1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriffs Dept.

[Rowdy Yates]

1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

A buddy of mine, Dave, and I headed out today, back to the burnt house where I found the little pink car, '45 Merc. and the 1918 wheatie. After a little research, I found out that the house is circa. 1860s, built by William Meek for one of his sons. It's about a block away from the Meek Mansion in Hayward.

Anyway, we spent a good deal of time in the backyard, and along the side of the house where you can't be seen from the street. We decided to save the front yard for last, just in case we got kicked out. All was good, I managed a 1944, 1951 and 1952 wheatie from the backyard, and so after an hour or so, it was getting late so we decided to step out in the open in the front yard and see how long we lasted.

As soon as we got out front, it started getting good!! I grabbed a quick 1920 and 1926 wheatie, a 1951s Roosie, and a nice 1912d Barber dime! Dave started finding older stuff, too, and made the best find of the day!! A 1923 Walking Liberty Half-Dollar!!!!!

Well, needless to say, we didn't last 10 minutes in the front yard before Alameda County's Finest showed up. The first responder was a female officer, followed soon thereafter by a male officer, and about 5 minutes later, a Alameda County Sheriff SUV shows up (transport, just in case we were going to jail). Wouldn't you know it??!!?? Just as it was gettin' good!!!

So we got the third degree for about fifteen minutes. What is it with female cops, anyway??!!?? Man!!! She was giving us the riot act!! Goin' on and on about how trespassing is an arrestable offence, etc., etc. "Is this your house?", "No, Maam....". "Then why are you on on the property?", "Looking for old coins, Maam....". "Did you know the house was burnt down by arsons?", "No, I did not, Maam.....". "Who gave you the right to enter somebody else's property?", "Nobody, Maam....". "Have you ever been arrested?", "Yes Maam, about 30 years ago...". "What for?", "Contributing to the delinquency of a minor when I was 18 years old..." This went on and on, with the male backup officer just standing there the whole time with this little smile on his face.....

Finally, after running our ID's, and determining we were not a threat to society, they decided not to run us in....

So, I've told you all where this site is now, it's offically open season for silver there, so, go have at it.... the front yard is especially good...... maybe a few seated's there!!!

Oh, and by the way...... "Dave, keep your hands out of your pockets and out where I can see them!"

Rick

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[kieser sousa/rip]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

"Like I posted the other day, We had a great burnt down house from the 1800's to detect with permission. We were the only one who asked the owner for permission up to that point. Got in the back yard and it was plug city! I was very bummed since I was actually the only one that keep it legal! "

same thing happened to me,There was a church(private home) that burnt down that i had tryed to get permission to hunt with no luck.I finally received permission after it had burnt down,with the stipulation that i was to try and find a small bronze statue for the owners.When i got to the site it was covered in holes with the trash left next to each hole. I know that i wouldn't want someone detecting my property with out asking first,all ya gotta do is ask !If the answer is no,move on to the next spot,there are more spots than all of us could ever "hunt out" out there !​

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[civilman1]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

I agree with the permission part....I would'nt want anyone digging my Crabgrass,burnt down or not without me knowing.....Although you did come out with some great loot....If it wasn't for all the paperwork,I think you got lucky.It doesn't hurt to ask.....HH!!

 

[harpp]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

i hate that feeling, your detecting & all the cars are going by & you just know somones gonna stop & shout "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!?!!" been there- done that. nice spot / nice finds. look me up if you ever go M-D,ing in the southbay.

 

[Rowdy Yates]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

Well, before I get anymore comments about trespassing and permission, maybe I should explain a bit more about this one.......

First off, I'm NOT the type of MDer who would take advantage of a family's plight after their house burnt down, they are living in a motel, and they're trying to rebuild their life. Also, regardless of where I'm hunting, I ALWAYS take my trash and fill my holes. I am respectful of private property and try to obtain permission whenever possible.

The house that burnt is still standing, but the rear half was pretty much gutted by the flames. It has been abandoned for many years, and had fallen into a very bad state of dis-repair. Over the past few years, the only "occupants" have been vagrants, crackheads, and gang-banga's (and a lot of vermin.....). It's owned by a developer who wanted to tear it down back in 2003 in order to build condominiums on the parcel, but he ran into a snag when the county required him to do an Historic Architectural Inventory. Turns out the house was determined to be "eligible for listing on the California Register of Historic Places", so tearing it down was not an option for him. The word around town is that he probably caused the fire to happen himself. Now the house cannot be moved or renovated. It will be torn down.

