cntrydncr1
Gold Member
- Feb 23, 2007
- 7,806
- 777
- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- ACE 250, Minelab Excal II, ETrac, Infiniuim
Here is the story of my “DREAMSITE”
I began detecting toward the end of March, 2007. Once I started detecting with my trusty ACE 250 it was love at first swing. Soon I tired of digging holes in my own yard and I branched out to the neighboring schoolyards. As I traveled to and from a local elementary school I noticed a very large, old home for sale. “Wow, what an opportunity it would be to detect there,” I thought several times. But I never asked the realtor for permission and I forgot about the property till recently I hit the old elementary school again. This time I noticed “my” home was sold and that construction had already begun on half of the lot. When I went home that night I related the story to my husband, Joe, and he responded that we should stop by there the next day to speak with the builder for permission to detect.
Initially, the builder was hesitant Joe said but he kept schmoozing with him and eventually he said yes!!! Joe, who is not quite the addict I am about detecting, was just as anxious as I was to get started. So right after dinner, on Thursday, April 24th we started detecting “my dreamsite” as I have come to call it. We only got out for about an hour and a half that night but it was fruitful. The first find of the evening was made by Joe and was an Indian head penny!! We knew we had a great spot.
I knew that the last owners of the home were Anna and Peter Vogel but I was hoping to find who the previous owners were. I spoke with one of the plumbers who was working on the new construction at this site. He informed me that this was the summer home of Simon Gratz. Locals may know that name as there is a high school in Philadelphia named for him. I’m assuming it is the “Junior” Simon Gratz as the “Senior” would have died prior to the home being built! I pictured this woodsy area and thought it would be a nice summer location in the “country.” But the plumber said he had seen pictures of the home when it was new and there were no trees around it. He said he was lucky to find a 1865 nickel in the house itself.
Just a few days ago I was able to speak with the builder again to thank him for allowing us to detect this property. Up until a week ago, I hunted every possible evening or day that I was available. I would say that I have probably logged about 30 hours and Joe has probably detected about half of that time as well. Each time we have been there we have found keeper coins such as Indian head pennies, Mercury dimes, or Buffalo nickels. Now we ask ourselves, “When do we call it quits?” Well the house will come down soon so we know the time is limited. I think I will hunt till I come away empty handed. The finds are definitely slowing down but just recently I found a Buffalo and a Merc.
I am including a few pics but there are way to many to post. If you are interested in seeing everything, PM me with your email address and I will invite you to view the rest on Kodak's site.
Debby
Here are the totals so far:
COINS
135 Wheat Pennies 1910-1957
38 Memorial Pennies 1959-1991
10 Indian Head Pennies 1888-1909
7 Buffalo Nickels 1930-1937 (3 legible dates)
7 Silver Roosevelt Dimes 1917-1944
10 Roosevelt Dimes 1965-2000
11 Mercury dimes 1917-1944
1 Silver Washington Quarter 1936 S
2 Washington Quarters 1969-1971
5 Jefferson War Nickels (2) 1942 P, 1944 D, (2) 1945
11 Jefferson Nickels 1948-1975
6 Foreign coins: 1934 British Penny, 1946 Canadian Penny, 1955 Elizabeth II Regina from South Africa, 1976 Mexican 5 Centavo, 1 Centavo, Netherlands cent
Total of 244 Coins with a face value of $6.72, not including the foreign coins.
JEWELRY
1 10K Gold ring with blue stone, possibly topaz
I gold cufflink
2 silver rings, 1 possibly amethyst and 1 possibly jade
1 milk bottle charm
1 heart charm
1 foreign “coin” charm “1900 Reiche Streitern” with flying dragon ?
