No old coins in 4 years: Cursed by a Witch!

rhedden

Sr. Member
Mar 23, 2003
372
562
Eastern NY
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Simplex
Since I moved back to upstate NY in January 2018, I have not located a single old coin with either one of my machines while hunting old house sites in the woods. I used to do great in the 1990s when I lived in the Finger Lakes region, with over 30 Barber coins and three Liberty Seated to show for it, plus a few large cents. Here in Eastern NY, my luck is absolutely CURSED. I did manage to "eyeball" a corroded Indian cent off a dirt road in 2019, but literally nothing has turned up with my machines - not even a wheat cent. (Maybe I should just go to a park already and just break the curse?)

So I was hunting an old cellar hole in an area that has been hit by many people, which has 1890s bottles and dishes smashed all over the ground. I got a sweet, repeatable +82 on my Simplex at 6 to 8 inches. "This is finally it!", I thought to myself. Never was there such a sweet silver dime signal in the history of silver dime signals. Would it be Barber or Seated? Only time stood between me and the answer.

Well, not exactly. Two tree roots an inch thick were crossed right over the target, and the ground was like concrete. After 30 minutes of digging carefully to avoid scratching the probable 1798 Bust dime in the hole, I realized I wasn't going to get to it at all without some help. I figured that since the site had been hit by many people, the tree roots were the only thing that allowed my precious target to survive this long.

I returned a week later with heavy brush cutters and removed the offending roots. I dug down into hard clay - and it was deep! Out popped this flattened bottle cap with a witch on the front. Now I know the coin curse will never be broken. Cursed by a witch!

(it's a cool relic, though, isn't it? Can anyone identify the bottle from which it came?)

RQfFLMv.jpg
 

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Upvote 18
Keep at it, I'm sure you're luck will change soon, it's bound to happen with so much history in the area. I've been on dry spells like that before and out of the blue you stumble upon a great site which really produces. A lot of public sites have been hit heavily by others over the years, at least around where I am.
 

I can't find any information on the bottle cap, but I am wondering if perhaps it came from a Witch-Hazel extract medicine bottle. It would make sense... or maybe it was just whiskey that gave you a wicked hangover?
 

That's a very cool looking cap.
Though one must remember to just be mellow about trying to find things.
 

Could be a cap off a Salam Witch bottle as well.
"The Witch City Bottling Works has been Incorporated at Salem, Mass.; mineral waters; capital, $15,000. President E.B. O'Brien, Marblehead; treasurer, J.E. Hennessy, Salem; clerk, William W. Hennessy, Salem."American Bottler
 

"William W. Hennessy, Salem."

Founder of the Hennessey Cognac distillery perhaps? If so, my wicked hangover comment is spot-on. :laughing7:

I'll look into the Salem Witch bottles - sounds like a distinct possibility.
 

Since I moved back to upstate NY in January 2018, I have not located a single old coin with either one of my machines while hunting old house sites in the woods. I used to do great in the 1990s when I lived in the Finger Lakes region, with over 30 Barber coins and three Liberty Seated to show for it, plus a few large cents. Here in Eastern NY, my luck is absolutely CURSED. I did manage to "eyeball" a corroded Indian cent off a dirt road in 2019, but literally nothing has turned up with my machines - not even a wheat cent. (Maybe I should just go to a park already and just break the curse?)

So I was hunting an old cellar hole in an area that has been hit by many people, which has 1890s bottles and dishes smashed all over the ground. I got a sweet, repeatable +82 on my Simplex at 6 to 8 inches. "This is finally it!", I thought to myself. Never was there such a sweet silver dime signal in the history of silver dime signals. Would it be Barber or Seated? Only time stood between me and the answer.

Well, not exactly. Two tree roots an inch thick were crossed right over the target, and the ground was like concrete. After 30 minutes of digging carefully to avoid scratching the probable 1798 Bust dime in the hole, I realized I wasn't going to get to it at all without some help. I figured that since the site had been hit by many people, the tree roots were the only thing that allowed my precious target to survive this long.

I returned a week later with heavy brush cutters and removed the offending roots. I dug down into hard clay - and it was deep! Out popped this flattened bottle cap with a witch on the front. Now I know the coin curse will never be broken. Cursed by a witch!

(it's a cool relic, though, isn't it? Can anyone identify the bottle from which it came?)

RQfFLMv.jpg
Nice!!! Congrats!!! Witchy Tonic?🤔
 

Man I hate when that happens! I too have had times I thought for sure I knew what I was digging, only to be let down. It is particularly disappointing when you are in a dry spell and exert much effort digging the target. Good luck out there and better luck next time. At least you got a cool cap though.
 

What a great story!! Laughing till I'm crying!! Maybe since you freed the witch, your luck will change for the better!
 

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