For our anniversary my wife bought me a metal detector. She gave it to me at the beach (we were married at the beach, so went to the beach for our first anniversary.)
Everyone wanted me to use it there, but having never used one before, I didn't want to make a fool out of myself..so I waited until we got home, and a week or so later took it out of the box after work and started walking around my backyard. The unit is an Ace 350.
At first, I read online somewhere that they said to dig everything to get used to the signals. I found a lot of junk.
Correction- I found a LOT of square nails. The first one I found, I thought it was really neat- I said to my wife- I think this is old. I read online that they are handmade. Well, the coolness wore off after I dug about 30 of them. Uggh.
I found a horseshoe, (real, not the game)..I found a dog tag from 1970, I found what I believe to be part of a watch band that has some logo riveted on to it. I found what I think might have been an old lead bullet (mushroomed heavy piece of metal). I found another horseshoe.
So, I was wondering, and even said to my wife- when do you think I will find my first coin? Well, the next night or 2, after work I found a flat round piece of metal. I rubbed my finger on it, trying to see what it was. I didn't see anything on either side. I figured it must be construction scrap- like a knock out of an electrical box or something.
I brought it in, and washed it off in the sink. It was indeed a coin. Check that box.
With the water on it, and catching it in the light just right- I couldn't believe what I was seeing- 1897 Indian head!! Holy crap. I never thought my first coin would be soo old. Coin, Indian head, 1800's...3 boxes at once!
So at this point, I decided that coins are what I want to dig- because they have dates and that is awesome. So I am focusing on trying to only dig clean solid signals on the coin range of the meter.
Ok, this story is getting long, so I will shorten it up- I have found 22 coins so far. Most is 1960's-1970's junk, like a 1966 dime, 1969 quarter. A few 1980-1990's junk. A 2000 quarter... checking off simple boxes, but all easy low hanging fruit.
My 2nd cool coin was a 1906 Indian head penny. Also in pretty bad shape- but cool. That is how I learned they changed size, it is smaller than the 1897.
Next cool coin- it was getting dark (I dig after work while I can)..and about 5 feet from my front walkway as I was heading in- detector goes nut. I cut a flap and flip it over- BOOM, a 1963 silver half dollar staring me in the face all bright and shiny! WHOA. Blows my mind that I have walked and mowed over that a million times and never knew it was there. First silver, first half dollar. Check & check!
4th cool coin was a few days ago- 1943 silver quarter. WW2, awesome. Check.
So today, I get home from work..grab the detector and head back down the driveway. I start at the edge of the pavement and turn on the detector. Immediately- before I even took a step- it goes nuts. I'm like WTF? I move it around- and yep, it is getting a strong signal- but is bouncing more than I typically like to dig..but is staying up on the coin area. OK- lets dig.
I pull out a decent sized round flat piece of mud. I can't tell if it is a coin or scrap again so I throw it in my bag and continue across the yard. At the other end, I get a good signal- dig out a coin. Turn around and walk back and about halfway- signal- dig- another coin. At this point it is getting dark. I head inside, pour myself a drink and hit the sink. First coin up- 1972 nickel. Meh. It's my first nickel, so check that box.. but common pocket change. Next up- lousy 1970's penny. Meh.
So I saved the larger round for last. I had let it soak for about 5 minutes in hot water to soften the mud and I start to gently brush it with a toothbrush. I start to see a guys face on it. Cool- so it is definitely a coin. Like my indian heads- it is in bad shape so you need to catch the angle of the light just right to see details.
I start brushing around the edge looking for letters. I see a B..does it say LIBERTY? What the hell kind of coin is this? (I know nothing about coins)
I brush some more.. nope, not liberty, it says Britan. Interesting. I have seen online that a lot of people find coins from other countries- Canada, Mexico, Germany, etc.
So I found my first foreign coin. Check off that box.
I continue rubbing looking for a date. Never, EVER would I have expected what I saw.
My British coin, which was literally a few inches from my driveway, about 2-3 inches below my grass- 1775!!
So technically I guess it is not foreign eh?
I can't be happier with my first month of detecting. My family and friends think I am crazy- and I can't understand how they don't share the excitement and want to try it themselves. I'm already looking around at upgrading the detector and then optioning different coils for it.
I am also going to leave my yard for my first offical metal detecting trip- I am meeting a forum member off here on Friday to go dig. Excited for that!
1897 Indian head penny- first coin, first Indian head, first 1800's
1906 Indian head penny
1963 silver half dollar- first silver, first half
1943 silver quarter- first WW2
1775 British half penny Really bad shape, but hell- it is older than our country!!
Everyone wanted me to use it there, but having never used one before, I didn't want to make a fool out of myself..so I waited until we got home, and a week or so later took it out of the box after work and started walking around my backyard. The unit is an Ace 350.