1 Onized credit union employee pin
1 penguin pin
1 Brass airplane pin (USAF)
Pieces of a bracelet, looks brass
TOKENS
James Madison, 4th president
Cup Company, Brooklyn NY
Unknown
4 Transit tokens (Delaware Coach, Phila. PRT, South Penna Bus Co, NYC Transit)
TOYS
2 Horses, 1 black and 1 brown
9 people figures, 1 very nice businessman, others broken
1 rabbit
1 dog
1 unknown
1 marble
1 jack
MISCELLANEOUS
10 Misc. Buttons (2 look military)
4 Keys
2 Locks
1 silverplate spoon
1973 Delaware County Tag (dog?)
1 pocket knife
1 sinker
Many various bullets
I began detecting toward the end of March, 2007. Once I started detecting with my trusty ACE 250 it was love at first swing. Soon I tired of digging holes in my own yard and I branched out to the neighboring schoolyards. As I traveled to and from a local elementary school I noticed a very large, old home for sale. “Wow, what an opportunity it would be to detect there,” I thought several times. But I never asked the realtor for permission and I forgot about the property till recently I hit the old elementary school again. This time I noticed “my” home was sold and that construction had already begun on half of the lot. When I went home that night I related the story to my husband, Joe, and he responded that we should stop by there the next day to speak with the builder for permission to detect.
Initially, the builder was hesitant Joe said but he kept schmoozing with him and eventually he said yes!!! Joe, who is not quite the addict I am about detecting, was just as anxious as I was to get started. So right after dinner, on Thursday, April 24th we started detecting “my dreamsite” as I have come to call it. We only got out for about an hour and a half that night but it was fruitful. The first find of the evening was made by Joe and was an Indian head penny!! We knew we had a great spot.
I knew that the last owners of the home were Anna and Peter Vogel but I was hoping to find who the previous owners were. I spoke with one of the plumbers who was working on the new construction at this site. He informed me that this was the summer home of Simon Gratz. Locals may know that name as there is a high school in Philadelphia named for him. I’m assuming it is the “Junior” Simon Gratz as the “Senior” would have died prior to the home being built! I pictured this woodsy area and thought it would be a nice summer location in the “country.” But the plumber said he had seen pictures of the home when it was new and there were no trees around it. He said he was lucky to find a 1865 nickel in the house itself.
Just a few days ago I was able to speak with the builder again to thank him for allowing us to detect this property. Up until a week ago, I hunted every possible evening or day that I was available. I would say that I have probably logged about 30 hours and Joe has probably detected about half of that time as well. Each time we have been there we have found keeper coins such as Indian head pennies, Mercury dimes, or Buffalo nickels. Now we ask ourselves, “When do we call it quits?” Well the house will come down soon so we know the time is limited. I think I will hunt till I come away empty handed. The finds are definitely slowing down but just recently I found a Buffalo and a Merc.
I am including a few pics but there are way to many to post. If you are interested in seeing everything, PM me with your email address and I will invite you to view the rest on Kodak's site.
Debby
Here are the totals so far:
COINS
135 Wheat Pennies 1910-1957
38 Memorial Pennies 1959-1991
10 Indian Head Pennies 1888-1909
7 Buffalo Nickels 1930-1937 (3 legible dates)
7 Silver Roosevelt Dimes 1917-1944
10 Roosevelt Dimes 1965-2000
11 Mercury dimes 1917-1944
1 Silver Washington Quarter 1936 S
2 Washington Quarters 1969-1971
5 Jefferson War Nickels (2) 1942 P, 1944 D, (2) 1945
11 Jefferson Nickels 1948-1975
6 Foreign coins: 1934 British Penny, 1946 Canadian Penny, 1955 Elizabeth II Regina from South Africa, 1976 Mexican 5 Centavo, 1 Centavo, Netherlands cent
Total of 244 Coins with a face value of $6.72, not including the foreign coins.
JEWELRY
1 10K Gold ring with blue stone, possibly topaz
I gold cufflink
2 silver rings, 1 possibly amethyst and 1 possibly jade
1 milk bottle charm
1 heart charm
1 foreign “coin” charm “1900 Reiche Streitern” with flying dragon ?
1 Onized credit union employee pin
1 penguin pin
1 Brass airplane pin (USAF)
Pieces of a bracelet, looks brass
TOKENS
James Madison, 4th president
Cup Company, Brooklyn NY
Unknown
4 Transit tokens (Delaware Coach, Phila. PRT, South Penna Bus Co, NYC Transit)
TOYS
2 Horses, 1 black and 1 brown
9 people figures, 1 very nice businessman, others broken
1 rabbit
1 dog
1 unknown
1 marble
1 jack
MISCELLANEOUS
10 Misc. Buttons (2 look military)
4 Keys
2 Locks
1 silverplate spoon
1973 Delaware County Tag (dog?)
1 pocket knife
1 sinker
Many various bullets
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