Strange find in the borehole

Ca70

Jr. Member
Jan 9, 2013
86
67
Northern California
Detector(s) used
Minelab GP3000, GP3500 , Whites MXT Pro, GMT , Tesoro Sand Shark, Fisher Gold Bug , Sun-Ray DX-1 probe, Falcon MD-20, Minelab PF-25
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
A place I've been for years , decades actually. This particular hole I've dug or detected at least 3 times in the last 20 years. It's a large bedrock borehole . Formed by water flow and abrasive gravels flowing over the area for decades, Some of us have seen these. (yes?) Smooth hole worn into the bedrock. This one is not so deep under water that you wouldnt see it from shore at this time of year . A month or so from now it would be under 6 feet of river flow.

I had searched it years past . Panned it's contents and actually found a small bit of color. Never anything that could count as a "picker" or "nugget". Better finds are further up river. This is an area we usually anchor the river jet , and float to shore in an inflatable skiff and go up hill to set camp . This time I had pulled all gear from the boat
set up camp and gathered firewood. we had plenty of time to set up for dinner, set chairs for night fishing, and fix a proper cocktail for all 4 attended.

I headed down to the "big borehole" .I looked into it at least a dozen times before with visions of a nugget being there after an epic flood year. Never found a thing worth bragging. I figured it would take a thousand year flood , and then ,it would be "great to check out". All of us always agreed.It is big enough , empty , to fit 4 grown men into. A small hottub size. But the water here never gets above 55 degrees in the main river ,even in the 110 degree heat of our summers. Once flows reach the main lake, warms quick. .

I noticed gravels in the "borehole" were fairly low. I hopped onto the edge and sunk my sand shark in. It screamed like a aluminum can. It was the first thing I figured it was. there was only about a foot of gravel int the bottom. usually its full by late march with gravels. I started to flip the gravels out with my hands. Plunging the coil back into the hole each time. I could have easily flipped target back into the river . I was convinced it was a can or large lead sinker in the bottom.

I was very mistaken.

As I kicked the gravels with my wader boot I saw it. looked like a "washer". I hunched over and recovered the target.

Coin stuck to something ?



image-1079623.jpg

I yelped , tossed it to a friend, and clammered back onto shore. It was fairly stuck together. After a little bit of "tapping " on the rocks it came apart. I have no idea how this could ever ended up here. But it did.

Not an epic find. But one of those ones, you wont forget.



image-4230639300.jpg

A couple barber halves. Stuck to a "copper something". I cant explain it.
 

Last edited:
Upvote 0

Oakview2

Silver Member
Feb 4, 2012
2,807
3,348
Prather CA
Detector(s) used
Whites GMT
Primary Interest:
Other
Is the washer brass or copper? What a great find. You often wish things you find could talk and tell the story...
 

Lanny in AB

Gold Member
Apr 2, 2003
5,660
6,362
Alberta
Detector(s) used
Various Minelabs(5000, 2100, X-Terra 705, Equinox 800, Gold Monster), Falcon MD20, Tesoro Sand Shark, Gold Bug Pro, Makro Gold Racer.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Sweet find! All kinds of things get "concreted" together if they sit together down on the bottom long enough. I once found a small wrecking bar with two nuggets "concreted" to it. That bar was down on the bedrock under some boulders and had been sitting there for a long, long time.

Your coins probably got washed into a low spot in the river a long time ago where that washer was. Over the decades, some corrosion went to work, along with some of nature's cement, and then somehow they got popped out of their spot and washed in to your bore hole--unless they were always sitting in the bottom of your bore hole, undiscovered.

All the best,

Lanny
 

Last edited:
OP
OP
Ca70

Ca70

Jr. Member
Jan 9, 2013
86
67
Northern California
Detector(s) used
Minelab GP3000, GP3500 , Whites MXT Pro, GMT , Tesoro Sand Shark, Fisher Gold Bug , Sun-Ray DX-1 probe, Falcon MD-20, Minelab PF-25
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Oakview2 said:
Is the washer brass or copper? What a great find. You often wish things you find could talk and tell the story...

It is copper. Up river about a quarter mile and 200 yards up the hill from the river is an old drift mine and collapsed headframe . I assume it came from that area. I have found a fair amount of copper and brass fittings up there in years past.
 

OP
OP
Ca70

Ca70

Jr. Member
Jan 9, 2013
86
67
Northern California
Detector(s) used
Minelab GP3000, GP3500 , Whites MXT Pro, GMT , Tesoro Sand Shark, Fisher Gold Bug , Sun-Ray DX-1 probe, Falcon MD-20, Minelab PF-25
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thanks Jim. I was with friends tonight, and we were discussing if we should go back up that canyon and search for other finds connected to this one . Perhaps a cache ?

The biggest question was these two coins although worn, should have been beat to death in the river. Upstream from where they were found is very smooth , large flowing bedrock. I dredged there in 97' , 98' and 99' . Regardless , I had last checked this hole about a 2 years ago, and it was completely empty. Access is only by river jet or a long day trek without trails. How they got there is the big mystery. Flows are not heavy yet here. I know this area very , very well. Apparently not well enough. Never found silver up there before. Some small nice hammered nuggets yes. No coins though.

Push pin is where we were. Orange square is the old head frame and mine ( name withheld ). Gold in river is scarce here now .I actually dont have a problem sharing this .Area is not a secret. But very hard to get to. If anything, great boat camp, incredible views and smallmouth fishing. ;-)



image-2108842902.jpg
 

Attachments

  • image-299616515.jpg
    image-299616515.jpg
    189.5 KB · Views: 155
Last edited:

63bkpkr

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
4,069
4,618
Southern California
Detector(s) used
XLT, GMT, 6000D Coinmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Ca70,
Interesting and great find and neat looking area. The miners were everywhere out in CA gold country and they lost/left all sorts of things coins, glasses frames, bottles, boots, lots of stuff. Your river location is a great one with all sorts of possibilities with the main river as well as nearby creeks. A good detecting of the area up stream of your find might be interesting or it might just be a long day out in the sun but at least you'd be 'out there' with swimming water readily available to cool off in. 55 degrees is somewhat of a typical water temp in the Auburn area.............63bkpkr
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top