In order to access the property, I did not have to climb any fences, the property was not posted, and I followed the same trail in through the weeds that all the vagrants, crackheads, and gang-banga's have for years. In fact, I would have hunted this house previously to the fire (and without permission, mind you) if it weren't for the bad element there. After the fire, I knew the vagrants, crackheads, and gang-banga's would not be there anymore (at least for a while). There are brand new, big red "WARNING: Do Not Occupy" signs posted on the house. I did not enter the house.

Should this property ever become demolished or developed, I will ask permission to hunt, as I do on every construction site I hunt.

Here's a drawing of the Meek Estate dating from 1878. The house in question is the smaller one, to the left of the mansion. Now come on, folks...... considering the circumstances, would you have asked permission

Rick

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

FOR SHAME, RICK! Whenever you have a metal detector in your hand you represent all of us! I don't want stringent regulations against metal detecting in my town, city, state, or country because of detectorists like you.

There are already strict laws against our hobby in Germany and Austria, not to mention some places in the U.S. The most troubling part of your story is that your trespassing became a public spectacle on the front yard with the police. And it's NOT funny. I mean, wouldn't the property owner be MORE likely to grant permission for a property that had burned down and was in disrepair?! I have always had better luck with getting permission to hunt run-down or abandoned sites. It simply means you have to track the owner down. Now you are much less likely to get permission if the site is going to be developed because the property owner was likely contacted about your incident with the police. Detecting while nervously looking over your shoulder can't really be as fun, can it? I don't really care about the particular circumstances, and I hope I speak for others as well with respect to the matter. Please, please, PLEASE keep the rest of us in mind the next time you decide to do something like this. We shouldn't all have to pay the price for your laziness.

-Buckleboy

 

[kieser sousa/rip]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

...... considering the circumstances, would you have asked permission
Yes i would have,and considering the circumstances i would bet the answer would have been yes

 

[Stormtrooper154]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

Now come on, folks...... considering the circumstances, would you have asked permission

Rick

Yes, I would!  Not my property. 

Just because the homeless and gangbanger don't follow the law dosen't make it OK for you not to follow it either.  I understand what you are saying, but the law is the law and getting permission is the right and legal thing to do.

Anyway, we spent a good deal of time in the backyard, and along the side of the house where you can't be seen from the street. We decided to save the front yard for last, just in case we got kicked out. All was good, I managed a 1944, 1951 and 1952 wheatie from the backyard, and so after an hour or so, it was getting late so we decided to step out in the open in the front yard and see how long we lasted.

This is the part that gets my feather ruffled.

You knew you were in the wrong...you were worried about being kicked out. If it were an OK place to detect, you wouldn't have to worry about that.

Im sorry Rick, I have to disagree with you on this one!

 

[doyboy]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

Good deal on those finds, dude! I agree with the other dudes as well. Always obtain permission before you hunt a site, bud! Go get dat silver!

 

[jorge del norte]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

next time the cops show up.........just run.....I'd love to see that sh!t on C.O.P.S.....just joking!!!
....last time I got caught I knew the sheriff, old high school buddy..... and he said "I see nothing posted".......carry on!!!....I'm more careful now.....don't let this sour you on the spot......get permmission and dig some more, hopefully the cops come by and let them eat cake!!!!

I believe everyone with a detector has and will illegal swing once in a while......it's bound to happen.....it is just just so tempting.....

HH

 

[coinman66]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

Nice Stuff! How deep was the Barber dime? HH Coinman66

 

[Spiney Norma]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

Wow! What a great looking dime!

 

[search_and_find]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

NIce finds.

I'm nervous to hunt the beach or playground w/o permission so I would have had to ask first. I've got a house right across the street that the owners (ex boyfriend's parents) moved out (think a big company bought it) and I still haven't gone over there because im afraid of someone showing up to yell at me because I KNOW it's not my property.

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: 1912 Barber Dime, a Silver Roosie, 5 Wheats, and the Sheriff's Dept.

Rick,
Great finds, and I got to thank you. Being somewhat new to this hobby, and after seeing your pictures, it finally sunk into my brain what a "Rosie" is. Duh.
You learn something new on this site everyday.
By the way, did you swing your detector at the cops badge or single bullet in her pocket to see if they were silver? Just kidding.
You were very lucky.
-ModernMiner-