Story of the 1793 Half Cent
Found by David L.

It was dawn, my favorite time to get out and start swinging!
Working a large urban construction site in the Northeast, my detecting buddy, Matt and I had been visiting this site each weekend for 3 weeks. We had been finding Indian head cents and other turn-of-the-century coins. We knew it could have even older coins because this location had pedestrian traffic for over 200 years!

This morning I decided to go the back of the lot, a spot so far undetected. I started to see "old" dirt. You know, the dark rich soil with shards of ceramics, pipe stems, and oyster shells. I slowed my swing and focused my effort. I received a faint signal that I was able to pinpoint with my White's MXT. I carefully dug and lifted the first shovel of dirt and out popped a small copper coin. On the front of the coin was what appeared to be Lady Liberty’s profile facing left. The coin was in great condition and I could see a date of 1793.

Putting it back in my pocket, I waited until I returned home to research the coin. Wow, it turned out to be a rare 1793 U.S. half cent, the first year half cents were made! Only 35,000 were minted. Later the coin was graded professionally to be in AU condition possibly worth over $12,000! Thank you MXT!

David L.