POLL: Ever Hunt An Awesome Coin Site But Never Found Any Coins?

[Michigan Badger]

Over my 40+ years of metal detecting I've hunting many old virgin sites in Michigan that yielded ZERO coins. I dug lots of coin sized targets at these locations such as deep buttons---but no coins!

I recall one virgin lumber camp I know was never touched because I picked up a fortune in old bottles mostly visible to the eye but not one single coin did I dig!

Back in the TR detector days we used to rake our detecting areas to get down past the rotted leaves, etc., to the actual ground surface.

In all-metal mode my Wilson-Neuman GBIII could detect an Indian cent at 9 inches deep (1983).

But even till this day I wonder why some seemingly awesome old sites produced no coins? Not even a holed coin!

Anybody else ever have this happen?

Please share your thoughts.

Badger

 

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[BuckleBoy]

At the Oldest spots--spots with a lot of age and not a whole lot of occupation--don't always produce a coin. But we seldom leave without at least one other keeper.

And to be honest, relics are where it's at. We've found some nice coins this year--dating back to 1774...but the value of our relic finds this year is Much greater.

I don't worry about not finding coins. As long as the site is undisturbed by earthmoving or other previous detectorists, we'll nab something cool.


-Buckles

 

[Michigan Badger]

There are few coins to be found that come anywhere near the value of some of those CW relics you guys dig.

I agree, give me great relics anyday

 

[TerryC]

Badger,
I have a standing challenge that I can find coins at "any" location I hunt. The caveat is, if I don't think coins are present, I simply don't hunt. I've had to eat my words twice (recently) in 30+ years of hunting. It is my opinion that any sight has coins... our job is to prove it. I read in a publication, Garrett I think, that there are more coins in the ground than in circulation. Given enough time, I think any site will produce coin(s). I really don't do relics but will keep anything found. NO PLACE is ever hunted out. TTC

 

[Montana Jim]

There is a big difference between an awesome coin site and a site that has awesome coin potential.

I've hunted many sites that had awesome coin potential then failed and visa-versa.

I've also failed at relics on a perfect relic site... so I dunno.

I don't think sites should be labled until they prove themselves.

 

[TerryC]

There is a big difference between an awesome coin site and a site that has awesome coin potential.

I've hunted many sites that had awesome coin potential then failed and visa-versa.

I've also failed at relics on a perfect relic site... so I dunno.

I don't think sites should be labled until they prove themselves.

Jim,
I can't say I've seen a post by you.... Thank you for your sacrifice and service to our great country. TTC

 

[bootybay]

My first old and historic site, which should have a zillion coins there..had nothing.. was it me? was it my detector? was it due to the fact, at that time, I was learning my detector, I think not, as I was also in preset programs. I do feel that on very very old sites that there is the huge possibility that dirt was removed or dirt brought in, covering everything of value much much deeper. I even found myself digging targets that I knew were junk, but I just had to see if there was the possibility that maybe a good coin was hidden amongst the junk.. so I can honestly say right now, my first killer site, well, Ididnt find any coins of any value let alone silver ones, which should be there.. And to this day, I still feel that theres coins there.

I hope you understand what I am trying to say here lol

 

[Michigan Badger]

Good posts everyone!

I recall an old foundation I found back in the 60's that was right beside what probably was the original road into town (larger city downstate). It looked absolutely awesome but I only found a brass button with "Red Fink Bar" on it and an old pocket knife. I couldn't believe that's all there was there! I dug that place up and down. That was one of the oldest foundation sites I had ever seen.

All those old sites back then are now gone forever covered by WalMart, Sears, JC Penny's, etc.

 

[Montana Jim]

There is a big difference between an awesome coin site and a site that has awesome coin potential.

I've hunted many sites that had awesome coin potential then failed and visa-versa.

I've also failed at relics on a perfect relic site... so I dunno.

I don't think sites should be labled until they prove themselves.

Jim,
I can't say I've seen a post by you.... Thank you for your sacrifice and service to our great country. TTC

Thank you TTC.

I have not posted that many times so I can understand... I have seen a few of your posts, and, would like to return the "Thank You" for your service...

 

[BuckleBoy]

Badger,
I have a standing challenge that I can find coins at "any" location I hunt. The caveat is, if I don't think coins are present, I simply don't hunt. I've had to eat my words twice (recently) in 30+ years of hunting. It is my opinion that any sight has coins... our job is to prove it. I read in a publication, Garrett I think, that there are more coins in the ground than in circulation. Given enough time, I think any site will produce coin(s). I really don't do relics but will keep anything found. NO PLACE is ever hunted out. TTC

We didn't get a single coin after working this site out--pounding it to death until "silent night" was playing on our detectors:

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,153203.html





Thanks for leaving it for me to hunt.



-Buck

 

[deepskyal]

I like that term..."Silent Night".

I detected a place this past spring without so much as a memorial. Granted, the grass was a tad high in most places...but there were still obvious places to detect .

I even found a place behind where I was detecting that was obviously much older. The only thing I found there worth mentioning was POISON IVY! I was very disappoi9nted. I thought for sure I'd be pulling out some silver........NADA!

