Coin Caches in Glass Containers.

[Shortstack]

An acquaintance in another state has told me of suspected caches of coins in glass jars being buried on their property by an old bootlegger years ago.

Question: Will a metal detector detect coins in a glass container? I know it will hit on wire bails and metal screw tops of canning jars. That isn't the question. I read an article a year or two ago about someone finding a demijohn type earthen ware jug filled with coins, but the detector hit on a small piece of metal on the jug and NOT on the coins. He supposedly experimented and found that the detector would not "hit" on the coins themselves through the glass.

Has anyone else had this result? I'm going to experiment with this tomorrow. I JUST found out about these caches tonight while talking with this person.

 

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[CWnut]

Detectors will certainly detect through glass. But keep in mind that the detector "sees" a jar of coins as many, many small targets, not a single large mass..In most cases where jars of coins were detected the zinc lid was what alerted the detectorist of a cache.

 

[Kentucky Kache]

It will detect them, but the question is, how deep. Fill your jar and tie a piece of cloth over the mouth with string. Let us know what coins you use and how deep you detected them.

 

[savant365]

I know mine will pick up re-bar in concrete so I would assume a mason jar full of coins would be no problem. Let us know how your experiment turns out.

HH Charlie

 

[Shortstack]

What my question centers on is whether or not the glass, which is a nonconductor of electrical energy will prevent the coils RF field from causing the little eddy fields in the coins that cause the imbalance that makes the detector "squawk". (I think I got that out correctly. )
Been lazy today and haven't gotten out to do the experiment.....yet.
Thanks for the responses so far. I'll post info here on the results of my test.

 

[Shortstack]

O.K. I just finished that little experiment and the detector DOES hit on the coins in a glass container with no decrease in signal strength.

Here's the basic info. I have a 2liter plastic bottle half-filled with pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters that supplied the targets. I put a double-handfull of coins into a quart, glass canning jar and took it out into my back yard; found an area clear of anyother targets; then laid it on the ground, on its side, with NO metal lid of anykind. I then used my Tesoro DeLeon to "detect" the coins. Even set to Max Disc and Sens at 5, the detector sounded off strong out to over a foot away. Disc at MIN, Sens at Max the hit was out to almost 2 feet. With the detector set to All Metal, the hit was out over 2 feet. All of these hits were from the bottom direction of the jar, not the open end.

That story of the stoneware jug full of coins not reacting to a detector must have left out some information. Either his detector was of a lesser quality; the batteries were about dead; or the material of the jug contained sometype of insulating ingredient.

Anyway, cache hunters, rejoice my children!! Those jars full of coins you're hunting WILL cause your detector to sing like a mockingbird. And your machine doesn't have to be a highdollar PI. Your nice, reasonable priced detector will do the job---to about a foot or inside a wall. For 3 or 4 feet, that PI will be needed.....or a topline detector with a large coil may do it.

 

[Cal G.]

Yes, I know of three glass jars full of silver dollar that were found stacked on top of each other. These were found with a Garrett ADS. CG

 

[mile-ender]

I dug a cache (some panhandlers stash from 30 years ago) last year. It was two Nescafe jars, with the plastic lid, maybe about a foot down, root system over top. The change in one was all divided up and wrapped in plastic bags the other was unsorted change (again in plastic bags) and about 10 bucks in bills (mush). The signal was seriously weak, and I had ignored it the first time, but passing over again a couple of months later, I figured it's gotta be something. But hey, I'm only using a bounty hunter, I'm sure one of those high end detectors would pick em up no prob.

 

[truckinbutch]

I dug a cache (some panhandlers stash from 30 years ago) last year. It was two Nescafe jars, with the plastic lid, maybe about a foot down, root system over top. The change in one was all divided up and wrapped in plastic bags the other was unsorted change (again in plastic bags) and about 10 bucks in bills (mush). The signal was seriously weak, and I had ignored it the first time, but passing over again a couple of months later, I figured it's gotta be something. But hey, I'm only using a bounty hunter, I'm sure one of those high end detectors would pick em up no prob.

Well , golly , guy ; don't sell them BH's short . When I was truckin my BH Landstar found me enough loose change any weekend I was laid over to buy my food and booze for the weekend ..... found in panhandler camps around the truckstops

 

[boogeyman]

What my question centers on is whether or not the glass, which is a nonconductor of electrical energy will prevent the coils RF field from causing the little eddy fields in the coins that cause the imbalance that makes the detector "squawk". (I think I got that out correctly. )
Been lazy today and haven't gotten out to do the experiment.....yet.
Thanks for the responses so far. I'll post info here on the results of my test.

Hey SS long time no yap! YES! detectors WILL hit on coins in glass jars. I know this for fact. I think we talked about this on a search I did in San Juan Capistrano Even the old old TRs would hit on a glass jar in between the studs of a wall. As far as eddy fields etc. go, not a problem. Should sound like one large target. In a jar you have no corrosion (hopefully) to make the halo of oxidization you would get if they're buried directly in the ground.

 

[TURNMASTER]

OK so I always knew coins would hit thru a glass or clay jar. BUT would certain ceramics act as insulators? The answer should be yes, but I don't know for sure.

HH
Jeff

 

[Shortstack]

Well, folks, I'm going to post an update on those jars of coins that an acquaintance told me about. That "acquaintance" was / is my oldest daughter and the place is in South Carolina. The project will not be ran because she and her husband have separated; he turned out to be an abuser and she is now back in Louisiana. Soooo, he can suck wind on that cache deal. I only talked to her about it and will NEVER talk to him about it in any way, shape or form. If I ever see him again, we will be "talking" about an entirely different subject.

I WILL point out to everyone that this story is a classic one of an old bootlegger burying containers of coins. It was verified by his widow, no less. So, if anyone has heard a story similar to this, for goodness sake, check it out. That's the backbone of treasure hunting.

 

[GrayCloud]

Sorry to hear the bad news ShortStack. Glad to hear that she is back in Louisiana and safe. Keep a watch on the back side. Those types can be dangerous.

 

[TURNMASTER]

Bum deal and good luck, It could be worth the time to teach your frield to MD so they can find it theirselfs. If it was My Daughter that "boy"would be talking to a shotgun next time.

Best Wishes
Jeff

 

[Connecticut Sam]

Many great comments. I live in Bridgeport Connecticut.