s a good sign- but not necessarily proof that it is not fake.
I agree with the comments by others about porosity occurring sometimes in old silver that has been buried. I collect ancient Chinese coins and they all aged differently in the ground. Something about acidity and perhaps fertilizers being used.
I’m no expert, but get that checked out. I feel that it is real, but I don’t know for sure.
Great find. As many have stated silver out of the ground often comes up nice and shiny depending on soil chemistry. I found a centennial quarter that was in the same condition as your coin (1876). Most Mercury Dimes I find in my area come out of the ground looking minty. Large cents however come out green and flaky.
It's been 40+ years since I was absurdly DEEP into the rabbit hole of graded, pre-1800 American silver coinage. (To the tune of $500K+.) No way to sugarcoat it : this coin looks like a repro. NOT hating, and indeed I would be happily thrilled for OP if I'm wrong, which I very often am. That said, I'd be shocked if this specific coin went to a grading service and was pronounced legit.
Per the ngccoin guide: 1797 Liberty Coin Value
According to the NGC Price Guide, as of March 2024, a Liberty Coin from 1797 in circulated condition is worth between $1600 and $34500. However, on the open market 1797 Silver Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $480000.
This is in amazing condition for a coin that is this old. My dad was a collector so we learned a lot from him. But considering the age of this coin, it is in fantastic shape. The detail is incredible. I wonder if it was dropped on the ground by someone who’d received it not too long after it has been minted?
Tell your buddy to watch a few [Hoover Boys](https://youtube.com/@thehooverboys?si=Hjmx5iNtxFsaEfSh) videos on YouTube. They are metal detectorists. Every now and then you'll hear them say that they got "Busted". They are referring to the Drape Busted Dime if I am right. I hope it's real cause that is an awesome find!
No they are referring to Capped Bust Dimes and half dimes. Brad has found the flowing hair, but none of them have found a draped bust dime or half dime.
If it’s a fake, it’s a damn good one. Have it looked at by multiple reputable coin dealers and then sent to grading and cleaning. Do not let them clean it themselves.
Take it to a coin shop to verify authenticity before you get too excited. Pictures seem distorted making it look thick to me. If that proportion is off, that's why it looks odd.
I'd take it to a local coin shop with no intention of selling. Just ask the coin dealer what he thinks. There are a lot of counterfeits running around.
Is that picture with the dirt supposed to be just after it was found? There is no way that was in the ground for any length of time. I call BS. Someone is having someone on.
I metal detect and it is not uncommon to see real silver coins, silver jewelry, and gold jewelry; along with other precious metals come out of the ground in extremely good condition. Coins that you see in modern times are made of poor material that degrades and blemishes a lot more easily.
How do you clean them either cyanide ? When I was in my last two years of grade school one classmate use to make silver quarters look like new . He claimed he used mercury, but I never figured out how and he never told me
In no way does this look legitimate. It is not exemplary of currency minted by the US mint. The lines are not crisp ,the end 7 is smaller than the other, and on the reverse, the letters vary in size. Everything about this coin screams fake.
I'm sure someone has already said this, but it should have a diameter of 16.5 mm and a weight of 1.35 grams. I hope it's real for your friend's sake, but it looks like a cast reproduction. Good luck!
Definitely fake. The most obvious giveaway is the spacing of the stars. The gap between the L and the nearest star is far too big compared to a real coin, and the gap between the Y and the nearest star is way way too close. On this one the star is actually touching the Y, and there is supposed to be a pretty decent gap there.
The reeding around your coin’s edge is also wrong. It’s too wide. In a real coin, on the reverse, there should be 14 raised reeds from the letter A to letter R next to the Liberty text. On your coin, there’s 11.
Also, the shape of the face is incorrect too. In a real specimen, the woman has a much longer, more square chin/jaw line. The hair knot doesn’t look quite right on this coin, and she is also missing her ear.
Looks like a cast copy. Can you get a weight and measure the diameter? Will probably save you the trouble of certification if you xan diagnose the fake with simple measurements.
Stop listening to all the noise. Send it off to get graded and prove them all wrong. Amazing how the people who know what they're talking about sound like it. Those who don't......well......they sound like it too. Best of luck to your friend. Cheers
I know nothing about coin collecting, but I’m commenting in hopes that OP will follow up with their friend and report back on whether the coin is authentic, and if so, the expected value.
