Colonial corn fields cough up another copper - a rare Liberty Cap LC!

[BTV Digger]

Hi all,

Had the opportunity to hit the old permission site with my good friend and fellow detectorist Pete yesterday. These are the corn fields on the New York side of the Champlain Valley where some 60-80 coppers have been unearthed and have a ton of early American history. I've been lucky to pull a few myself, Pete's pulled some 35 in just the past year! Most of the sites date from about 1785 to 1840 before they were abandoned, though at least one lasted into the 20th century (where some of my finds came from). There are multiple homesites as well as a tavern and a school site - all gone - just corn fields now. A few occupied colonial homesites also exist nearby. Pete and I spent about 4 1/2 hours at two of the homesites and the tavern site (across the road) and pulled a few nice keepers. I managed a few flat buttons, a thimble, 1917-D wheat, hames top, religious cross, musket ball - mostly common fare. Pete pulled some clay pipe stems (eyeball surface finds), about 9 flat buttons (2 tombacs and a nice dandy) and the find of the day. It's a fairly rare 1796 Liberty Cap LC - really a sweet find (mintage about 109K). Thanks for looking and HH!

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[Digger_O'Dell]

Those are some really great finds! I don't recall a liberty cap being found since I've been on the site. Looks to be in really nice shape too considering how long it's been buried.

[calabash digger]

man thats a great find on the coin ,all the finds are great congrats on such a great place to hunt.

[MangoAve]

Nice finds, John. Grats on that liberty cap. A lot of places I have researched too are now just open fields.

[aloldstuff]

Very nice Liberty cap LC. I saw the video and that is one very large field. I remember you responding to a post of mine and you mentioned that field and the quantity of LC's that have come out of there.

[OxShoeDrew]

HOLY SMOKES JOHN!!! That liberty cap is a rare find!!! :perfect10: You know what's just as rare?...those hame tops!! Great hunt!

[Mr. Digger]

That's actually quite an amazing coin find! You don't see those posted very often....and a date too boot. Very nice!

[BTV Digger]

man thats a great find on the coin ,all the finds are great congrats on such a great place to hunt.

Thanks much. Yes indeed - a great place to hunt and so much land that the site will last a long time.


Nice finds, John. Grats on that liberty cap. A lot of places I have researched too are now just open fields.

Yeah Jim - the open fields are always nice to hit after a bushwhacking around the cellar holes! HH!


Very nice Liberty cap LC. I saw the video and that is one very large field. I remember you responding to a post of mine and you mentioned that field and the quantity of LC's that have come out of there.

Thanks Al, and I just looked at your 2016 finds list and see you've pulled 2 Liberty Caps this year. Awesome. There's many, many cornfields at this site, some plowed, some still with winter alfalfa you can't hunt on (too thick for the coil). Something like 10 homesites, a tavern, school, chuch/meeting site etc. I've just been the guest of my good friend on these fields, but he's been very gracious in letting me join him on several occasions. Yeah - something like 60-80 coppers so far from the fields - insane. HH!


HOLY SMOKES JOHN!!! That liberty cap is a rare find!!! :perfect10: You know what's just as rare?...those hame tops!! Great hunt!

Thanks Drew! Wish I could date the hame top - but site was old so imagine early 1800s.


That's actually quite an amazing coin find! You don't see those posted very often....and a date too boot. Very nice!

Thanks Mr. Digger. Yes indeed - a cool coin. I've seen about all types of coppers come out of this field, even some sort of Dutch East India Company Largie, but never a Liberty Cap. HH!

[del]

Great relics and coins , what was his method to cleaning the liberty cap ? Electrolysis ?

[The Rebel]

Just drooling over that Liberty Cap! I've only found 1 but can't remember if the date was visible or not.

[Lodge Scent]

Nice finds John. Those Liberty Caps don't show their faces often.

[BTV Digger]

Great relics and coins , what was his method to cleaning the liberty cap ? Electrolysis ?

Hi Dan,

He actually did a brief soak in diluted peroxide, then gave the coin a light abrasive rub with what he called the finest sandpaper grade he could find. I can't say I'd be confident enough to use sandpaper on a coin like that, but he did accidentally ding it with his shovel and admittedly he's found tons of coppers over the years so who am I to second guess!

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

nice hunt you guys! Idk If i'd use sand paper on my coppers :shocked03: