How long does it take to find a wheat penny metal detecting

[coinman123]

I metal detected for half a hour and found 1959 D penny at a 1950s school. I am metal detecting again today maybe at a school that was made in about 1810 that is still around. Yes, 1810 not 1910. or maybe a school made in 1900. I was wondering how long does it take to find a wheat. I have metal detected in my backyard for 2 3/4 days and found nothing of good interest. Can I have someone tell me how long it took them to find their first wheat penny first silver and first buffalo.

Happy Detecting


Update 3 metal detecting days later I have found a 1904 Barber dime in G/VG, a 1919 Buffalo nickel with Ag/G details, and a 1915 D penny in Fine condition all in the same hole.

 

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[Sandman]

This all depends on where you happen to be looking and what detector you have. There are entry level detectors that will find these coins and you don't need a $$$ to enjoy the hobby. Good Luck..

 

[BryanM362]

I would say there are too many variables to put a time frame on finding those things. Depends on location, presence of the coins, machine, time, experience, etc...

 

[Coureur de Bios]

That's part of the fun of metal detecting, the surprise and anticipation. You never know what might turn up on that next pile of dirt. Some years ago a buddy and I were exploring some new territory out in the middle of nowhere. We pulled off of a two-track road into one of those places where people park to hunt, or whatever. It didn't look like much to detect, and, after a rather cursory attempt, I put the XLT back into the vehicle. By friend kept his on and, before he put his away and right over where I just walked with a turned off machine, he unearthed an 1864 two-cent piece. Who'd a thunk? You never know but the key is to be in a potentially good location with a live detector.

 

[generic username]

patience is key. just because you have a detector does not mean you will find select items, my dads property had a old school house from the late to early 1890's and i have yet to find 1 single thing of interest but lots of rusty metal there.

also just because your on the property detecting doesn't mean anyone else hadn't thought to detect there prior, you may be on a heavily picked over plot.

fwiw, i found my first 1860's indian head within the first 5 minutes of detecting at my grandparents house which has been heavily picked over... theres just too many variables to say you'll find what you want within a time period. shoot i probably dig up 95% junk/relics/nails and 5% interesting items any time i go out, and that 5% might just be common everyday coins someone dropped within the past few years.

 

[hunter_46356]

Do yourself a favor and jump start you possibilities, research, research, research is the key. If you know the school is 1800's then the possibilities are good. Like has been said there are lots of variables. Including who and how well it's been hunted before you. My approach is to Recon the whole place first. My guess is you may find certain places with more signals than others. Good and junk ones. Start to grid these areas out on a smaller scale and keep track of what and where you find good targets. This tells you where people have been and lost items. Cover these first, then move out to the areas that didn't produce the best on the Recon. What this does is give you a better overall idea of not only where to start but where those before you may not have been. No one can say how long it will take for anyone to find your next good target. Look at it like this, you like anyone starts out with a 50/50 chance at success, anything you do to improve this is your advantage. This includes the way you hunt, your choice in detector's, the way you use your detector's options and site/ground conditions and probably many more that I don't even know yet. It's easy to loose focus and concentration especially when your not finding good stuff or digging junk you thought sounded good. When this happens tome I get sloppy and things start to fall apart. I you can't refocus then it's probably best to take a break and rethink your plan. Now.... If "I" could just use my own suggestions maybe I'd do a better job too.

 

[Mackaydon]

When I first started (way back in the day), you could find all those in a day or two (in school yards). Today, you might never find a buffalo in that same yard.
Don.....

 

[Eric Wilson]

