Here is my one and only piece. It is has a full 180 degree die rotation error so the coin appears to be in "medal orientation" where you flip it horizontally like some foreign coins as opposed to flipping it vertically like all US coins. I haven't looked into it too much but I seem to remember that 1864 is somewhat known for the 180 degree die rotation pieces, so I figure it probably doesn't bring much of a premium. I bought it at a coinshow in a junkbin unnoticed when I was about 14 though, so it's always been one of my favorite nineteenth century American pieces in my collection.
@TypeCoin971793 That 1820 might be a "Randall Hoard" piece. Very nice. That's my 5cents worth, keep the change.
Best one I've owned so far. Sadly, it's long gone, and I don't have any good pictures of it. It was a screamer. This one was holdered before PCGS gave the CAM or DCAM designation on proof 2c pieces. I think it was a contender for Cameo.
Good luck with that, if you want that proof 2c piece. I'd love to have it back myself. 'Tis long gone, alas.
Did you dig that one, Sal? I never found one while out detecting, but on two occasions I was with dig buddies who did. (An 1864 and an 1869.) Closest I’ve come to that was an 1873 Shield nickel I found on an old plantation site here. (That was the only Shield nickel I’ve ever found.)
@lordmarcovan Yes. I dug that. I almost pee'd my pants when i saw the small motto indicators . Luck I guess . I won a prize at my club for it .
Wow. To dig a 2c piece is impressive enough, but a Small Motto 1864 especially so. What kind of site was it?
It was a one Cellar hole site in the woods along an Old old road. That's all I know about it . It was my only coin found there .
In my experience, that often seems to the case with old and isolated relic hunting sites. The site might yield only one coin, but when it does, it's usually a good (or at least interesting) one.
That's how it goes with pre-Civil War sites, anyway. By the late 1800s, there were a lot more coins in circulation, so a late-Victorian site will usually give up some Indian cents, at least. But when you're opening up a time capsule from the earlier half of the 1800s or before, it's pretty slim pickings, coin-wise. Or so it seems to have been on the relic sites I have hunted here in the SE USA.
Yes most of them have been picked through . We did hunt a couple Virgin sites though and did extremely well.