Diamond In The Rough?

Frodov

Bronze Member
May 24, 2007
1,021
34
Lexington, KY
Detector(s) used
Whites Prism IV / Bullseye II pinpointer
Hello again everybody! I hope everyone is enjoying changing of the seasons and the warming of Springtime weather. Yeah.. rain, rain, wind and rain.. and oh yeah.. MORE rain. Boy if it ain't one thing it's another, Either I have to go to work or the weather doesn't cooperate. Kind of makes it hard to get out and enjoy this hobby, at least makes it a challenge to get out anyway. Still though, through perseverance, or just plain stubbornness, I manage to get a little detecting in now and then. Like today. It was my first day off this week, or was supposed to have been. I had to go in to work to handle a minor emergency, but at least it was only for a few hours and not an entire 12 hour shift. I got home just before noon today and was informed that my wife's car windshield wipers had given up the ghost and were litterally falling apart. *sigh* So, out we went to get replacements.. and to go to lunch. <smile> so it wasn't all bad. Any time spent with my wife is well spent indeed. I had kind of wanted to get out and detect a little bit, but the weather.. she wasn't a cooperating again! Misty drizzly rain, and temperatures were falling. So, back home we went, My wife got ready to go to a function with her volunteer group and I to sit and read. (translation: to sit and nap).
Yeah, well I'm as guilty as the next guy about taking a power nap now and again. Waking back up a couple of hours later, I discovered that while still cold, the rain had stopped. Hmmmmm... I was in my truck and headed downtown before you could finish reading this sentence. I've had my eye on a certain playground that the city had decided to demolish due to unsavory activities and goings on at that location. Activities and goings on that were decidedly NOT for children or playground equipment that children use. Not to mention that the wooden structures were too costly to maintain and repair. Anyway, I've not been able to detect that lot because it was still under "deconstruction". Today, however, was a different story. Today all the playground structures and equipment were gone, leaving only the gravel, woodchips and MUD from the recent rains. The woodchips and gravel are more prevalent than the mud fortunately, just soggy, like a giant sponge.
With metal detector in hand, and gloves ON my hands... not taking any chances, there were reports of used hypodermic needles being found here.. I jumped into the playground hunt with both feet. And both feet sank precariously into the sodden mess that was left by the backhoes and skid loaders and whatever else the deconstruction crew had been driving to churn up over 14 years of gravel and woodchips and, yes, some mud. Oh it was a mess alright. A real challenge to navigate or even walk about. The playground (moonscape) was litterally "Littered" as well. Cans, broken bottles, plastic bottles and drink jugs, mylar snack wrappers (chip bags etc) foil everywhere, pull tabs, bottle caps, NAILS!!! SCREWS!!! UGH.. Was I out of my mind?
Well, besides trash, there were coins.. LOTS AND LOTS OF COINS! Some coins on the surface, some just under the surface, some as much as ten inches down under the churned up terra notsofirma. I found lots of pennies, dimes and quarters. Nickels, not so much. But there were other items of interest as well. Like the sword!

sword.jpg

Ok ok ok.. so it's a toothpick or cocktail ornament.. it's still a SWORD!
There was a string of pearls.. well, beads anyway.. fake pearls..<shrug> disposable lighters, disposable lighter flint wheels (almost impossible to find by eye when your detector is going nuts) I found some keys, a beaded chain, some tire valve stem covers, zipper pulls, beads, a leggless-armless not-so action anymore figure....

notsoactionfigure.jpg

...perhaps a victim of some miniature cocktail sword wielding fiend?
I found a bullet.
22bullet.jpg
Granted it was only a 22 caliber bullet, and it was obviously a misfire (primer had been struck by firing pin or hammer) but it was intact and just as a precaution I pulled the bullet from the shell casing before putting it into my finds bag. I wouldn't want that next piece of metal junk I plunk down in my bag setting off a live round that might shoot me in my.. uh.. well my finds bag does hang kind of low and to the front <shudder>
I found a putter too! Well, the HEAD of a putter anyway.. I'm not a golfer so I'm not familiar with any makers or brands but here's a picture anyway.
putterback.jpg
putterbottom.jpg

I was visited by the spirit of Chuck again too..

anotherChuckE.jpg

Chuck E Cheese that is.. THIS DANG MOUSE GETS AROUND!


