One Thing Led To Another

CoilFisher

Hero Member
Jul 17, 2011
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Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Apologize in advance for this lengthy story. :clock:
But, it may be a good read for some.
:coffee2:

I secured a permission a couple months back when the ground was DRY. I have not been to the area in years, but found the contact.
Been waiting a while to get there, but you know how they go as a lot of times you ger a permission site and find nothing.
Anyway, I got this permission because a pond sits there near a fairly well known ice cream stand.
The stand looked old and I figured the pond must have been visited by many youngsters and the like over the years with pocketfulls of change.
Later, I found AFTER getting the permission that the ice cream stand was only there from about the mid- 60's on and the pond
is actually man made.

I sigh. :-\

Had some time about two weeks ago and looked at the pond. It really did not look as good as it used to, and now there is a small parking area (graveled) and I do not believe that was even there before besides a path leading in. Just did not look like a good place (it even sat further down from the ice cream stand than I remembered). So, I drove down to the owner's driveway entered and then looked to the house on his right. It turns out this house had to be built about the 1880's.
So, anyway talked to the owner again, and they actually owned that house and the garage to the right of that.
I was permitted to detect it.

I was thinking by this time, I am IN!
Daydreaming of barber dimes and early 1900's silver. I am like this is a sure thing.

So, I get there and detect about the properties.
Usual places, clothes line area, side and back walks, edge of driveway.
Nothing but clad! :BangHead:
The junk metal signals were OVERWHELMING. I do not think any discrimination pattern would have helped.
I see the garage to my right is an old sheet-metal style (the thick stuff)--It must have been in the soil everywhere.
And, yes I crept along like a slug through some of it.
I did pull out some chunks of copper tubing and pieces that I did not even photograph.
Well, this was not the first time this happened. So, I was not totally taken by surprise.
But, I still could not believe it and very disappointed.

Landowner comes out, and talks to me and tells me they own this 6 acre field in the back and as I look at it; it appears it bisected the original 1800's homestead.
Says I am welcome to go back.

So, I think to myself this is futile. It is a large mowed field.
I am thinking this is SOOOO over.

Anyway, a small stream fed the pond.
I decided I would hike the stream up and see if I could find an old swimming hole. It was a very small stream.
Hiked it up a good ways and stopped to detect on the cleared areas but found nothing but iron. EVERYWHERE. I am thinking this is a dump.
Pulled up a tin can lid from about 3".
Who would dump near a source of water?
I hike up a bit more and find a broken coffee mug in the dirt.
Reading the bottom --no made in China logo.
I am thinking alright, I will check the field out.

So, I get to the top of the hill and to the very edge of the property and look down.
I am thinking this is a waste.
I grabbed my detector and turned it backwards and towed it over the field- like trolling.
I was basically trolling. Don't know how many of you have done this before--but I have done it a lot when I am about ready to call it a day.
I go for about 15 yards and get a good slam on the detector. I knew it was a coin. I am like -crap!
Four-wayed the signal and cut the plug--at about 6" nailed the 1903 Indian.
1007c.jpg

I do not dig a lot of Indians. So to me this was great! I just never get on the older properties that would have had them.

Anyway, I started finding odds and ends, the toy gun, other whatzit's.
Also, hit a HUGE iron patch. Probably about 20 yards x 20 yards.

So, I walked over to the edge of the field and kept going (I had a hard time figuring where I began and left off),
and I get this shallow penny signal. It SOUNDED great though, so I figured what the heck.
At 3-4" down I dig this copper. Unfortunately, it is TOASTED. I cannot figure what it is.
I believe it is probably my oldest find ever--so I am real bummed.
1007b.jpg
1007d.jpg
It is just a bit smaller than a quarter. No reeded edge. In fact, the edge of the coin is VERRRY thin.

This was my first real field hunt. I really liked it.

1007a.jpg

Not much to show for. Not much at all. But, I wanted to share this with any of you that may have had something similar happen.
There may be a moral in this long-winded dissertation somewhere.

Anyway, YES I am going back. I do not know how I am going to tackle it, but after a good soaker of a rain for sure and a well-packed lunch.
Maybe, a lighter detector too! Ouuuuch!

I like this style of detecting - it was really an eye opener.

Good Luck Out There!
 

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Upvote 7
I don't know for sure, but I thought I saw the hint of a draped bust half cent. Any way to weigh it and measure it in mm? Old fields are some of my favorite places to hunt.
 

I don't know for sure, but I thought I saw the hint of a draped bust half cent. Any way to weigh it and measure it in mm? Old fields are some of my favorite places to hunt.


I can't even tell you. You know how someone starving in the desert sees a mirage? :help:


But, yes...Here are the weights and measures Old Dude.
TW1.jpg

TW2.jpg


TW3.jpg



You got me thinking, out on a tangent though.
So, now I have my Scooby Doo glasses on and I am reading.
And, holy crap this site is right in the vicinity of a major battle from the early Revolutionary War period.
It never dawned on me.
Definitely going to go back in relic mode--just in case there were any events on this parcel.
 

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Well that rules out a DB half cent. My eyes were playing tricks it seems.
 

My bet would be a King George or a british half penny
 

I was GUESSING British.
God only knows.
Of all the coppers to dig up-I get one with no details whatsoever.
Tried a bit of a peroxide bath and did not seem to help much.
 

My bet would be a King George or a british half penny

That is what I first thought too.
I could see some time of curly-que near the base of the bust on the left.
I have held American Coppers--they have some thick to them, and I believe lettering on the edge if I am not mistaken.

I guess not a good idea to lemon juice it? Not that there is much left. Of all the luck.
 

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I think it's a draped bust half cent. Loosing some weight and even a touch of diameter after being in the ground for so long can do funny things to a coin. I have two liberty cap half cents that have different diameters. I can't find my grain scale, but would venture to guess they may also be light in weight. I know the coin is toasted, but can you upload a photo of the reverse?
 

My first thought is dB half cent, awesome find!
 

A DB half cent is 5.44 grams and 23.5 mm. If it lost that much weight and diameter, I think there would be no details whatsoever. I hope this one is something even better.
My uneducated thought and definitely open to debate lol.
 

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Well here goes.

Anyone, have some butter for this toast?

1005Rev1.jpg

1005Rev1.jpg

1005O3.jpg

Thanks for the interest and the HELP everyone (OldDude and Perses)!
Of all the dumb luck--which it kind of was.
Been hoping to find a Colonial-Era coin for so long.
And, I get a toasty. :cussing:
 

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