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Minelab

Spanish silver Cob!!

20 Jul 2018
Video
Success Story
Find of
the Month

The day started off like all of our detecting days; by driving around pondering what site to hit. We decided to stop at a new permission along the shores of the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, Canada. We dug a few modern targets, but nothing too interesting. I decided to follow the field down to the waters edge and detect the shoreline, as the main site is quite grown up. I found a spot to get down to the shore (a flat spot with a 5' drop to the rocks below). Big mistake! I stepped on a rock that I didnt know was covered in algae. Next thing I know, I'm in a heap amongst the rocks below. I immediately felt the pain in my ribs. I looked around and saw my E-TRAC about 15' feet away from me, upside down on the jagged rocks. I thought for sure it was damaged. I gathered myself and went to check in my baby. Thankfully, it survived without a scratch...much better than I did! This thing is tough!!! I decided to "walk it off" and try detecting again, which I did, with quite a bit of pain, but hey, any full day devoted to detecting deserves 110%! I found some musketballs, an 1861 Nova Scotia penny and buckles. When we got back to the truck, I told my hunting buddy what had happened and showed him the wounds. I could barely get into the truck, and every bump sent a shockwave of pain through my ribs. Ralph asked me if I wanted to give up for the day and get checked out at the hospital, which I quickly declined. I suggested we try one of my old haunts: a small strip of shoreline with late 1700s activity, as well as a few finds from the late 1600s. Man I'm glad we did! My first target, after being there maybe 5 minutes, was a low-mid tone amongst iron st about 5" deep. Once I finally found the target out of the hole, I was excited that I had what looked like a numbered regiment pewter button! Nope!! After I picked it up, I forgot about the pain...it was like I was suspended in the moment, awe-struck, staring at this little piece of something with some familiar characteristics. One wipe, and I knew what I had...a hammered Cob! In Canada! I videoed the find for my YouTube channel, and in the video, after I watched it, I could hear the crack in my voice. In that moment, I was emotional. Digging a cob around here is very rare, and not knowing anything about them made it that much more exciting. After much discussion on the forums, I finally got an ID. It's a mid 1700s Ferdinand VI half reale! I've dug several other reales in the past, including a cache of 8reales, 2 2reales and a 1reale, but this one is special...at least to me, not just because of what it is, but because of the pain I endured to get it. I was flipping through the forums, reading everyone's comments on the cob, while I was sitting in the waiting room of my local hospital. My name was called and I went to see the doctor. When she asked how I managed to injure myself, I told her basically the same story I wrote here. She was very intrigued! After she poked and prodded, nearly sending me through the ceiling in pain, she said, "I hope your treasure was worth the agony, because I wouldn't have done it". She then proceeded to tell me I had a broken rib and a tear in my abdominal muscle big enough that she can feel it. I replied, "it was well worth it, and I'd go again right now if my E-TRAC battery was charged." Pain is temporary, but getting your coil over something with such historical significance, is something that I won't forget as long as I live!

Chris - New Brunwick, Canada

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