Woman Gardening Finds Rare Penny worth 3K

[bigboydan]

This story makes me wanna go do some gardening for sure. What are the odds even finding one of these though is beyond me.

Woman Gardening Finds Rare Penny

BURNHAM, Pa. (AP) - August 1, 2007 - A penny saved is a penny earned, but a 1793 cent found in the garden is probably worth a lot more to a Mifflin County woman.

Cheryl Corbin first thought she had picked up a quarter while planting flowers in June, then saw the date and thought it was a bicentennial coin. At work the next day, Corbin said, "I had the office in an uproar."

Co-workers searched the Internet and identified the coin as a 1793 copper "chain" cent. The front featured Lady Liberty and the back had a circle of 15 chain links representing the 15 states in the union at that time.

Though Corbin's coin was heavily corroded, she said a specialist told her it still could be worth $1,500 to $3,000.

David Wilson, owner of 4 Star Coins and Jewelry in Burnham, said he had sold a chain cent that was in mint condition for $22,000, but if Corbin's was heavily corroded it may only be worth a few hundred dollars.

Corbin said her coin is at Stacks Rare Coins in New York City, soaking in oil to try to remove some of the corrosion, and is scheduled to be featured in a September auction.

[THE HITMAN]

A really nice find. Although there were a bit over 36, 000 minted, about half as many as it's sister, the wreath cent, many fewer than that exist, today.
My guess is that , if it is really heavily corroded, $300) is a reach. Even tho it is being "worked" on, it would still probably have to be classified as "cleaned, damaged, corroded" by a competent grading service. But, Stack's knows their stuff, so it is in good hands for an auction.
A nice rarity, nonetheless.

[bigboydan]

I'm no coin collector at all, but doesn't the condition of a coin matter guys?

[Omnivorous Frog]

I dig in the garden and find turds. If I am lucky they are heavily corroded, and not fresh. You want to find that in an attic, a basement. Is this really newsworthy?

[Omnivorous Frog]

I'm no coin collector at all, but doesn't the condition of a coin matter guys?

Besides circulation, numbers minted and not melted, and age, condition is the number one factor. And between similar coins it can also be the most important factor besides, mint and uncirculated. I prefer the mint sets, the proof sets. They rarely depend on grading unless you mishandle them.