Tips for finding Old Coin Sites

[bergie]

I read lots of posts about people who are having trouble finding older coins, so here are some tips that have worked for me. Try going to older private houses and asking permission. Most homes have never been checked. If you take a hundred year old house and think about all the summer BBQs, etc., over the years, you are going to find a few old coins in each place if it hasn't been searched. When you ask permission, dress well, don't go looking like you stepped off the set of the movie Deliverance. Go on a weekend and during daylight hours when people tend to be home and won't be as threatend by a stranger approaching. Explain that you live in the community are responsible, very careful with property, etc. and show them some of the things you've found (which gets people interested). Make an arrangement to split what is found if that will help, but focus on it being a fun hobby and that you aren't going to find anything life changing financially (or it may make them want to pursue it themselves). It also happens to be true that it's very rare to find such an item. Don't give up! I've had very good luck asking permission, but if you are rejected a few times, keep trying.

 

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[bazinga]

Great tip for everyone else! I do the same thing as well and it has gotten me some of my best coin finds to date!

 

[Michigan Badger]

Try going to older private houses and asking permission.

RIGHT ON! I'm not as much into coins because I'm mainly a relic hunter. I'm interested in coins only as they relate to history in a certain area.

If I were after coins in general I'd do the house thing without a question. I've hunted a few when there were no hot leads for me and every time I walked away with a dozen or so older coins and a few antique jewelry pieces.

If a person had nerve and lived in an old part of town he could clean up. If he hunted 1 old victorian era house a week, in a years time he could easily have 1000 to 3000 silver coins plus dozens of awesome pieces of jewelry.

 

[bk]

Good advice Bergie.
Another option to locating older sites is to obtain an old county atlas and compare to a newer atlas. Look for farm sites that don't exist any longer. I have done this for old rural churches and school houses. Many times these sites are now in the middle of a cornfield or beanfield. There may only be pieces of broken glass or pottery to mark the spot, but these can be good sites to detect in early spring and fall after they pick the crops.