Nova Scotia treasure hunter finds 300-year-old Spanish coin

Metal detector hobbyist Drew Wilson is pictured combing a Nova Scotia beach.

A Nova Scotia treasure hunter made a rare discovery on a rocky beach near Halifax, N.S. Drew Wilson, a metal detector hobbyist, found a 300-year-old coin after combing beaches for more than two decades.

“When it came out of the ground… after 25 years, this is what I’ve been searching for,” said Wilson. It was the first time he felt the “buzz” the metal detecting community describes after a big discovery, he said.

The coin, a 1721 Spanish real, would have circulated in Canada in the 18th and 19th centuries said Alfredo Cimino with Canadian Coin and Currency and Canada Gold.

“It was sort of the de facto coin that was used and recognized worldwide,” Cimino said. It was the basis for future American coinage, he said.

Wilson said he was awed by his discovery.

“I realized how much history I had in my hand as soon as I seen the symbols on that coin.”

Cimino said the coin, in its current condition, is probably worth between $50 and $100. He said without the wear and tear from the sand and sea it could have been worth several hundred or even a thousand dollars.

“Outside of actual shipwrecks it’s a really unusual find,” Cimino said. “He was really lucky to pick that up where he did.”

Wilson said he follows waterways to find history under his feet. He said he got into the hobby after he bought a $2 metal detector at a flea market around 25 years ago.

“I was out the same day and I found an old locket,” Wilson said. “That was my first taste of actually finding something and it was probably one of the best feelings I’ve had.”

Wilson said it’s common for metal detector hobbyists to get hooked as soon as they find “that one object” with a personal connection.

“There’s some history to this,” he said. “You’re out the next day, looking for the next thing.”

Cimino said the coin might not be worth a lot, but Wilson should keep hunting.

“When you’re having fun and passionate about what you do, you just don’t stop,” he said. “You never know where you might find another treasure.”

With the current prices of gold and silver, Cimino said “anything” might be considered treasure. He said anyone who makes a discovery and wants it appraised should contact a specialist at Canadian Coin and Currency or Canada Gold.

“Just keep having fun,” he said. “Don’t let it ever become work.”

With files from Carl Pomeroy

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