You win some...you lose some...goes with the hobby.

Al

 

[Michigan Badger]

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,153203.html

If the pictures on that thread don't get the blood boiling nothing will.

 

[xdanthemanx]

well myself and saginawian have hit about 20 sites this summer and left every one of them with stuff
we have managed to pull at least one coin out of everyone of them except for one we were at on monday but were going back there so its not done yet, i have a whole pile of wheaties ive collected over the summer, heres a good one and kinda freaky ian pulled a 1912 wheatie out of the dirt last sunday a little while later i pulled one also, about 10 minutes after that i found a nice dog tag which i posted in the todays finds a few days ago, less than 5 minutes later ian pulled yet another dog tag from the same site, its like we were finding idential items. i also pulled the heart shaped lock out of that site which is also posted in todays finds with the dog tag, it was just kinda weird.
were going back out there today to hit it and i have about 15 sites lined up for the next few weeks, we will leave every one of them with something, we havent been skunked yet

DanTheMan

 

[bakergeol]

I remember one old site that had all the earmarks of a great coin location. This
was back many decades ago when metal detecting was a new hobby. All the sites I detected at the time were virgin and I expected this site to be also.

It was an old tavern site with just the foundation stones remaining. Inside the foundation stones there was coal cinder residue. It had ceased operations around the turn of the century or so I was told.The grass around it looked "sweet". Just that old look for grass that said "old coins" here. Sorry just hard to explain.

Well I hit that old grass hard. Spent hours searching that grass. Lots of big iron but no coins- no new coins or recent trash. Nada-nothing. I stopped to eat lunch sitting on a foundation stone. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a glint of silver in the coal cinders. I bent down and retrieved a old seated quarter. Well I found a fist full of old coins directly inside the foundation stones but they all were right on the surface. I would see a large green glob which my metal detector would squeal over and knew it was another LC.

Why the total lack of coins in the grass? My best guess was that the coins had sunk too deep in the grass to be detected. The coarse cinders in the foundation area prevented the coins here from moving downward.

George

 

[Michigan Badger]

That was one cool site George!

You made a good point though--these old sites do hold something but it's all in the finding. Too bad back then we didn't have Minelabs!

 

[Goes4ever]

my hunting partner and I spent many hours today at a house built in 1877, this place is huge 4000 sq ft home with servants quarters in the back yard and all. In all the combined hours we were there we found NO coins, it was quite disheartning. The place screams history, yet no good finds were made. We dug iffy signals all day in hopes for something, nothing good was recovered.

It was probably the first site I can remember not producing at least one good keeper.

 

[RJGMC]

Hunted a park in small town USA that just looked like it fell off a postcard. Short grass, well kept, LARGE trees, the park was probably established when the town was. This was 17 years ago, we drove two hours each way, that's how confident we were. We knew that this park had coins and goodies to give up. We left with nothing. All I can figure, is that some one near the park had lots of time on their hands and made a mission to remove everything from this park. Even a trash signal was very hard to come by. I have thought about going back to see if anything shows up, but still have not been back. In case you wondered where it was, Pleasanton, KS. Halfway between Kansas City and Pittsburg, KS. Good Luck!

Bob

 

[deepskyal]

I'll tell ya Badger...equally frustrating is finding an area you KNOW has some terrific finds but can't find an area clear enough to detect.

Myself and another have been researching and scouting a ghost town only a few miles from us. It's in a confluence of a couple rivers and a creek and history goes way back to the mid 1700's.
Right now there is absolutely nothing there but railroad track and slag.

The brush is thick and almost impenatrable in places and slag has been bulldozed all over the place. Piles of old railroad ties are pushed up to where we think house foundations stood.

We've found the old canal from the mid 1800's, a large area with a brick paved and mortared maze of paths, the old piping from a refinery, even an old fireplug from the early 1900's. There is documentation of the fights with the Native Indians from the mid 1700's. We also just found some sort of tunnel that goes back in the hill pretty far. I didnt want to go in too far for fear of collapse of the ceiling, but it went in DEEP!

But...there is hardly a space without something in the way...slag piles, RR tie piles, gravel...

We haven't given up. I know there has to be lots of goodies when we find the right spot.

We've hiked miles around there so far. I can see more hiking in the near future since fall is comming and that means easier access through the weeds. But I'll tell you...frustrating as all heck knowing we're walking all over good stuff but can't get to it.

Al

 

[Monty]

I did that very thing this morning! Oxbow lake along the Arkansas River that was first a watering hole for Indians and cattle drovers going to Kansas. Was used as a public swimming hole for a fairly large city for a time from early 1900s to about 1936. It was drained and use as a parade ground for Veterans and now is a soccer and softball field. I hunted all around the edges where the elevation didn't look to be changed and then along the soccer field. Spent 2 1/2 hours and did not find even a zinc penny! Saw several large iron targets at 10" and below and have no idea what they could be. I found some clad pocket spill there one day when I only had about 10 minutes and had to run and figured it would be a good silver spot. The only thing I found was a chromed chain snap and a big washer. Oh and of course, pulltabs. Can't figure it. I know it's been hunted but surely not hunted out? Monty