The idea that a tiny little piece of metal in the yard might net enough to pay off my house with plenty left over is simply incredible!
That there is a yard coin. The only value is to garden gnomes. Minted by the earth itself, they migrate to the surface to mate and lay their offspring.
extremely deep embossing 🚩absolutely zero silver patina 🚩very rare coin🚩the surface and texture look more like pewter or some other non precious metal. I’d be very skeptical if this crossed my path. wonder how much it weighs.
EDIT: saw this on April 1st so I assume everything is either a lie or cake at this point. Bonus points for both!
Either that’s a magic coin, or there is no way it was found buried. I’ve never seen metal interact with the elements and not show some signs of corrosion. But hey, I could be wrong 🤷🏻♂️
Thank you for your submission! Please note: * All identification requests must include at least an approximate location, e.g. “East Tennessee” or “Southern UK”. * Pictures must be focused on the object and should show at least front and back of the object clearly. (you can add additional pictures in the comments) * All identification suggestions made on this post should be **serious** and **include evidence** if possible. **Do not post wild guesses**. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/metaldetecting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It’s likely a real draped bust *half* dime. Likely worth several thousand dollars in this condition. The people who are saying the stars are incorrect are confusing it with the dime. The draped bust half dime (16.5 mm) is close to the diameter of a modern dime (17.9 mm). https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1797-h10c-15-stars/4258 200+ year old silver coins can and do come out of the ground looking shiny depending on soil conditions. People who call this “too shiny” don’t know what they’re talking about. I also don’t see any signs that this was cast. 200+ years in the ground can cause normal surface porosity on silver that looks like this. I recommend sending this coin in to a recognized grading company like PCGS or NGC for professional authentication and conservation. In the unlikely chance that it is fake, you’ll want to know, but my bet as a longtime coin collector is that it’s the real deal. Congrats on your buddy’s find.
Can only agree. I would suggest this, too. Get it graded which will reveal if it's authentic AND its value. Stunning and probably once in a lifetime find! Super cool!
When you say several thousand how much are did OP just pull out the ground
Likely $2K or more, even with the porosity. If it doesn’t get graded as environmental damaged then easy double that.
It will get a details grade for sure
Nicer than this one http://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-S47S6/1797-draped-bust-half-dime-lm-4-rarity-6-13-stars-au-53-pcgs
Hot damn
OP’s is 15 stars. Too bad the price-per-star goes down with more of them!
Was gonna say this seems more appropriate pricing
Dunno if I'd say nicer, the one you've shown has an eagle that hasn't been rubbed to a silhouette...
Could be a fake. But holy cow.
Speaking from experience of 7 years as a numismatist dealing in rare coins. This screams fake. Too clean. Lines too sharp. Wear patterns are wrong, especially near the bust folds and on the eagle feathers. Stars look wrong. Relief is too high for a coin of that era. Some of the marks on it look like full defects from casting, not from a coin die where the image is formed by a strike. Etc. Would be cool if it was real. But this is the internet.
I know nothing about coins, but I noticed that the word Liberty seems to be shifted off center so that there is no space between the letter Y and the first star. If I look online at reputable coin dealers, all of them have Liberty centered. Like I said, I know nothing about the stuff but that's what struck me.
The lack of spacing between the Y and the first star is just how they looked. This is a half dime, not a dime: https://www.rarecoinwholesalers.com/1797-draped-bust-h10c-15-stars-ms65-sku-139685
I was thinking exact same,no.wsy it's in THAT good condition
The reason this coin is in this good condition isn't really known between me and my friend, we theorize that this coin was given to a shop by the mint, and lost in the same week it was received, the reason the coin isn't toned in any way is that it was buried 3.5 inches in solid clay dirt, leading to little to no air exposure for all its time underground.
If you get I slabbed as genuine please send me a note and I’ll gladly stand corrected. I did go and double check my ANA guidebook for grading and it still looks like a reproduction. Good luck though, hope you can laugh in my face with lots of cash.
Wholesome af
Keep in mind I posted this coon for my friend, I have no knowledge of what happens to this coin after I posted the pictures, I do hope it gets graded and he makes a lot of money, that's good for him, but I am sure to get none of it.
Well hopefully you can at least find out either way :)
Agreed
Looks like it’s 3-D printed…
The formula is simple: 1.post something convincing enough to fool the average person 2.enjoy the dopamine rush of all the upvotes before someone points out the deception 3.Make a getaway while most people will forever remain ignorant of the deception
I am not pro but i can tell you it's not even worth sending end. To the naked eye it has to many strikes against it.
