Old locks, IH, V nickel (update: returned the tag to the owner-see red letters )

Turtleman

Full Member
Feb 8, 2007
156
3
NW PA
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 and Minelab Explorer II
Folks,
Took an extended lunch break and got to hit two spots about an 1/8 mile apart. The first site I obtained permission to hunt just today. It used to have an amusement park on it in the early 1900's. The 8 acre property is very grown up with vegetation including multiflora rose (think thorns). It was mostly a survey hunt meaning I was trying to determine if it was worth hitting again. I was hoping for some older coins but managed only a memorial penny. I did find two old locks, though, one of them is complete. Also found a tag (location crossed out because local detectorists have ruined other historic places in the area and I don't want to lose my rights to hunt because of bad ethical behavior of a few bad apples). I received a PM from someone who is related to the person on the trapping tag I found. I just sent the tag off to him so his family can have the tag from their ancestor. Also found a what's it. Any thoughts on what it is? It has 'L' stamped on the back.
Then I drove over to a property I have been picking away at for a year now. It saw a lot of action from the 1890's until now. I have learned a lot about how to use my Minelab Explorer on this 180 acre property. Even in late winter/early spring before the vegetation starts to grow, there are many places with 6 inches of dead vegetation so it is difficult to get the coil close to the ground. What I have learned to do is use two hands on my detector, plow my coil through the vegetation as much as I can and check out any null or slight sound. I found all three coins today that way - 1925 wheat, a 1906 IH which was quite deep and a 191? (maybe 1912) V-nickel...only my second V; the other was also found on this property. As you can see, the soil and farmer's fertilizer is not kind to these coins.
I have also pulled a few barber dimes, many buffalo nickels and lots of wheats from this site over the last year...none today, though. I was excited about the IH because it is the first from this site; I knew they had to be there. I am slowly learning how IH's ring up on the Explorer.
As an interesting side not, the property is a mixture of buildings, woods and fields. As I came out of the woods (where I found the coins) I saw a puddle about three inches deep. We had a bit of heavy rain recently in NW PA and there were 7 carp, each over two feet long, in the puddle. They were at least half out of the water but all of them were alive. The puddle was probably 10 feet long by three feet wide. It was just in the lowest point at the end of the field. I picked each carp up and carried them, wriggling and all, down to the creek so they could live another day!
Now for the pictures.
T-man
Old Amusement Park site:
 

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Re: Old locks, IH, V nickel

Stuff from the turn of the century property:
 

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Re: Old locks, IH, V nickel

Nice finds! I really like those old locks! :icon_thumleft:
 

Re: Old locks, IH, V nickel

congrats on them old coins....way to push through the vegetation like that, good technique that payed off. that was cool of you to take time to save the carp too. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: well done, HH, Griff
 

Re: Old locks, IH, V nickel

I am from NW PA too, My mother happens to be dating a guy with the last name Woolstrum, I may be able to get an ID for that piece. I will PM you with what I find out.
 

Re: Old locks, IH, V nickel

nice hunt :icon_thumleft: MR TUFF
 

Re: Old locks, IH, V nickel

Good Finds, The tag is most likely a Trap Tag. Required by Law for Trappers in Pa.
 

Re: Old locks, IH, V nickel

Beautiful findings! I am a rotten apple ..... my Master said that. :laughing9: :laughing9:
 

Folks,
I was able to return the tag to a man whose grandfather or great-grandfather was the person named on the tag. It was pretty cool being able to return something to the family of the original owner. Made my day!
Peace,
T-man
 

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