Honestly, how you split this scenerio with the owner?

[mastereagle22]

I hate to say it too but I don't think that at this point in the game that I am willing to hunt a place with an owner demanding a split. I have too many potential places to hunt than to mess with this. However right after starting this year I did agree to this type of arrangement with a landowner.

I didn't find any really valuable coins but did find some cool relics. When the time came to split the finds, the landowner took one look at the stuff I had found and told me to keep it all and that I could come back any time to hunt. His only request was that if I found pre-1900 coins that I let him examine them to see if he wanted to keep any for his coin collection because he is missing a few to complete his collection. IF I go back, and that is a big IF, and IF I find anything that meets this criteria I will let him choose what he wants. After all it is his property and technically anything I find is his since it is on his property. I guess my advice would be unless you had a REALLY good reason to agree to this then just don't do it.

 

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[coinseeker]

Thumbs up to the BioProf for his post. I bet the landowner would settle for half of the coin's value if it was printed out for him and allow you to keep the half. It would be a much more enjoyable experience and a coin that you could show with pride.

 

[renegade_7]

Wanted to thank all who replied. Some very good points brought out here. It sounds obvious that the 50/50 split is not good. Happy Hunting all....

 

[Boobydoo]

I would lay all the finds out and give him the half dollar and then say something, like, "You first, I'll take the next one".

Trust and integrity is something that is invaluable. Treating them with class will add to your reputation and get you in more and more great sites by word of mouth and networking.

Who knows, he may just say keep them all, no big deal.

Good luck and keep digging those big silvers, congrats!

Smiles!
Bdoo

 

[jeff of pa]

and said to keep our mouths shut if we found any dinasour bones. That was the only agreement we had.

Rich & I had a deal like that.

He had his land up for sale.

& wanted to be sure no Archies would find out
how historical the site was & Stop Progress.

He wanted to see the finds, But wouldn't even
accept one colonial copper as a Gift.

 

[Montana Jim]

and said to keep our mouths shut if we found any dinasour bones. That was the only agreement we had.

Rich & I had a deal like that.

He had his land up for sale.

& wanted to be sure no Archies would find out
how historical the site was & Stop Progress.

He wanted to see the finds, But wouldn't even
accept one colonial copper as a Gift.

There are still some good ole' boys left out there...

 

[EDDE]

In all honesty, Id rather not hunt a place that I was required to split 50/50. I don't know how everyone else feels. Things could get complicated that way.

same here

 

[captain Jack]

I am only about a year into the hobby, but I have always chosen to honor my word so far, and gotten better, and bigger sites as a direct result.

 

[BIG61AL]

This exactly why I don't search private property. If I can't keep everything I find then it stays in the ground. I would not like to find something really nice and have it taken away from me. After all I was the one that actually looked for it. I spent the money to buy the detecter. Sorry for sounding selfish but splitting stuff just ain't worth it.

 

[FISHEYE]

honor your word 50/50 bring tin snips an cut the silver in half.

 

[mastereagle22]

One last piece of advice. To me this is about finding cool stuff just as much as the next person. But I have found that even the items I go to find for people knowing they are lost can still be in "my" collection. I always request permission to take a few photos for my journal of whatever I find. That way even if I don't get to keep whatever it is, I still have a picture of the item.

 

[gallileo60]

I would give him another half not the one I found...Or not....Hard to say, I like to be honest, BUT...........

 

[mastereagle22]

If I had a 50/50 split agreement, then I'd have a few silver coins(Mercs) and would keep the half...but if the place produced more than that I would be more willing. I normally don't do the 50/50 thing, but I would be the bad guy and pocket it. Shame on me!!

At least your honest about it.

 

[Jack(IN)]

Where did my post go?? I said I'd pocket the half, but share coins I brought in next time! I removed my first post, meaning to modify it. Was going to put a side note that is why I don't like a 50/50 agreement. Makes us more human when faced with that problem!

 

[txkickergirl]

make sure when your splitting your 50/50 you are including 50% of the pull tabs and other junk you dig too. I think if I was an owner and you spent lets say 2hours on my land and come to me with a pouch of trash a couple pennies and a half. I probably would pull out money from my pocket and give it to you saying something like I think if thats all you found in 2 hours you need this more than me. Now if you came to me with a cache of gold then u betcha you would be splitting it with me.

 

[gallileo60]

How many people lie to look good on the internet, then really keep the half?? I just dont know what I would do I do beleive in old fashioned values, but im a creature of the 21st century too....what a decision....

 

[Jack(IN)]

This exactly why I don't search private property. If I can't keep everything I find then it stays in the ground. I would not like to find something really nice and have it taken away from me. After all I was the one that actually looked for it. I spent the money to buy the detecter. Sorry for sounding selfish but splitting stuff just ain't worth it.

I don't hunt many homes myself, and enjoy Parks. I do like to keep ALL the coins I find. I have never had a problem returning any ring to its owner. Class rings are NOT mine and may not rush to return it, I do look and return the ring. I have found rings for people and no feeling of remorse over giving gold back. I feel like I'm pretty honest, but gut feelings tell me I'd pocket the half, knowing if I hunt the place more the chance would be more to the advantage of the owner. I don't think its selfish, just the time spent and everything else involved then have the owner say I'll take the half and you can have the pennies....not a good deal. Now if one of the wheats ended being a 1909-S VDB, hmmm who knows!! 50/50 agreements are not good for the guy digging!

 

[John (Ma)]

I am to honest to not show the coin. I would show everything and see how it went. Like others have said, you can take a picture. Then by the interaction with the land owner you can go back or not. If a land owner has a suspision that you are not honest, you may be surprised how fast the word will spread and all hobbiest will pay.

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

I have hunted on private property but have never entered into a 50/50 split agreement. I just normall say that I will show you anything interesting that I find before I leave. Most of the time there is nothing worth keeping from the owner. No gold caches, not silver ore, not pirates teasure chests etc.. so I show what I find and then leave. Most owners just want to see what you dug up, not because they want it, just because they are curious.

If I found a cache of silver coins on a private property hunt, I would show it to the owner. Would the owner want half? I can not answer that since this situation has not occurred. When it does I will post what happens.

On the 50/50 split deal, if I mad such a deal I would honor it. Not only because I am a man of my word, but because the owner may generate other sites to hunt through his family, friends and neighbors. If you get a bad reputation your chances of obtaining permission to hunt private property will go down because bad news spreads fast.

HH
Ray S

 

[Farmercal]

You guys and gals are approaching this the wrong way. Think like Bill Clinton would think (or any other lawyer for that matter). You have a 50/50 split agreement and you found three coins. If you give the the land owner the two wheaties, then you have given him 2/3 of your finds which is over 50% and have actually exceeded your agreement.