This is a hot topic and I am only about half way through the posts so far. You mentione some things that indicate that you are trying to be respectful to the surroundings and the graves and all but again, I would mention about your digging coins ON the graves. Don't take this the wrong way, I am just pointing it out. As I did in the other post I just made. Sometimes people leave things on or in graves as an offering to a friend or family member that is lost. I just wonder if some of the coins that you find are such gifts and should be left.
A little story about a friend who died last year. I was in Las Vegas with a group of bowlers. We go every year for a tournement. One of our friends couldn't make it as he was at home in the hospital trying to recover from cancer. He had to cancel his plans to join us and we all went with heavy hearts that our friend, for the first time in over 10 years, couldn't join us. When we left, he was improving a little but, honestly, there was little real hope. We gave him our best, wished him well and promised to see him when we got home. A couple days before heading back to Chicago, I was playing a slot machine and got a call from his Son-In-Law. He said that his Father-In-Law was holding his own and asked if I could bring back some $1 tokens and chips from the hotel that we were staying at. I kind of knew that he was just trying not to put a damper on our trip but was still hopeful that it was just a gift. Like the signed bowling pin that we all gave him a few weeks before. Something to cheer him up and all. As I found out later, the call came to me about the time that he had been transfered from the hospital to a hospice in a coma. Anyway, we got home and about an hour later my phone rang again with news that our friend had passed that morning.
It turns out that, as my fears and suspicions told be back in Las Vegas, that the intention was that they wanted to bury the tokens and chips on the grave. Our friend truely loved Las Vegas and was always so excited to go out there with his friends. He was heart broken when he took ill and had to cancel the last trip.
Anyway, I tell this story as an example of how people have ways of trying to feel better at a time of loss. That may be the gift of something precious to the person whom they lost. While it might be true that some might have wishes to, as 1320 mentions be able to watch peolple try and find the object, others gifts may be left with hopes that they will be with the loved one, comforting them for eternity.
I hope I didn't put too much of a damper on everyone here. I just think that searching for the purpose of "Treasure Hunting" On or Around the actual graves is not right. That is my feeling and I am not being judgemental. Like I said before, I guess it comes down to ones conscience. However, I just make this appeal that some places are better left alone.