Hi, no one can say how long it will take for the first wheat etc. but you are off to the right start by searching property that is old enough, the 50's school has probably been slammed as everyone knows where it is. That's not to say you can't find anything there but your odds are greatly lessened both by it's lack of relative age and high detecting traffic. One thing that may help in general is to try to look in areas on your site that look less inviting. What I mean is areas that aren't as manicured and easy to hunt. My first time out at an old school that was built in 1909, I found a walking liberty quarter, 3 buff nickels in one hole, and 4 or 5 mercs. Ideas hunting in an area that the school had stopped really maintaining- it was heavily grassed, weedy and trashy too. The nice part of the school grounds had been pounded but because I was a newbie and worried about my digging technique- I hunted the part no one else wanted to and was well rewarded. The Griffing technique someone mentioned earlier can be invaluable. When I first started doing this in 1977, we dug every signal pretty much. Some detectors had discrimination but it affected depth so much. I used to grid a trashy area off and get all the obvious signals dug, then listen for the whisper of something deep and sweet. It worked too. Now I am old and like everyone else these days impatient. I have no doubt that I miss some good targets through the use of 2 much discrimination. A case in point is a buddy of mine who took a guy he worked with out hunting for the first time-using my friend's back up detector. I called him up afterward to see how they'd done. My buddy said the guy was an idiot. So I said ya'll didn't find anything then. He said, I didn't but that idiot found a trime and a half dime- neither of which I'd ever heard of at the time. So I said doesn't sound like an idiot to me and my buddy said "yes he is- he wasn't using enough discrimination" I said what? He said, I couldn't get a pick up on either one in the ground- if he'd been using enough discrimination he would have knocked it out too. That taught me a big lesson that I'd once known but forgotten. If the sight is old enough it's worth it to cut back on discrimination- a lot. Sometimes, I don't use any except iron mask, usually run it just higher than foil. Do I dig everything? No, I trust my ear and experience with my machine to pass over some things but I don't want to miss any trimester or half dimes either. Oh, by the way, I went back to same area of park they were hunting and pulled out a man's gold nugget ring. Don't know if my buddy swung over it or not but if he did- he would have knocked it out as a pull tab.

 

[dirtfisher]

Just depends on where you are looking and when your coil runs over top of one is all. One time I found 12 wheat's in one concentrated area where some kid long ago took a handful of them and threw them in the backyard playing. Or at least that is what I am guessing. I kept hitting wheat after wheat after wheat. That was a good day. Just give it time and keep swinging.

 

[ZR2guy]

I have found a few Wheaties but I really would like to find a Buffalo Nickel.

 

[gman17]

Remember, they have to drop it for us to find it.

 

[SusanMN]

I didnt find a wheatie until the end of my first summer detecting, so about four months. BUT I did dig two diamond rings within my first two weeks. I've now been hunting for over five years, have found gold, small silvers, tokens etc, but I have never found a silver quarter. You just don't know what you are going to,dig, so just enjoy the hunt.

 

[mel9861]

OK...Technically...here goes- get dressed...10 mins, eat breakfast..20 min, bathroom...10 min
Get MD & gloves, Pinpointer, digger, Start truck, drive to site...20 min, Wave MD , hit signal and dig plug, retrieve treasure ( AKA Wheaty ) less than 1 minute...move to next target.
So all in all 61 minutes...EXACTLY

 

[nov2101]

My friend, actually it is a good question. I found a 1828 large cent next to a 70's quarter. I found two 1876 silver next to a piece of granite dedicating a park from 1950's. The tree was big oak, which meant people had a picnic in the late 1800's. Enjoy life, and when you find a wheat penny your next question when will I find a gold ten K ring....etc etc...

 

[gleaner1]

It takes about ten seconds to find and retrieve and pocket a sharty old wheatie cent.

 

[63bkpkr]

Usually one has to weat for awhile to find one unless of course you want a specific date/mint/quality. Seems like mine came quite soon after getting my hands on the 6000D, a reasonable detector. The silver also came along soon after the wheat, Rosie and a ~196? silver quarter, the quarter was almost on the surface at the base of a climbing tree. Never found a buffalo nickle but have found a "V". Take heart, continue to work at it, research locations to hunt, practice, read the manual, understand your machine and all will come to 'those who are worthy', kinda like trying to open a puzzle without the right Karma..................63bkpkr

 

[phishisgroovin]

Its going to take as long as it takes for you to find it. My Magic ball is broken so i cant be exact sorry.

 

[buttedigger]

Like everyone has stated you can't really put it down to a time frame not just the wheat cent but every treasure. This past week I ran one side of my yard on full sensitivity full discrimination and still found one about 4 inches down along with a 1973 quarter. So that took about 20 mins total. Good luck!

 

[hikerdude]

It's hard to say.......... this weekend I hunted 4 houses built in the 1950's and found one wheat penny and a 1944 dime. A couple weeks ago, I hunted another 1950's house and found 17 wheat pennies, and no silver, but the house next door, I found a war nickel, and rosey dime, and a silver quarter. I stop at 1950's or older garage sales and ask if I can detect their yards. Most people will let you, especially if they are moving.
Good luck

 

[63bkpkr]

Hikerdude, what an awesome thought you've shared! Thank you!..............63bkpkr