LovestheShiny!
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I headed off to Pennsylvania and then Connecticut to attend a large antique bottle show at Shupp's Grove near Lancaster PA. It was a great show, beautiful outdoor settings and many nice colorful bottles to purchase. I did bring my AT Pro along in case I got a chance to detect, and that Friday evening I headed out to try and get a permission, as that area of the USA is pretty darn old. I ended up at an old white farmhouse, hard to tell the date as it had been re-sided with that white aluminum stuff. The family was very friendly and interested in letting me detect, and I did give all the children some wheat cents, modern coins, and other neat odds and ends, along with some colorful old bottles that I had purchased at the bottle show that day. My 2nd coin looked to be a Large Cent, which I tucked into my pocket to check out later. I also found a cool "For Good Conduct" medallion, and an unusual "American Rug Weavers / Alexander Smith" advertising token. I didn't toothpick that Large Cent till I got back to Montana, and I saw Lady Liberty looking RIGHT... wow, a Liberty Cap large cent, dating 1794-1796!!! I was very happy as that coin would never be found where I live, unless explorers Lewis & Clark dropped it! I can see the "17" but am not sure of the other numerals. Other coins I kept included a Silver War Nickel, 1924-P Merc Dime, and 1902 Indian Head cent. The wonderful owners said to come back as I only had time to do about 1/10 of the property before it became dark.
After the bottle show, I headed off to Connecticut to look at a large bottle and advertising collection to purchase. I picked up some nice Poison bottles, Fire Grenades, Barber Bottles, Lightning Rod balls, and other goodies, along with some old advertising signs. Talk about an OLD AREA of the country, many of these CT towns were founded in the 1700s! I had one evening free, and managed to get permission at two old homes in this small town. The first one was built in 1800, unfortunately the front and back large areas had been reworked with new soil and a new septic and drain area put in. I did find five old "D" buckles, a Sterling Silver something, a couple of old US Military buttons that don't look too old, perhaps WW1 era. I was also finding copper Memorial Cents about 7" deep in the front. The second home was built in 1840, with nice large back yard. The front yard was small and I only found a few wheat cents. The back produced a nice holed 1830 dated Large Cent, my 2nd one evah! It rang up like a clad quarter on the AT Pro, but was fairly deep, so was hoping for a Silver Quarter but was delighted when I saw the coin in the hole with the wreath around the edge and "ONE / CENT" in the middle.
I did stop in Iowa on the way home just to take a break from sitting, and did get the OK at a ca 1870s home, I pulled a Silver Washington Quarter and another Merc Dime. I did get some other goodies but the homeowner started taking everything that I found. My best finds that I did not get to keep included a beautiful J. I. Case / Racine Wis. watch fob with large plow embossed in the metal, also a 1899 "V" Nickel, 1912 British Large Cent, and large 1943 20 Centavos copper coin from Mexico. At least I did stay true to my FF handle and kept the Shiny Coins.
Anyway, quite an adventure driving 5700 miles, am very grateful to have found my first two large cents, and will try and come back East to hunt there again. Sorry Tom in CA... these largies were found East of the Mississippi! Thank you for your interest!
After the bottle show, I headed off to Connecticut to look at a large bottle and advertising collection to purchase. I picked up some nice Poison bottles, Fire Grenades, Barber Bottles, Lightning Rod balls, and other goodies, along with some old advertising signs. Talk about an OLD AREA of the country, many of these CT towns were founded in the 1700s! I had one evening free, and managed to get permission at two old homes in this small town. The first one was built in 1800, unfortunately the front and back large areas had been reworked with new soil and a new septic and drain area put in. I did find five old "D" buckles, a Sterling Silver something, a couple of old US Military buttons that don't look too old, perhaps WW1 era. I was also finding copper Memorial Cents about 7" deep in the front. The second home was built in 1840, with nice large back yard. The front yard was small and I only found a few wheat cents. The back produced a nice holed 1830 dated Large Cent, my 2nd one evah! It rang up like a clad quarter on the AT Pro, but was fairly deep, so was hoping for a Silver Quarter but was delighted when I saw the coin in the hole with the wreath around the edge and "ONE / CENT" in the middle.
I did stop in Iowa on the way home just to take a break from sitting, and did get the OK at a ca 1870s home, I pulled a Silver Washington Quarter and another Merc Dime. I did get some other goodies but the homeowner started taking everything that I found. My best finds that I did not get to keep included a beautiful J. I. Case / Racine Wis. watch fob with large plow embossed in the metal, also a 1899 "V" Nickel, 1912 British Large Cent, and large 1943 20 Centavos copper coin from Mexico. At least I did stay true to my FF handle and kept the Shiny Coins.
Anyway, quite an adventure driving 5700 miles, am very grateful to have found my first two large cents, and will try and come back East to hunt there again. Sorry Tom in CA... these largies were found East of the Mississippi! Thank you for your interest!