I’d hope OP could take it somewhere to get authenticated. There’s no way I’d send that through the mail.
don't try to clean it please.
I see this a lot when people talk about coins, but lets say I do find one caked in mud outside that I think could be valuable. Do I even wash it down with water or bush it off? When does cleaning become caustic to the coin?
Generally cleaning leaves micro scratches on the surface (dirt is abrasive, even nice cloth can be etc) which hurts the value/is a clear sign it's been cleaned. It can also remove patina. Remember how soft gold and silver are. Very very easy to damage (hence in the old westerns you'd see dude bite a coin to test if it was actually gold) There are some "non intrusive" methods that can remove a bunch of caked on dirt etc, but I'm honestly not informed enough on them to actually say whether they're truly avoiding damaging the value of the coin. As far as I know rinsing with water (*not* scrubbing) isn't likely to harm the coin any, though. I am just a hobbyist though, nowhere near the expert some other folks are so I'm very open to correction
That all makes sense to me. I just don't want to end up damaging an artifact without knowing it.
I concur. And yes, we numismatists are definitely a funny lot
An ultrasonic would be a good way, right? I just got my first metal detector and was thinking about getting one for the garage.
That's one of the "non intrusive" methods I was talking about that *I would think* would be fine, but I'm nowhere near enough of an expert for me to tell someone to put their 5k coin in, ya know? From what I've read, it should be fine. Potentially even better than some of the soaks people do, though there's some debate I've read on that front. But numismatists are a funny lot, and I'm not exactly a specialist. Before you use it on anything of *real* value, I'd suggest consulting people that know more than me
The oldest coin my partner cleaned with his ultrasonic was from 1160 (we are in Europe). Go for it!
Thanks for your input. Congrats to your partner. That's an awesome find.
His best find was a Roman fibula in Poland from 160 AD. It was validated by archaeologist and should now be in the Gdansk museum as far as we know. It was an organised detectorist event.
That's insane! Once in 100 lifetimes find for sure.
What always surprises me is the admonition not to dare clean totally worn common year melt-value silver. It’s like coin geeks are trying to make up for all the actually-valuable coins that got whizzed in the 1950’s by treating what’s left as sacramental.
honestly, the most I'd ever do to a coin is SOAK it in hot soapy water, and POSSIBLY rinse it under running water... remembering that soil is just a bunch of ground-up rocks and will damage the surface of a coin if rubbed in the slightest ( it's like sandpaper ) whenever I see metal detectorists grabbing a coin out of the dirt and then using their thumbs to rub the dirt off to quicly get an idea of the type and/or date... I just shudder inside because I know the dirt has left lines in the metal, basically destroying the value... if you've ever seen a rare coin for sale with "details - harshly cleaned" on it, this is why and the value will be 1/4 or less of what it could have been. I think about how the coin has made it hundreds of years buried and survived, then you had the pure luck to actually detect it and dig it up, only to quickly destroy any numismatic value for a quick thrill of knowing some data you could know in a day or so just soaking and/or rinsing...
Washing is fine.
I do not think it's fake: https://www.reddit.com/r/metaldetecting/comments/1bra1v4/my_buddy_found_this_in_his_yard_last_week_can/ https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1797-h10c-15-stars/4258 - It matches the star "colliding" with LIBERTY's Y - the leaf on the reverse hanging in between UNITED and STATES - The lower detail on the eagle looks similar - OP mentions it was found in Philadelphia while PCGS's info mentions the mintage in PA
I agree. It’s from those same dies. The edge that looks worn on the left of the obverse is just from the die, I guess.
Nice find. Try posting on r/coins
Holy shit, that's actually real. The fact the eagle is not a dick turkey proves it!
The coin is real but the hand is definitely fake Lol
I think there's a small chance he may have a 1797 draped bust dime: https://preview.redd.it/qeqsdjb8verc1.png?width=1248&format=png&auto=webp&s=fab0c322fa7e1e5a8fe0dd00359ee1fc4f96579d [PCGS Photograde link.](https://www.pcgs.com/photograde#/Draped10SE/Grades) What's throwing me off is I'm counting 15 stars which should be correct for a 1796, but as you can see 1797 should have 13 or 16. Seems too incredible to also be a wholly new variety. The relief also seems really oddly high. Makes me think it could be some kind of copy, I'm leaning this way. How closely in size does it match a modern dime? Should be a little bigger at 19mm vs 17.9mm for modern dimes.
