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Thread: The story of my 1881 $5.00 coin

  1. #1

    The story of my 1881 $5.00 coin

    Story of my 1881 $5.00 coin & more!
    I have not been a member here very long, but when I set up my profile, I mentioned that I had been lucky enough to find a 1881 $5.00 gold piece! I was asked then to tell the story, but felt it would show a bragging, look what I found type of person I am not. So here is my story!
    While I was stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA. I was told about a cowboy bar that had good dancing and being newly single headed out to find it on a long weekend. I found the place and had fun that night and ended up being around the bar for years. Years later and after meeting my wife to this day, we started metal detecting. The place was called Big Stone Lodge in the 50's, and in the 20's it was Topsy's Roost! Back then it was half a day ride through the mountains to get there from the city. As it turned out it was a stage stop from the Butterfield & Overland stage, San Diego County, and lastly the US Army stages all stopped there. It was a change station from all three and where the VFW stands today were the corrals for the livestock. Knowing everyone in the little valley, I was given free access to all places there as all the locals visited the bar and I got to know most of them and they all were to happy to have a US Marine and show him a good time.
    Having the run of the valley, we set in to learning our metal detectors. Most of the soil there is only 4 to 5 inches deep and dry most of the time so we didn't have trouble finding the large amount of coins dropped over the years. One day while hunting alone, I was using my Tesoro El Dorado up against a large oak tree that littered the valley and got a signal that knocked my head off! At the time some friends of mine across the creek were throwing coins at me because they were wanting me to join them. Ignoring them, i dug down and there was nothing there yet, so I went over the hole again, same sound, stuck the digger once more and flipped out what I thought was a play coin or something yellow! I looked at it, stuck it in my mouth, washed it good and spit. Then I saw the 1881 and that beautiful Liberty with that crown and I knew it was a gold coin! Then I got so excited I just left and went home to call my wife who was at an Indian casino had her paged and told her what I found! She came home and we went back! I showed her where I had found it and she ran her detector over the spot and said, theres still something in the hole! I said no its just residual reading or something smart, so I dug back in the hole to find a nearly worn flat 1901 Morgan Silver dollar! All the coins in the photo were found all over that little valley where I cut my teeth and caught the bug to swing a detector wherever and whenever I find the time!Name:  image.jpg
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    Eurotek Pro, Tesoro El Dorado
    best find: 1881 $5.00 gold coin
    oldest find: 1864 Indian head penny
    garrett pro pointer

  2. #2
    Great story and some amazing finds there, especially the 1881 Gold Half Eagle!

    Was the gold coin in a bezel when you found it or did you do that later?

    Two coins in one hole that most of us can only dream about!
    Lifetime totals:
    10 Large Cents, 415 Indian Heads, 2 Two Cent Pieces, 1 Capped Bust Half Dime, 1 Seated Half Dime, 10 Shield Nickels, 68 V Nickels, 124 Buffalo Nickels, 31 War Nickels, 16 Seated Dimes, 131 Barber Dimes, 405 Mercury Dimes, 249 Rosies, 4 Seated Quarters, 18 Barber Quarters, 20 Standing Liberty Quarters, 89 Silver Washingtons, 1 Seated Half, 3 Barber Halves, 16 Walking Liberty Halves

    YouTube Channel: Tony Two-Cent https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmz...RlHTBIU42bUORg

  3. #3
    No I had a jeweler friend of mine put it in the bezel and wear it everyday. Its been to Iraq to Germany and around the world with me!
    Eurotek Pro, Tesoro El Dorado
    best find: 1881 $5.00 gold coin
    oldest find: 1864 Indian head penny
    garrett pro pointer

  4. #4
    Great story Otis! Thanks for sharing. I won't mention all the possible jokes about your wife finding a silver dollar in your hole...
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent
    Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France
    1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria
    Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6)
    YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger

  5. #5
    Thanks Daddy your all heart!
    Eurotek Pro, Tesoro El Dorado
    best find: 1881 $5.00 gold coin
    oldest find: 1864 Indian head penny
    garrett pro pointer

  6. #6
    Global Moderator aloldstuff's Avatar
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    Great great story. Nice collection of coins you got from that valley.

    Semper Fi
    V3i- Prism IV- Pro Pointer
    2020 GOAL: Any Flowing Hair coin

    TOTAL 100 YEAR OLD COINS - -280
    2020:
    Silver: 11


    Oldest U.S. Copper - 1795 Liberty Cap
    Oldest U.S. Silver - 1829 Capped Bust Dime extra large 10C
    Click here to view my album

  7. #7
    Great story and one hell of a find. So nice
    Visit my metal detecting you tube channel to watch some of my digs.
    https://www.youtube.com/user/thiltzy1?feature=mhee

  8. #8
    Veteran Member
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    That's a great story, congrats. Thanks for sharing it with us. It gives us all hope that maybe some day.....

  9. #9
    Thank you to all you guys that have read my story and all the very nice words! Since moving home to Arkansas things have been slim pickin's. It's a real challenge here at home as most people were very frugal as well poor. My Father is a professional treasure Hunter and has been very successful, around here that is more probable than finding another great coin such as in the past. Again thanks so much!
    Eurotek Pro, Tesoro El Dorado
    best find: 1881 $5.00 gold coin
    oldest find: 1864 Indian head penny
    garrett pro pointer

  10. #10
    Thanks for sharing your story. I wonder if it was the Morgan that gave you the big signal? anyways what an awesome way to start detecting.

  11. #11
    Elite Member giant056's Avatar
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    Dec 2010
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    Kalamazoo Michigan
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    Awesome finds

  12. #12
    Administrator del's Avatar
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    Oct 2009
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    Connecticut
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    great story and very sought after coin to find Otis , thanks for taking the time to share both with us .
    "Honesty is an expensive gift ,
    so don't expect it from cheap people"

    XP Deus II , DFX ,TDI sl -

    Click here to view my finds album


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