Tot lot in the heat

[Raptor]

Well, went to a playground up the block yesterday and could handle it only about a half hour cause of the heat. But I noticed something, there wasn't alot to find until I got by the mary-go-round. As soon as I would stand up, I was back down grabbing more clad. Found about $6 in clad including a Sacajawatever dollar. The rest of the day I spent at an old park that was established in 1909. It was extremely trashy. So far no luck beyond a few 80's quarters and a couple newer pennies. I would guess with enough time, there should be some decent coins to be found there. I was after one signal that was around 7 inches down under a really large tree, the XLT was claiming it was a coin, but I would have ended up sawing through a good two inch tree root to get to it so I quit at that point. There are two other parks in the area that date back to the late 1800's, I will have to spend some time going through them both as well.

Something interesting I found as well, here in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St Paul) There is a difference between what county your in as far as hunting legally. In Ramsey county (St Paul area) You can call a number and they will send you a permit to detect all the parks for free. In Hennepin county (Minneapolis) The parks are off limit for detecting. Just an FYI and I thought it was interesting.

-Mike

 

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[lonewolfe]

Good deal, keep at it, and keep us posted!

HH

Lonewolfe

 

[JackRussell]

Thats great to know!!! Im heading back home in Sept.(Lakeville,MN) I had no idea....

 

[dave-enc]

congrats on the finds raptor and thanks for the info
hh
dave+bobbie

 

[redflasher]

That's interesting about Ramsey and Hennepin counties. Do you happen to have the number for St Paul Parks? I live northeast in Anoka county (Coon Rapids).

Thanks

Bob

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Interesting!

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[wmas1960]

Had the system freeze when I tried to send this before. Will try again. Hopefully it won't end up double posted.

Was just out the other night sweeping a play lot near me. A few observations.

First, it was wood chips and not the normal sand in our area. It was a little tougher searching than just using my scoop in the sand.

The first inch or so was pretty loose, dry and cool. However, even with the little rain that we have gotten this summer, I got down about 2 or 3 " and it got damp and really warm and steamy. Found some greenish blue stuf growing down there where the older chips were, appearently composting. What they say about mulch holding moisture and heat for your garden seems to hold really well. Was still easy as heck to dig in, even up to about 4 to 6" which was the deepest target that my XLT located.

Most of the coins I find are around the swings. I search right under them to begin with. Then, looking at the height of the chain, figure that the person on the swing can go back, no more than that far from the center of the swing set. Then, maybe go a few feet further, in case a parent might stand behind a child and push. Ie., the parent dropping items on the ground. I always search from the middle of the swings to that far out point that I described.

I noticed, while I was detecting, some teens wandered in. They stayed out of my way and went over to one of the slides and shelter type areas. I couldn't see them up there but could hear them talking all the time I was searching the swings. Then, when I finished, they came out and sat on the swings and talked. Obviously, the girls were waiting for me to finish. What this shows though is, while the far outward ends of the arc of the swings, can be good as that is where stuff might fall from pockets as people get almost inverted when swinging aggressively, the area straight under the swings should not be avoided. It is here that items will get lost by people just sitting and chatting. Pulling something from their pockets and dropping a coin or two etc.

When finished with the swings, I went over to an area where they have a horizontal ladder kind of arrangement. Along with places where somoeone could hook their feet and hang like a bat. While searching the swings, a couple boys came off the athletic field from playing some lacrosse. They hung around and swung there for a short bit before wandering off to meet a parent that was working in one of the community garden plots. When they left I searched that area and found a lot of coins right under the ladder. Thus, bringing confirmation to the advice to search anywhere that people get horizontal or inverted.

Once I finish searching the major potential sites, I also then search areas in front of park benches, and then do a quick scan over the open space that might be there. Sometimes mothers or nannies will sit on the park bench while the kiddies dig in the sand in their view. In front of the benches. It was one of these open spaces that I got a hit one time. A couple times I got good hits that said 1.5" and ID'd as a coin. I dug in those spots and kept digging and digging and digging. In the end, after boring a hole about 8" down I would find a soda can on it's side. That was it. I got this hit and after digging about 3" on the 1.5" depth reading I was ready to quit, thinking another Coke can. Then, going another plunging of my scoop, I hit something a little more solid. I dug a little around with my hand and pulled up 2 diecast cars. Obviously burried by some child who then couldn't find them when he went back for them.

As is my practice with any site I search, when I figure I am done, I then look toward where I parked my car and will search a path out from there. Figuring that people sitting on the nearby benches or pushing their kids on the swings.... will be headed that way out of the park. Reach in their pockets for keys etc. and drop a few coins in the sand.

Mostly, I find pennies in the play lots but will find other coins. I have found 1 SACAGAWEA. (not screaming, just clarifying what it is if you are really interested) and often find a couple of nickels or dimes, usually a quarter or two. Mostly pennies though. One time about 11 all wrapped in foil around one set of swings

and about 20 more in a mine field under another set of swings. Every time I dug a penny, I would set the detector down on another. I had this sense of kids hiding in the trees laughing at me. They seemed to be deliberately scattered. After digging about 20 of them, I gave up, swept the area one last time to get reads on at least 4 more targets in a couple of square feet. I figured that this was nuts so I left.

On play lots, I have also been finding zipper pulls from childrens coats, charms from childrens bracelets, neclaces or maybe zippers... I found a little ice cream cone and a little sunglasses that said Barbie. I also found what I think is a hand modeled cast bronze ring. One of the ugliest things I have ever seen.

Then, there have been a hand cuff key and a pen from a hotel or club or something in Kohler Wisconsin. I do also find some foriegn coins around here. Might have been a show and tell that some child brought to school or maybe lost by an au pair or a nanny. 5 Centimes (French) and 1 Deutsch mark (German).

I have, basically, just gotten started with the play lots. Have about 3 or 4 more in mind to search soon. One place I looked (scouted) yesterday is a public park, right next to an elementry school. On one side of the parking lot, is the school with 2 lots. One, probably, for Kindergarten and the other for the older kids. Then on the other side of the parking is the public parks lot with another Tot Lot.

I have to say, I haven't had any problems searching play lots around here. NO permits required etc. I usually search chips or sand though. Volleyball pits, tot lots... I haven't tried digging in the turf yet. I try to avoid that as the parks here are pretty well manacured.