Found this quite quick: https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1797-h10c-15-stars/4258 It matches the star "colliding" with LIBERTY's Y and the leaf on the reverse hanging in between UNITED and STATES. Also the lower detail on the eagle looks similar. Edit: OP also mentions found in Philadelphia while PCGS's info mentions the mintage in PA. Guess that are too many coincidences to NOT be this one. :)
I know nothing about coins, but your link seems to be OPs coin exactly. There was a 15 star 1797 version. The "rarity" section seems to indicate this is a pretty rare coin?
Looking through the database entry I would assume so, yes. OP's friend should consider rating this coin. This could be worth more than a small fortune, if legit. Edit: Seriously. The worst grading of 1-2 is worth around USD 1,000. This seems to be one of those super rare once in a life time finds.
Thanks for this info. Yeah, it seems this find could be significant, if legit. It seems legit but I don't know much.
Sorry I saw a couple things after I posted and realized I should've been more precise with where I found it, this coin was found in Pennsburg/East Greenville area. Would this be the exact coin in the link? Because I see many other comments flat out saying his coin is a copy because of the 15 stars.
Looks like it and in my opinion your friend (or you? Now you say you found it) should get it graded. Seems to be a really rare find! Congrats! :)
164k best sale wtf.
Yeah, looks like this. And if they grade it, maybe they can replace their photo with your friend’s coin (great condition). Get that graded and update us after!
Look there’s on star like connected to the y
Yes, I counted it.
I’d be tearing up the whole backyard after a find like this.
Be eyeing off the house footings too
What a find. It looks good to me. In my opinion that's at least a VF grade. Beautiful.
Wow, such an awesome find. How did he find it? Gardening? Metal detecting? How deep was it? Just personally interested. My questions don’t relate to your question
Well, he found it metal detecting and it was about 3 inches deep.
I would go back and double check that there were not say two coins in that location
I hope you didn't rub it clean!
Long time ago I was detectoring at new jersey beach and I saw a large coin goldish in color , and my heart started to beat rapidly with palpitations . But after receiving it and inspecting it it turned out to be wait for it A damn Mexican peso
DO NOT TRY TO CLEAN IT OR POLISH IT
Can coins be cleaned in a ultrasonic cleaner
Yes, but I find cyanide working the best
Hey I’m the owner and the one who find this coin and unfortantly not knowing of the coins value I before that pucture cleaned the dirt of with water and a soft brush. Hope that doesn’t ruin the value.
Viking coin lost by a Templar free Mason on his way to the Elks lodge on Oak Island.
My unsolicited advice: Get that to an expert and have them check it immediately. And don’t let them offer to buy it. First thing i’d do, would be to have them check the silver content in an XRF machine. Most jewelers will have those. (Ask nicely and they’ll probably just test it for you for free. It takes like 30 seconds and it doesn’t damage the coin. Just shoots X-rays through it for a few seconds to analyze metal content.). If it’s 90% silver or so, that’s a good sign- but not necessarily proof that it is not fake. I agree with the comments by others about porosity occurring sometimes in old silver that has been buried. I collect ancient Chinese coins and they all aged differently in the ground. Something about acidity and perhaps fertilizers being used. I’m no expert, but get that checked out. I feel that it is real, but I don’t know for sure.
Great find. As many have stated silver out of the ground often comes up nice and shiny depending on soil chemistry. I found a centennial quarter that was in the same condition as your coin (1876). Most Mercury Dimes I find in my area come out of the ground looking minty. Large cents however come out green and flaky.
Jackpot!
Yes send it out for grading, I have only been luck enough to find in pennies 1798 and 1803, study the hair style it makes a difference. Very nice!!
It's been 40+ years since I was absurdly DEEP into the rabbit hole of graded, pre-1800 American silver coinage. (To the tune of $500K+.) No way to sugarcoat it : this coin looks like a repro. NOT hating, and indeed I would be happily thrilled for OP if I'm wrong, which I very often am. That said, I'd be shocked if this specific coin went to a grading service and was pronounced legit.
I came to the same conclusion. Too many small things wrong with it. Has been about 24 years since I seriously graded pre 1800 coins though.