At first, I read online somewhere that they said to dig everything to get used to the signals. I found a lot of junk.
Correction- I found a LOT of square nails. The first one I found, I thought it was really neat- I said to my wife- I think this is old. I read online that they are handmade. Well, the coolness wore off after I dug about 30 of them. Uggh.
I found a horseshoe, (real, not the game)..I found a dog tag from 1970, I found what I believe to be part of a watch band that has some logo riveted on to it. I found what I think might have been an old lead bullet (mushroomed heavy piece of metal). I found another horseshoe.
So, I was wondering, and even said to my wife- when do you think I will find my first coin? Well, the next night or 2, after work I found a flat round piece of metal. I rubbed my finger on it, trying to see what it was. I didn't see anything on either side. I figured it must be construction scrap- like a knock out of an electrical box or something.
I brought it in, and washed it off in the sink. It was indeed a coin. Check that box.
With the water on it, and catching it in the light just right- I couldn't believe what I was seeing- 1897 Indian head!! Holy crap. I never thought my first coin would be soo old. Coin, Indian head, 1800's...3 boxes at once!So at this point, I decided that coins are what I want to dig- because they have dates and that is awesome. So I am focusing on trying to only dig clean solid signals on the coin range of the meter.
Ok, this story is getting long, so I will shorten it up- I have found 22 coins so far. Most is 1960's-1970's junk, like a 1966 dime, 1969 quarter. A few 1980-1990's junk. A 2000 quarter... checking off simple boxes, but all easy low hanging fruit.
My 2nd cool coin was a 1906 Indian head penny. Also in pretty bad shape- but cool. That is how I learned they changed size, it is smaller than the 1897.
Next cool coin- it was getting dark (I dig after work while I can)..and about 5 feet from my front walkway as I was heading in- detector goes nut. I cut a flap and flip it over- BOOM, a 1963 silver half dollar staring me in the face all bright and shiny! WHOA. Blows my mind that I have walked and mowed over that a million times and never knew it was there. First silver, first half dollar. Check & check!
4th cool coin was a few days ago- 1943 silver quarter. WW2, awesome. Check.
So today, I get home from work..grab the detector and head back down the driveway. I start at the edge of the pavement and turn on the detector. Immediately- before I even took a step- it goes nuts. I'm like WTF? I move it around- and yep, it is getting a strong signal- but is bouncing more than I typically like to dig..but is staying up on the coin area. OK- lets dig.
I pull out a decent sized round flat piece of mud. I can't tell if it is a coin or scrap again so I throw it in my bag and continue across the yard. At the other end, I get a good signal- dig out a coin. Turn around and walk back and about halfway- signal- dig- another coin. At this point it is getting dark. I head inside, pour myself a drink and hit the sink. First coin up- 1972 nickel. Meh. It's my first nickel, so check that box.. but common pocket change. Next up- lousy 1970's penny. Meh.
So I saved the larger round for last. I had let it soak for about 5 minutes in hot water to soften the mud and I start to gently brush it with a toothbrush. I start to see a guys face on it. Cool- so it is definitely a coin. Like my indian heads- it is in bad shape so you need to catch the angle of the light just right to see details.
I start brushing around the edge looking for letters. I see a B..does it say LIBERTY? What the hell kind of coin is this? (I know nothing about coins)
I brush some more.. nope, not liberty, it says Britan. Interesting. I have seen online that a lot of people find coins from other countries- Canada, Mexico, Germany, etc.
So I found my first foreign coin. Check off that box.
I continue rubbing looking for a date. Never, EVER would I have expected what I saw.
My British coin, which was literally a few inches from my driveway, about 2-3 inches below my grass- 1775!!
So technically I guess it is not foreign eh?
I can't be happier with my first month of detecting. My family and friends think I am crazy- and I can't understand how they don't share the excitement and want to try it themselves. I'm already looking around at upgrading the detector and then optioning different coils for it.
I am also going to leave my yard for my first offical metal detecting trip- I am meeting a forum member off here on Friday to go dig. Excited for that!
1897 Indian head penny- first coin, first Indian head, first 1800's
1906 Indian head penny
1963 silver half dollar- first silver, first half
1943 silver quarter- first WW2
1775 British half penny Really bad shape, but hell- it is older than our country!!
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'.
Welcome to the 1800s club, 
and you've beaten me to the 1700s club 
(I started detecting May 2014).