One other VERY interesting find.. almost didn't get found. I kept getting this quarter signal that would break up and flicker back and forth to a copper penny signal. I thought it was a dime, my Prizm does that pretty often with dimes especially if they are on edge in the ground.. "It's a penny! Nope It's a Quarter! Nope it's a Penny!" <rolling eyes> At least I'm getting to know my detector.. so I was looking for this "dime" and I couldn't find it. Maybe it was because I had this mental image of a dime filtering everything else I was seeing as "not there". I don't know, but it took me a couple of minutes to locate the target with my BullseyeII. And I had to sit back and whistle when I brushed off the dirt and muck.

studone.jpg
studthree.jpg

Now I'm no jeweler, but that rock is awfully hard. It's NOT plastic and I don't think it's CZ.. It may only be glass, probably with my luck, but then again.. DAMN! If this is a real diamond I think I just made my year! I'm going to have to take it to a jeweler and see for sure though. Still though, I was PUMPED! And damp, and muddy.. and hungry. With the skies still overcast and dinner time fast approaching I had to break off my search of this "Paydirt" and head to the house. I'll definitely be hunting there again, if I can. I might have got the majority of the "easy" coins but I know there are still coins and other treasure to be found amidst the junk and trash churned up and blended into the former playground bed. And, too, it'll be easier to dig when it's a little drier too. So, with a smile on my face and a skip in my step, I packed it in for the day and came home to share my treasures with my wife. And everyone here at TNet too... of course. <smile>

Here's the picture of everything (that I kept) for the day. A nice little pocketful of change, $6.91 in clad, some conversation pieces and possibly a diamond.. from the rough! FORE!!!!!!

3-28-08 001.jpg


Happy Hunting Everyone!


Frodov
 

Upvote 0

RHoward

Jr. Member
Mar 1, 2008
61
0
Martin City, Montana
Detector(s) used
Garrett-GTA1000, Money Hunter BFO, Minelab E-Trac & Garrett Pro Pointer
Funny :icon_jokercolor:you have to get together with fourleaf he found the other ear ring :thumbsup:
 

treasurefiend

Gold Member
Mar 17, 2008
7,445
93
Chicago IL
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Excal_II Minelab_Explorer_SE_Pro w/ SunRay pinpointer & Garrett_Ace250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

TN-Joe

Bronze Member
Oct 8, 2007
1,357
9
Tn
Detector(s) used
Garrett GTA500
Frodov- my Kentucky Friend,
You really need to write a book. i would buy a copy!!
Awesome finds. I really hope that the test's results are positive.
Ill cross my fingers for you.
HH,
Tennessee Joe
 

P

Pentico

Guest
Frodov
Mark another great day on your calendar!
Awesome just awesome!!!!!
Chris & LeeAnn
 

OP
OP
Frodov

Frodov

Bronze Member
May 24, 2007
1,021
34
Lexington, KY
Detector(s) used
Whites Prism IV / Bullseye II pinpointer
Diamond Stud Update.... *sigh* Alas.. the "diamond" ear stud I found has been confirmed!.. CZ. <shrug> but at least it's mounted in STERLING SILVER! <grin> Yayyyy! Silver! Oh well, I'll keep digging, and keep hoping.. someday I might find the real thing. Meanwhile.. I'll settle for silver! <grin>

studthree.jpg.jpg

Happy Hunting!


Frodov
 

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Prober

Bronze Member
Apr 11, 2007
1,933
5
West Michigan
Detector(s) used
White's M6, Bullseye II, Ace250
I've found a couple of those "diamonds" myself...sucks when you find out they aren't! $6.91 ain't too bad for one spot...sometimes takes me all day and 5 or 6 spots to find that much. Great hunting!
 

OP
OP
Frodov

Frodov

Bronze Member
May 24, 2007
1,021
34
Lexington, KY
Detector(s) used
Whites Prism IV / Bullseye II pinpointer
Prober said:
I've found a couple of those "diamonds" myself...sucks when you find out they aren't! $6.91 ain't too bad for one spot...sometimes takes me all day and 5 or 6 spots to find that much. Great hunting!

Well I wasn't too awfully disappointed because I didn't really expect it to be "real".. still though, you can't help but let your imagination run wild for a few seconds, or minutes.. or however long. <smile> You gotta love that little jolt of adrenaline upon finding such an item.. and all the "What if.."s. As for the clad, well that's not too unusual, granted my average is a bit less, but I've found considerably more on individual hunts as well. I don't know how much of that is a result of "skill" or just dumb luck... perhaps a combination of the two would be closer to the truth though. I enjoy finding just about anything, but the clad does help out with batteries, gas, snacks.. <grin> More importantly, it becomes part of a "vacation" fund for my wife and I. Last summer, detecting finds paid for nearly a week's hotel stay at the beach. Gotta Love that!

Happy Hunting!

Frodov
 

Pepper2004

Bronze Member
Dec 17, 2007
1,624
10
Southwest Georgia
Detector(s) used
Whites GMT, Whites M6, Vibra-Probe 570, Ace 250, Bounty Hunter 202, Bounty Hunter Pioneer 505, Whites MXT, 2 Bullseye11
I love finding my clad! It all adds up at the end of the year. Sorry the diamond wasn't real but silver is always a nice find too.

HH,
Pepper
 

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