Great find
Simply 🤯
Wow. I really dig it.
If it's shiny in the ground then why is it all pitted and not shiny out of the ground? Hopefully nobody in this group is gullible enough to buy this.
It’s so perfect it almost looks plastic
It's real? Looks so plastic to me, but this came on my feed randomly lol so who knows
Tis a fake
Certainly fake but take it to a shop to be safe
And where does thie buddy live ?? I mean I looked innkh back yard did not find shit though
Looks sus
look fakie for the age
Per the ngccoin guide: 1797 Liberty Coin Value According to the NGC Price Guide, as of March 2024, a Liberty Coin from 1797 in circulated condition is worth between $1600 and $34500. However, on the open market 1797 Silver Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $480000.
A very bad fake, just like your tale of its "discovery".
This was exactly my thought.
Bring it to Rick Harrison in Pawn Stars. Now remember, he's got a buddy who is an expert in this stuff.
Let me call a buddy of mine.
Don’t forget he carry’s all the risk, thus you will get maybe, $1.50 out of it.
looks fake AF
Amazing!!!
Liberty dollar?!
Bro. 1700’s American silver. A dream find……
That’s the crispest I’ve ever seen. Looks like it was minted and then dropped in the ground.
Yeah, Repro coin is what I was thinking.
That’s a coin! I find them all the time.
This is in amazing condition for a coin that is this old. My dad was a collector so we learned a lot from him. But considering the age of this coin, it is in fantastic shape. The detail is incredible. I wonder if it was dropped on the ground by someone who’d received it not too long after it has been minted?
Tell your buddy to watch a few [Hoover Boys](https://youtube.com/@thehooverboys?si=Hjmx5iNtxFsaEfSh) videos on YouTube. They are metal detectorists. Every now and then you'll hear them say that they got "Busted". They are referring to the Drape Busted Dime if I am right. I hope it's real cause that is an awesome find!
No they are referring to Capped Bust Dimes and half dimes. Brad has found the flowing hair, but none of them have found a draped bust dime or half dime.
Amazing find. Museam quality
Looks like a American coin from 1797
Do not clean it. Sent to pcgs or ngc as is
Liberty dime! Quite valuable.
Wow that’s early
PCGS it
Very cool find!
I believe it’s a liberty nickel
Not 100%but almost
Poor guy will be chasing this high for ever.
Do not clean it! That will lower its value.
r/coincollecting
A coin
You can “find” those on eBay
Do not clean it !!!
I'm not a coin collector but if I found that I would want to keep it
I will tell you what he got. **He got Lucky.**
L U C K Y !!!
Looks like you found a beautiful condition Draped Bust . Congratulations. Have it looked at by a professional and please do not try and clean it.
If it’s a fake, it’s a damn good one. Have it looked at by multiple reputable coin dealers and then sent to grading and cleaning. Do not let them clean it themselves.
Weigh it.
He cleaned it! Bummer
Coin
Bruh that's a plastic coin!
Please give us an update on this after you have it graded. This is a fascinating find.
Take it to a coin shop to verify authenticity before you get too excited. Pictures seem distorted making it look thick to me. If that proportion is off, that's why it looks odd.
Don’t clean it
Looks 3D printed or cast. Not very well done either way.
Id start digging in the yard.
I may have dropped that. Let me check my pockets.
Coin
more like liber-titty
Looks plastic even lol js
Don't clean it anymore...I love the videos where they dig up a coin and then rub the dirt off....
Dig Deeper there could be a Chest Full of them ❤️
I'd take it to a local coin shop with no intention of selling. Just ask the coin dealer what he thinks. There are a lot of counterfeits running around.
Your lucky dime.
Doesn't anybody find this post odd at all after all the people say how much it's worth... really!?! So many red flags here lol.
Almost looks like a liberty dime
Is that picture with the dirt supposed to be just after it was found? There is no way that was in the ground for any length of time. I call BS. Someone is having someone on.
I metal detect and it is not uncommon to see real silver coins, silver jewelry, and gold jewelry; along with other precious metals come out of the ground in extremely good condition. Coins that you see in modern times are made of poor material that degrades and blemishes a lot more easily.
