Another question about detecting....

[boojagirl]

are the things that are older down farther than the things that are newer? Like would a coin that was dropped say 20 years ago be farther down in the ground than a coin that was dropped say 10 years ago or are most things about the same depth regardless of how long they have been there?

 

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[utah hunter]

In general yes. Coins are denser and heavier than the dirt so they will sink slowly with moisture, season changes, etc. There is no specific formula, and every area is different. I metal detected a yard that had such dense soil that wheat cents were all over the place less than an inch deep. Most of the coins I find from the 30's or 40's are 5 or 6 inches deep in my area. Hope this helps, good luck...Ryan

 

[geckokid]

Coin also move up and down, when the ground freeze and thaws.
So it varies depending on where you live.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I just got a 1774 One Reale that was so shallow, I could kick the dirt aside to reveal it But of course, the area was a plowed field, so it might have just been brought up.

Seriously now, for un-disturbed soil, it seems to depend on the moisture of the area. The dryer the climate, the less they seem to sink (or get covered, or whatever). And it also has to do with the vegetation that covers them. So for example, turf..... which is a constant cover, there is a definate correlation of depth to age. But in hard-pan (under old trees, or up against old buildings, etc..), the oldies are shallower. Presumably because of lack of vegetation? Or is it d/t lack of moisture (because they are shadowed more from rains?). The debate can go on forever. But suffice it to say, I've found 1700s/1800s coins so shallow, I coulda got them with my pinpointer. And I've gotten zincs a foot deep (on the beach or plowed fields). But for undisturbed watered turf, there does seem to be definate stratas, where you can practically guess ages before you even dig.

 

[re-tek]

in general, yes. the deeper it is, the older its likely to be.

but...

at an old city park i've been detecting for the past week i've found wheaties laying on the ground and coins from the 2000 era buried in the soil. i found 2 silver coins just a couple of inches down.

a good place to hunt that throws all the coin depth theories on their head is a washout. somewhere that rain water moves swiftly over usually dry gorund. much of the light junk like pulltabs and foil will be washed away and coins will be easier to find since you have les soil. thats how i found my first silver coins this week.

 

[boojagirl]

Pardon my ignorance but what is a washout? Where would they be?

 

[rommelvon]

A washout is where all the rainwater washes to a single spot, usually low spots in the ground, or around ditches, it's where all the junk collects, and some goodies collect there also

 

[boojagirl]

on the lot where I was checking there is a spot that looks like if you put cement there it would make a great skateboarding place, I don't have a photo right now but it is kinda shaped like this.....


\ /
\ /
\___________________________/

you could probably fit 2 to 2 1/2 couches in it length wise. Would that be a place to check.

 

[rommelvon]

yep, check all the low spots, I have good luck checking the low spots at the park, the rain washes coins,jewelry etc into a nice little basin--HH