Dug my rarest coin, as a type, today, a chain large cent.  Its not much to look at, but I’ve always wanted to dig one, for some reason.  This is from the same site as the heartbreak silver, and a few other silvers and wheaties.

First, the total digs —

We got the chain cent, a liberty cap large cent, a Franklin Institute medallion, a toasted 1888 IH, a 1941 wheatie, as well as a buckle and a button.  The button has writing on it, but I’m too excited about the chain largie to process it.

The chain cent is pretty abused.  I’ve taken alot of pics to document and prove what it is, and the photography is hard, at least for me.  I’ve documented the weight and size as well, which is consistent with a chain.  Its the only US coin with these dimensions.  I didn’t have to find features to prove it, but I did manage to get some features to come out.

Now, we also have a liberty cap large cent as well.  These things are pretty rare to dig as well, but not nearly as rare as the chain.  I think this is the fourth I’ve dug.  Note something interesting about this coin, tho — someone hammered it down to be the same size as the chain cent.  Why?

I found it about an hour after the chain, about 20 feet away.  Could someone have thought the chain’s unique size was the standard (it was the first, and only large cent at the time), and decided the new liberty cap should be the same dimensions for some reason?  Does that mean that had possessed alot of chain cents, in order to make that judgement that this one was weird and needed to be fixed?  Did they lose any more of them, hopefully in better condition?

We’ll see, as I intend to pound the area again.

Finally, we have a Franklin Institute medallion.  This medallion sounded like, and looked like, the third copper of the day.  I don’t recall the last time, if ever, that I’ve had a copper hat trick, and it was not to be today, either.

I don’t find medallions terribly interesting, but I could not find this particular one online.  It says, in various places — “FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE MECHANIC ARTS 1824”; “THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA”; “IN HONOR OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN”.

It was found at the same depth, and in the same area, as the coppers.  I’d love to know how old it is.