| March 1781, The Articles of Confederation gave | | | | Other silver denominations that have been struck |
| Congress the right to determine the value and | | | | include the 3-cent piece or "trime" as it was |
| the alloy to be used in any coin struck in America. | | | | known, the dime, the 20-cent piece, the quarter |
| This gave the states the right to coin money, and | | | | dollar, half dollar and one dollar coins. |
| New Hampshire was the first to take action but | | | | Why would our nation produce a 3-cent Silver |
| few of the coins made it into circulation. Several | | | | coin? Postage stamps cost 3-cents for many |
| states, such as New Jersey, Vermont, | | | | years and convenience was important to the |
| Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York began | | | | public. That is probably the reason that a 3-cent |
| coining copper coins. In 1793 the US Federal Mint | | | | nickel was produced too (the convenience issue is |
| opened for business producing half-cents and | | | | why many coins have short-lived production). I |
| cents because they were desperately needed for | | | | have used coin history in finding both 3-cent coins |
| everyday commerce in the young but growing | | | | but the numbers are small because mintages |
| new nation. These early colonial and US Federal | | | | were low and the silver coins only minted |
| Mint coins have been found by metal detector | | | | between 1851-1873 and the nickel version from |
| users by extensive research and also by luck. The | | | | 1865-1889. I have found enough of the nickel |
| low mintage level meant fewer coins were lost | | | | type (a larger coin) to have filled more than half |
| and the likelihood of finding them with a metal | | | | of the spots in the coin folder. Grade levels for |
| detector greatly reduced. | | | | most of these coins are lower than average as |
| Many half-cents and large cents minted from | | | | nickel coins do not do well in the ground. |
| 1800 to 1857, when the era of their minting | | | | The 20-cent coin is the toughest silver issue to |
| ended, have been located by detectorists, with | | | | find in the ground. Only the flying-eagle cent had a |
| the majority of them being found in the eastern | | | | shorter life. Production of this type was only four |
| sector of the US. My personal oldest is an 1812 | | | | years with coins issued for circulation 1n 1875 and |
| Large Cent found at a spring in Palm Harbor, FL. | | | | 1876. This is the only type coin that I have not |
| This spring was known to be a watering spot for | | | | located with a metal detector. Finding one is my |
| wagon trains going through Florida in the mid | | | | biggest challenge because production in 1875 |
| 1800's and had become a favorite swimming and | | | | included 1,155,000 coins from the San Francisco |
| partying spot for teens in recent years. It was | | | | Mint, 133,290 from the Carson City Mint and only |
| research that urged me to check it out and that | | | | 39,700 from Philadelphia. To make it tougher, the |
| 1812 cent was my reward. It was also the only | | | | demand was so low for the coin that the mint |
| non-modern coin I found as many others had | | | | director Linderman ordered Carson City to melt all |
| hunted this spot before I did in the early 70's. | | | | that it had on hand after producing only 10,000 |
| As a young man in my early twenties, I learned a | | | | for circulation in 1876. 12,359 coins were melted |
| history lesson that has impacted my metal | | | | down leaving very few of the 1876 coins |
| detector use for nearly 40 years. If you want to | | | | escaping into circulation and only 15,900 were |
| find a specific type or dated coin, i.e. Standing | | | | produced in Philly and none in Franny for that |
| Liberty Quarters 1916-1930, you need to research | | | | year. This is an issue that very few metal |
| and find settlement or building activity information | | | | detectorist have found, but I will keep trying! |
| corresponding to that time frame. The 1916 SL | | | | The most sought after and most collected silver |
| Quarter is extremely rare. To find one that has a | | | | coin is the Morgan Dollar. Minted from 1878 to |
| date on it is extraordinary as only 52,000 were | | | | 1921 many millions were minted and large |
| released into circulation in 1916 and the dates on | | | | numbers of them, singularly and in caches, have |
| all issues from 1916 to 1924 wore off quickly by | | | | been found with metal detectors. There were |
| handling. Research county or city building records, | | | | none minted between 1905 and 1920 and 1893 - |
| read early histories of your community and yes, if | | | | 1895 mintages were low but applying the same |
| possible, talk to elderly people who were raised | | | | type of building activity analysis can lead to some |
| there. To find a quality rare 1916 Quarter, the | | | | good detector finds. An upper class neighborhood |
| areas checked should have had building activity | | | | area where many of the homes were built in the |
| between 1916 and early 1920's. Looking in these | | | | 1880 to 1900 time-frame has yielded several |
| areas will increase your chances of finding rarer | | | | Morgan Dollars for me. A very valuable 1882 S in |
| tougher dates. I have found one with just a trace | | | | AU condition with doubling on both sides is the |
| of the date and it was found on a researched | | | | best, but choice 1885 O and 1896 coins are also |
| school building site. This site also yielded a 1916 S | | | | nice additions to my collection. |
| Barber Quarter in VF, 1916 P & S Mercury | | | | I have applied the research principle of coin |
| Dimes in AU condition and a high grade 1916 | | | | history to building time with all 20th century coin |
| Buffalo Nickel. | | | | types. Whether it is houses, schools, commercial |
| Silver coinage has great appeal to coin collectors | | | | buildings or industrial structures, I have found |
| and has a history worth investigating. The 1792 | | | | numerous valuable coins with this technique. A |
| half-disme or half-dime is rumored to have been | | | | home built in 1909 turned in a 1908 S Indian Cent |
| made from George Washington's own silverware. | | | | and a 1909 S Lincoln. A two story house built in |
| This was the year before the US Mint actually | | | | 1890 and used as a high school turned up nearly |
| opened and the half-dime was struck by the US | | | | 40 V Nickels including a 1885 and a 1912 D (plus |
| Mint from 1794-1873. It may seem strange to us | | | | numerous turn of the century Indian cents). A |
| today that our first 5 cent coin was not a nickel, | | | | commercial parking lot from an early 1900's |
| but a silver half-dime as nickel production did not | | | | tanning business yielded a 1904 O and 1904 S |
| begin until 1866. These beautiful small denomination | | | | Barber Halves with the New Orleans mint coin in |
| silver coins of several varieties are also tough to | | | | XF and valued at $240. A school yard where the |
| find because of age and size. Research again is | | | | 1917 building was destroyed in 1964 yielded over |
| essential in finding many of these. I have found | | | | 240 pre 1940 coins when the entire lot was |
| six dating from 1841-1857 ranging from AG | | | | leveled over a three month frame in 1978. Over |
| (about good) to fine condition. Five of the six | | | | 50 of those coins were Buffalo Nickels with 30 of |
| were found in researched sites and the lower | | | | them in the teen years. This is the same site |
| condition coins probably reflect the fact that 1860 | | | | mentioned above that turned up my rare 1916 SL |
| is the earliest settlement date for this community | | | | quarter and as an unexpected bonus, the oldest |
| and only 2,000 people lived here in 1900. By 1900 | | | | of my metal detecting coin finds, an AD 69 Israel |
| very few of the half-dime coins were in general | | | | half-shekel. |
| circulation. | | | | |