50 cents in 15 minutes....and silver....but

[Wyatt Earp]

I had to take our calico cat to the vet to drop her off for some tests this morning. They think she has Lymphosarcoma....personally I don't think so, because she doesn't really have the clinical signs and symptoms, but what do I know? There is something going on though....so a battery of tests is in order.

On my way back from the vet, I stopped to get the mail at the post office, but they were still sorting it....so.....my detector's in the car....and there's a house catty corner from the Post Office where I have carte blanche to hunt, so I figured I'd poke around there a bit....about 15 minutes or so.

I was right about my old 6000....it's missing deeper coins. This is my first Franklin half...my newest silver half....and the butt ugliest half I've ever dug. It was about 6 inches down, almost on edge, under a pine tree and the high acid content of the soil has all but destroyed the surfaces of the coin. I didn't help it with the gouge I put in it...so I guess I'm almost glad it wasn't a real dandy. I'd be too bummed to show you guys (and gals).

Still....what's left of it is silver,

Wyatt

[Wyatt Earp]

The guys at PCGS would probably have nightmares for a week....but figuring I had nothing whatsoever to lose, I took my ammonia and some 0000 steel wool to the Franklin half....looks much better now. It's still damaged, but looks better to me now....and it won't offend all of my other silver coins it has to bunk with.

I actually feel kind of good about my first Franklin Half Dollar now

Wyatt

Good going. It still looks good. That isn't bad for 15 minutes.

[Wyatt Earp]

This was one of those "iffy" signals.....and each time I'd pass the coil over it from left to right...it would come up "half dollar"....but right to left would go to about "foil". I decided to dig it anyway....hoping for a gold ring to go with it....but not today. Just got the crusty half dollar.

It was also in an area that many would overlook....because there's no vegetation now...not even a blade of grass...just pine needles. Apparently there used to be enough grass there to hide 50 cents.

I went back for another 30 minutes or so....a dime and 2 zincolns....I did my damage early.

Wyatt

[Tom in SWW]

Hi Wyatt!

Congrats on the half! Still looking for one, would even settle for a clad half after 2 years...
Sorry it had gunk on it, but glad it cleaned up well for you.
Keep 'em coming!

HH! -Tom

[Wyatt Earp]

Thanks Tom

I actually have been really lucky on the half dollar front this year. I also found 2 clad halves here in town. Aside from a few (4) walkers that I found years ago and had since sold, the only other half dollar I had that I'd found when I signed up to this forum...was a 1967 40 percent silver clad half that I found 15 years ago.

If you get into the right place...they're there to be found. I was always under the impression that to lose a half dollar must have been rare....but I found 7 half dollar coins in November, 2 clad and 5 silver....so it can't be that rare. 2 of these were from old clothesline areas....but the rest weren't...they were just plain dropped and lost.

Wyatt

[hoser]

Hey, congrats on finding the half. It cleaned up pretty good. Even if it is gouged a tad, its still a silver, and thats what we are after ain't it. Good job.

[Gregory]

Good job on finding the Franklin half Wyatt. It cleaned up nicely.
You are tearing up on the halves my friend.
I can see you making some very nice finds next year when spring comes.

Greg

[Wyatt Earp]

Hey Greg.......Thanks. I can't explain all the half dollars...it's kind of weird. I found 5 this month....more than I found in all of the time I spent detecting in the 70s and 80s....go figure.

I'm working on finding the exact location of an 1880's picnic grove....and if it still exists, there could be some good stuff there....really good stuff.

Wyatt

[JohnWPA]

Very beautiful Wyatt...

John