Older vs. Newer Coins

[longbow62]

Who among you would rather concentrate on older coins or relics versus finding run of the mill silver coins? Not that I find a ton of silver from 1900-1964 every year, but it does get a little old digging Washingtons, Mercs, and Rosie dimes. I still get excited seeing silver in the hole or plug, just not like I used to. I had been in a like a 4 year Bucket Lister rut until recently. Now I'm thinking I'd like to concentrate more on places old enough for bucket list coins rather than 1900's silver. Is this just a phase I am going through?

 

[bottlecap4u]

Always have joy when silver comes regardless of age. You'll almost always find me bushwacking old ruins or old farmsteads in search of relics and swinging for the fences. though I find less silver than most who gravitate to public spaces, I square that with uniqueness, quality and age of finds I get.

 

[MasonDixonMding]

I mainly hunt for the oldest stuff that is around this area. I find very little silver. When I started detecting I was thinking of finding (old) silver coins 1900s. But after I started finding things from the 1800s and than the 1700s I was hooked on the history! I would love to find silver but if I had to choose between silver or 18 or 1700s relics, I going with the history. I’m having so much fun!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I would rather find a single 1700s reale, than 100 mercury dimes. Simply because the history and provenance and challenge/sports sake. Even though, truth-be-told, the reale is probably only worth a few bucks. Doh !

Oh, and I don't want to find any large cents. They are *SO* boring.

 

[LovestheShiny!]

To some degree it depends on where you live, and especially age. Here in Montana we did not become a state until late 1889, and even in 2024 our state population is barely 1 million, for the 4th largest landmass in the USA. So... shiny coins it is for me. Of course older would be cool but I need a road trip to the eastern Midwest or East Coast for older stuff.

 

[IDXMonster]

I think we all go through the “bigger better faster more” thing til we reach the equilibrium that reality forces us to reach. We have to hunt for what’s available…and out of that selection we each decide what trips the trigger. I don’t re-bury Mercs and such, but I don’t really want to see them, now that I’ve seen Barbers and Seateds. Nobody wants to drive a Pinto after they’ve driven a Ferrari. However…have you seen the trajectory of silver lately? Those modern silvers might be a whole lot more interesting this summer if that keeps going…

 

[KOB]

Neither of it really. Old coins and silver is a byproduct. New or old , Gold from the hole is my goal.

 

[romyrome]

Who among you would rather concentrate on older coins or relics versus finding run of the mill silver coins? Not that I find a ton of silver from 1900-1964 every year, but it does get a little old digging Washingtons, Mercs, and Rosie dimes. I still get excited seeing silver in the hole or plug, just not like I used to. I had been in a like a 4 year Bucket Lister rut until recently. Now I'm thinking I'd like to concentrate more on places old enough for bucket list coins rather than 1900's silver. Is this just a phase I am going through?

I’m like you long bow I’ve dug so much 1900s silver and gold that don’t get me wrong never gets old but I crave more ! I think barbers are my oldest silvers and a Shield Nickel is my oldest coin . I love history and have found some really neat stuff in my area of Southern California and that’s not easy with how young our state is and all the development that’s happens in a short period of time . But I would love to perhaps take a trip to the east and dig some farm fields or something along those lines with some real history.

 

[Diga]

Coins, be it silver or not, don't really peak my interest anymore. The only finds that make me pump my arm and say, "YES!", is jewelry and unique nonferrous relics.

 

[Reelfoot Relics]

Why is it 1900's history is not enough? Two World Wars, The Great Depression, The roaring '20s. Korean War. How many soldiers, bootleggers, Robber barons or hobos held and then lost these coins. How about Baby Boom kids, sharecroppers or poor farmers escaping the Dust Bowl. Save a little of your "imagined" history for the Merc or a Rosie.

 

[chillforlife]

I like older coins, historical relics and jewelery, in that order.

 

[Rattlehead]

I’d much rather find the older coins, but I’ll take whatever I can get. Pippin’ Mercs is still fun!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

I would rather find a single 1700s reale, than 100 mercury dimes.

Yup, I only have found six half reales and they're all in pretty rough shape. Probably worth $20 or less each. But I treasure them because it's mind blowing to find a coin that's been in the ground for close to 250 years! The person who dropped it has probably been dead for over 200 years, but here's the coin he once owned!

I also entered the hobby in 2013, a good 40 years after people started metal detecting. It definitely takes some skill to find something hidden in the ground that long and missed by so many detectorists before you.

 

[stetam]

Old KG's and coppers for me. And those old relics.

Steve

 

[vmc1161]

Yup, I only have found six half reales and they're all in pretty rough shape. Probably worth $20 or less each. But I treasure them because it's mind blowing to find a coin that's been in the ground for close to 250 years! The person who dropped it has probably been dead for over 200 years, but here's the coin he once owned!

I also entered the hobby in 2013, a good 40 years after people started metal detecting. It definitely takes some skill to find something hidden in the ground that long and missed by so many detectorists before you.

I know what you mean finding a 250 or coin . Thinking about the last person that held that coin poor guy stumbling down the trail, his body racked with malaria, leprosy, dengue fever, measles, and diaper rash. keeping the coin in his mouth for safekeeping to the very end. Then you come along 250 years later and find it. Just amazing.

 

[Cherry Picker]

My oldest coins lay in the same box as my rosies. Myself, after I've found the older stuff I don't find the time and out of my comfort zone hunting as rewarding. Also, I sell most of my sliver with the exception of my oldest. I have a good collection already.

 

[VirginiaBikeGirl]

Who among you would rather concentrate on older coins or relics versus finding run of the mill silver coins? Not that I find a ton of silver from 1900-1964 every year, but it does get a little old digging Washingtons, Mercs, and Rosie dimes. I still get excited seeing silver in the hole or plug, just not like I used to. I had been in a like a 4 year Bucket Lister rut until recently. Now I'm thinking I'd like to concentrate more on places old enough for bucket list coins rather than 1900's silver. Is this just a phase I am going through?

Well, 1964 was sixty years ago. Heck, Eisenhower dollars are all fifty years(ish) old. I just don't have that many permissions.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

I know what you mean finding a 250 or coin . Thinking about the last person that held that coin poor guy stumbling down the trail, his body racked with malaria, leprosy, dengue fever, measles, and diaper rash. keeping the coin in his mouth for safekeeping to the very end. Then you come along 250 years later and find it. Just amazing.

Hilarious post! That's why I clean all my coins with dish soap and water!

 

[Tpmetal]

I refuse to hunt in areas with modern stuff. Just not as interesting to me.

 

[hoser]

I don't travel very far from where I'm at right now. So that being said, I have to be content with coins and artifacts from the late 1800's. Keep in mind this area was a huge timber/lumber area and majority of the workers were probably paid in script and some cash. They spent most of their time in a lumber camp. Once the larger towns and cities cropped up the older money came with them and that's what we find here. If I lived down by the Detroit area I'm quite sure there would be a lot more very old coins and relics. I'm content with what I find here. If it's silver, I'll take it any day.