Am i missing it?

hughmaster10

Sr. Member
Jan 4, 2013
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Just a quick question.. For those of you who have had quite a bit of experience finding silver coins.. What would you say was about the average depth of say a silver dime or quarter? Now I know that the ground type makes a huge difference, my area happens to have really dry ground..
But I've been finding nothing but clad, maybe the silver is deeper than My detector is detecting, Or I need to find better locations, probably the second.. But what are your thoughts??
 

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Last Sunday my grandson found a 1942 Mercury dime at about 3-5" in disturbed soil.
1942 Mercury Dime.jpg
 

In normal watered/mowed turf (parks , etc ...) in my area, seems that silver starts at 6". But at certain parks, as much as 8", while other parks as little as 4 or 5. This is only for turf though. Hardpan, disturbed soils , beaches , etc.... will be different .
 

I'd have to agree with lookindown, 5" to 6" has been my average. Most of my clad has been in the 2-3" range. No joke intended but most people are a bad judge of length/depth, on your next hunt take a little tape measure with you and you will discover how off you can be. I had a target, silver coin, sounding off but no display on my ATP and by the time I was done with the hole I was at 18".

Get your facts first, then distort them as you please-Mark Twain
 

I found an 1868 two cent piece at 1 inch, and an 1877 half dime at 8 inches. I would say my average silver would be around 4 inches though. I have found more clad at greater depths than silver though for sure. Just too many factors to guess at it, every place you hunt is different.
 

the grounds where i go all happen to be different from the yards to just straght out in the woods ive found silver coins from 4'' to 11''
 

I'm pretty new as well, the 3 silver coins I have found have all been in hard compact dirt about 2 inches. I have found clad 6-8 inches down in softer, moister dirt. So, it all depends on ....where you find'em.
 

Your right about it being more about where your detecting than depth. 4 or 5 most of the time.
 

This is why I get a kick out of people throwing fits about needing more depth. My averages are from 4-5 inches I believe. I've dug deeper, but most were in that range. Soil has a lot to do with it. I've dug a silver dime at 8 inches, and 30 feet away I've found older wheat pennies at 1 inch. It boggles the mind sometimes!
 

Guys think about this, some of you vets already know this..if you are digging the soil and its hard packed earth you know nobody has messed with it for years and years. Your softer soil is either newer fresh top soil or tilled up recently. My point is the hard pack you should be able to almost count the years by the depth in inches. If its not been touched those old coins will range from 4-8", im speaking not of some mercury dime either. Soft soil well that's just a grab bag since it's been disturbed.

Get your facts first, then distort them as you please-Mark Twain
 

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