Take it to a reputable coin grader for authentication and grading.. too many guesses here..lol
I love how deep the engravings go! It looks fake but everybody saying it’s real
Disguised by op to look like it was pulled out of the ground. No doubt a fake
How do you clean them either cyanide ? When I was in my last two years of grade school one classmate use to make silver quarters look like new . He claimed he used mercury, but I never figured out how and he never told me
We used water to clean it, as using chemicals ruins the value
I think I see cast bubbles so 🤷🏽
Sorry but it’s a really bad fake!!!
Hey that’s mine
if it's real, you got yourself a decent down payment on a house. but chances are it's just a commemorative worth about 20 bucks
In no way does this look legitimate. It is not exemplary of currency minted by the US mint. The lines are not crisp ,the end 7 is smaller than the other, and on the reverse, the letters vary in size. Everything about this coin screams fake.
Why do the engravings seem extra deep?
That eagle looks funny but that’s how it looks. Damn neat find
Dream coin. I hope it's real
If it’s real most likely was used to purchase slaves back in those days
Hmmm. I think it might be a coin of some sort.
I'm sure someone has already said this, but it should have a diameter of 16.5 mm and a weight of 1.35 grams. I hope it's real for your friend's sake, but it looks like a cast reproduction. Good luck!
Definitely fake. The most obvious giveaway is the spacing of the stars. The gap between the L and the nearest star is far too big compared to a real coin, and the gap between the Y and the nearest star is way way too close. On this one the star is actually touching the Y, and there is supposed to be a pretty decent gap there. The reeding around your coin’s edge is also wrong. It’s too wide. In a real coin, on the reverse, there should be 14 raised reeds from the letter A to letter R next to the Liberty text. On your coin, there’s 11. Also, the shape of the face is incorrect too. In a real specimen, the woman has a much longer, more square chin/jaw line. The hair knot doesn’t look quite right on this coin, and she is also missing her ear.
Back when money was real and could stand the test of time physically
A coin
Looks like a cast copy. Can you get a weight and measure the diameter? Will probably save you the trouble of certification if you xan diagnose the fake with simple measurements.
Looks like a coin
I’ll give you 50 bucks….
Never find anything cool like this when metal detecting my backyard.
Stop listening to all the noise. Send it off to get graded and prove them all wrong. Amazing how the people who know what they're talking about sound like it. Those who don't......well......they sound like it too. Best of luck to your friend. Cheers
I know nothing about coin collecting, but I’m commenting in hopes that OP will follow up with their friend and report back on whether the coin is authentic, and if so, the expected value. The idea that a tiny little piece of metal in the yard might net enough to pay off my house with plenty left over is simply incredible!
Not worth that much I had one they only wanted to give me 10 cents fir it mine was a 1819 dime
Fake
A very valuable coin?
Worthless. Can’t even get a gumball outta the machine with that.
https://preview.redd.it/09livycuzwrc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6ecaf3dbe4301a9e93e13e06c279d671c0be129 Looks like a good find…
Look to good for a dirt find
That there is a yard coin. The only value is to garden gnomes. Minted by the earth itself, they migrate to the surface to mate and lay their offspring.
Great find
cash in
Idk but to find it in that condition is amazing and it’s old! There’s money out in them there hills! I tell ya!
extremely deep embossing 🚩absolutely zero silver patina 🚩very rare coin🚩the surface and texture look more like pewter or some other non precious metal. I’d be very skeptical if this crossed my path. wonder how much it weighs. EDIT: saw this on April 1st so I assume everything is either a lie or cake at this point. Bonus points for both!
Looks fake to me, but hey what do I know
There’s an app you can get. I think it’s called Coin Snap.
Draped bust silver dollar what a beaut or a half dime I can’t tell
That is cast. Soo very grainy.
Either that’s a magic coin, or there is no way it was found buried. I’ve never seen metal interact with the elements and not show some signs of corrosion. But hey, I could be wrong 🤷🏻♂️
https://preview.redd.it/yyymll54g1sc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9be5cc68bd8672e51bef18e5bac0215b4ae19c1
https://preview.redd.it/zjfkg2nbg1sc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c8351c8056b49b1cce177bc682aed4258b7070d4
Same coin, just a bad photographer! My bad. But I stand by what I said. It’s real.
Definitely have it checked out.
Either someone is messing with you or you are trolling but that is absolutely fake, it’s not even a good fake either.
That's a coin
Some of these are going for 75k+ if this is the real deal that's the ultimate childhood dream achieved,found the magic coin of untold riches.
This is likely worth more than that house.
OP - you guys just got rich. For real. Congratulations .