1953 COIN BEACH COPPER COIN FIND

COIN BEACH 1953

Another nor'easter has cast a new hoard of 18^th century vintage coins on the beaches

just a few miles south of Rehoboth Beach at Coin Beach and the residents hereabout know when

to set out a search.

The coins are copper pieces minted during the reigns of King George II and King George III

of England but it is debatable as to where they came from, ever since the first discovery by beach

combers more that a quarter century ago. Many agree that they are from some windjammer vessel

that has foundered during the savage coastal storms on these shores.

The latest 'find' , the 1953 hoard of copper coins, is said to have been found by a real estate agent who did not

wait for the nor'easter to abate, Peck Pleasanton, and his Rehoboth school teacher friend, Barbara

Boyce, who picked up 13 coins from the sand in less than a hour which had been cast into the dunes

by the strong surf.

True, many are defaced by rust and sandy water fricton, but one is clearly dated 1775, one side

inscribed with “Georgius III”, and the other side with “Britannia” . This same day, an unidentified

man gathered 29 pieces. Another successful collector, Colonal Wilbur S. Corkran , who reported he gleaned 30 coins. Lesser numbers continue to be discovered.

There are no reports of finding any silver or gold coins this time but they have been found

in the same area. Other copper pieces found have been inscribed “Hibernia”. French and Spanish

have also been picked up. One, a large silver coin, bearing the head of Louis XV, King of France

and Naverre, minted in 1756, found in 1938 in Dewey Beach, a few miles north of Coin Road.

One of the largest collectors of the copper coins is an artist, Fred Vogel, of Dewey Beach who has over 300 of them.

The popular theory as to the origin is that they came from the wreck of the Irish vessel,

“Faithful Stewart” which sank at Indian River 1785, or, the wreck of the “deBraak” off

Cape Henlopen 1798. A officer of the Delaware Historic Society , Judge Richard Rodney, hopes

to prove the “Three Brothers” a ship load of coins to the colonies is the source.

Coins are not the only treasurers jettisoned by the nor'easter's, there are hundreds of live

'conchs, rare shells. Conch shells are a pretty rare commodity on Rehoboth beaches.

Source: The Morning Call of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Thursday 26 November 1953.