Long Lost Treasure- (Found)

This is an interesting story that I had personal involvement with. The Lady in question with the rare quarter was a friend of mine in my local post office. We had become acquainted through my mailing coin packages and she entrusted me with her treasure for me to evaluate it for her-which I did. Within this story is also a report on the Santa Clara show where her Story actually began- Read on.
Long Buried Treasure Coin
Shows up at Santa Clara, Cal Show
Nov 18 2000
What an exciting day this has been! This coin story begins in spring of 1993 when Rebecca (Becky) Doyle and her son made a "shooting trip" for late 19th Century Chinese Meing foundations in Mariposa County. At about Fifteen feet from a foundation site where son was working near a creek, is where Becky found her coin. Becky is Pictured holding her treasure with ANACS Authenticator/Grader Michael J Faraone) Her metal detector began singing an unusual tone and at only 3 to 4 inches beneath the surface this strange quar.dol appears. She knew it was old and figured she had $50.00 to $100.00 in her hand. Adrenalin was flowing as she called for her son to come and take a look. "We really got excited the more we looked at the coin and decided to make inquiries through other treasure hunders as to what they thought about my find." Someone brought their US Coin book to the scene and together they read that this CC Quarter showed a value of 1,500 to $,5,500. (This was in 1993). By coincidence there happened to be a coin show they could attend nearby the next week-end. At this show, Becky was offered $5000.00 for her coin- which she refused.
Becky is a friend of this writer who encouraged her when she showed it to me to have it certified- during the two intervening years since first seeing it I continued encouraging her to have it certified. So this past Friday I told her about the Santa Clara Show and there would be two or three Grading firms present. And that she should take it and get the process started..

To my delight, she found me at the show with over 150 dealers present with a large attendance. She had already been to see Authenticator and Grader, Michael J Faraone of ANACS . I persuaded her to go back with me to his table and let me take pictures which are now being shared with you.
What an exciting day it was. A large turnout with over 100 people in line when I arrived with two of my friends., I can tell you Quarters are still hot. Not many slabs present. The concensus is that the Grading Companies are hard pressed for submissions.
Dollars and Halves are still strong in all categories. There were several Ancient dealers present. One from New York with some really fine artifacts to enhance his coin display of Roman Greek and Byzantine along with handsome gold specimens. I was able to pick up two superb specimens of Denarii. From a Sacramento Dealer . There is much much more Ancient coinage showing up at the larger shows here on the west coast from what I and my two friends have been able to determine.

There was a most obvious absence of Buffalo nickles in EF and BU grades. Also same absence with Indian Head cents in any grades.
One thing I can tell you. There was tremendous activity - not quite as much paper money this time- but excitement was at a high pitch. It is always great fun especially when you bump into many of your collector friends and of course exchange your coin tales.
Last but not least, this was an exciting day for my friend Becky and she has decided to get involved.-- Whatever she learns from ANACS, She has promised to keep me informed—I will pass it on. What a great Hobby we have.
A year later, Becky submitted her coin to one of the Larger auction houses where she became the recipient of $10,000 for her coin. This coin was an 1871CC Quarter and the grader, Mr Faraone gave her an EF40 grade. ANACS graders concurred and the grade stuck. I had told Becky that she had an Extra Fine- I didn't want to get our hopes up- but I did tell her that she should not settle for less than $10,000 and that is what she got. My thought was that there was someone out there in la-la land that would pay it. OF course she paid a commission. But she was one happy gal- and she was within 6 months of retiring from the post office when all this first happened. She used her money for a down payment on her dream house located at Oakhurst,Calif- the gateway into Yosemite Nat'l park. I am glad that I was allowed to steer her to the best possible results. Dewey