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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,927 |
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New Member
United States
12 Posts |
Hello Everybody! This is my first post on this forum. I found this Maris 17-J New Jersey copper earlier this year while metal detecting the ruins of an old tavern in New England. Most dug coppers are in awful condition. I'm writing an article for a detecting magazine on this coin find. Any comments on its grade? It would certainly earn a details grade from a grading service. I don't search for these coins for the $$$, but the magazine article would like an estimate of value. What do you think? You can see the slight sign of an overstrike, likely a Conn. copper at about 7 o'clock of the obverse side. Thanks in advance. Just Plain Jim   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
Welcome to CCF! I am just starting to learn this series but I like it at F15.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
917 Posts |
Very nice looking colonial. Tough to tell the square M but its there. I'd also call it F15 details with environmental damage. A coin like yours would range from 300 to 500 bucks.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
A terrifically historical coin, made more so by the piece of information that can really only be established for an archaeological or detector find: its actual place of circulation. Love the overstrike! You can totally make out the 7 and 8 o the date of this coin's previous incarnation. So, this coin was minted in New England, found its way to New Jersey, where it was used as a planchet in Rahway to mint another state's coin, then went back to New England again!
Colonials are so hard to grade fairly, but I might think this is better than F-12. And with the great tale this coin has to tell, I do find it tacky that your publication feels the need to put a dollar value on it. This find is treasure even without the price tag!
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New Member
 United States
12 Posts |
philadelphian:
Thanks for the compliments. I'm pleased with the coin's condition. Bower's book, Colonial & Early American Coins, states that the Maris 17-J are usually found in low grade, and it aged well for 200+ years spent in soil. Dug coppers are usually in awful shape. The magazine article will hopefully be for a Best Finds of 2012 issue. Other factors are considered - age, history, condition - but they do ask for a estimate of value as well. I had my last winning entry in 2006 for a 1652 Oak Tree Shilling. Thanks also for the ID with the 78 on the overstrike, I had not yet identified it.
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Pillar of the Community
United Arab Emirates
557 Posts |
That's one heck of a fine there Jim. Best of luck with your article too. Oh, and welcome!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1211 Posts |
Might you consider posting your find on Treasurenet?
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New Member
United States
12 Posts |
I posted it this past summer before I finished treating it with a six-month soak in mineral oil, so perhaps I'll post it again on TreasureNet soon. I don't post often, but I should do a catch-up post. 2012 has been one of my best years for metal detecting.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
How about giving us a peek at that Oak Tree shilling?
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Moderator
 United States
16679 Posts |
Your looking at a VF Details coin, easily.
It has very nice eye appeal for a dug coin.
$300-500 is a stretch, having sold and bought many of these.
I imagine yours would fetch $150-250 range.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
With the remains of those two digits, the space between them (and maybe the top of a right-leaning 6 that I think I see to the right of the 8), I think it should be possible to determine the die variety of the Connecticut copper this coin was struck over. A job for vermontensium?
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Moderator
United States
16679 Posts |
Interesting. I'm not 100% sure it's an overstrike but I'm working on it.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1411 Posts |
I believe it is... I can see two of what I think are either letters or numbers
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,927 |
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Posted 12/14/2012 12:29 am
