The Buzzard King
Hero Member
Well, it’s official, 2007 has been my best metal-detecting year so far.
It’s my 4th year detecting, and definitely my most productive.
The biggest thing that made a difference for me this year was RESEARCH!!!
In late 2006, and 2007, I changed my detecting methods completely. Nowadays, instead of spending countless hours in parks, playgrounds, or on the beach, digging clad, I spend countless hours comparing old 1800’s maps and photos of my area, with modern maps, looking for potential sites.
Old homes, farmhouses, schools, churches, and other gathering places that were on the old maps are now my targets. If I lock onto something, I’ll drive out and try to assess the status, and detectability of a particular site. If a site seems promising, I’ll start knocking on doors, trying to locate the landowner.
Which leads to another thing. Getting Permission.
This year, I’ve completely overcome my apprehensions about asking landowners for permission to detect. Knocking on doors has become a regular thing now. It’s a type of challenge in itself. The worse thing they can say is NO.
When seeking permission, I make sure to look my best when I knock on the door, introduce myself, explain a little about my hobby, ask for permission, and try to reassure them that there will be no damage to their lawns. I always give them a business card with my cell number on it, so that they can call it right then and there if they choose, so they know I’m for real, and not a scam-artist. If I receive permission, I usually tell the landowner that “If there’s any indication that I dug, or any incisions in his lawn that he doesn’t like, I’ll buy a bag a grass seed and personally fix it“.
So far, I haven’t bought any grass seed!
Another thing is to not get upset when rejected. I’ve found that usually when I get rejected, another more promising situation presents itself shortly after, that soon makes me forget about the rejection, and keeps me busy until I find my next permission. And sometimes things change, and previously denied sites, can eventually become open to you.
You never know, so it always pays to be nice to everyone you encounter.
Almost all of my finds came from private properties here in Northeast PA, with the exception of a handful of keepers that came from an area of a public park that was scraped, and quite a few from dirt piles.
So here’s all my keepers from June till December. And a couple of my favorite finds from earlier in the year.
1st pic- Injuns
2nd pic-Nickles (strange how I got more than double the amount of V’s compared to Buff’s)
3rd pic-Mercs
4th pic-Barbers
5th pic-Large Cents
6th pic-1937 Walker
7th pic-1880 Canadian 5 cent piece (fish scale)
8th pic-1863 British Halfpenny
9th pic- 1891 Seated dime
10th pic-1875 Seated dime
11th pic-1763 Spanish 1 Reale (Mexico-city mint), my favorite find of the season! And it made the Treasurenet banner!!! A MAJOR HIGHLIGHT!!!!
I also found SEVERAL more Injuns, Silver Rosies, SLQ’s, Silver Washington Quarters, Mercs, Barbers, and another Large Cent between the months of January and May that are not in these photos. But these are pretty much the best pics I could put together right now.
I think I got close to 100 Wilvers, but I’m not sure till I can count everything together.
Anyways, that’s my year in review. I hope everyone enjoys the photos. Several of these FIRST’s were major heartstoppers for me this year. LOL.
Thanks for looking. Happy holidays!
The Buzzard King.
PS: I modified this post today (December 10th), to add the Mexican 8 reale coin to my totals for the year.
It’s my 4th year detecting, and definitely my most productive.
The biggest thing that made a difference for me this year was RESEARCH!!!
In late 2006, and 2007, I changed my detecting methods completely. Nowadays, instead of spending countless hours in parks, playgrounds, or on the beach, digging clad, I spend countless hours comparing old 1800’s maps and photos of my area, with modern maps, looking for potential sites.
Old homes, farmhouses, schools, churches, and other gathering places that were on the old maps are now my targets. If I lock onto something, I’ll drive out and try to assess the status, and detectability of a particular site. If a site seems promising, I’ll start knocking on doors, trying to locate the landowner.
Which leads to another thing. Getting Permission.
This year, I’ve completely overcome my apprehensions about asking landowners for permission to detect. Knocking on doors has become a regular thing now. It’s a type of challenge in itself. The worse thing they can say is NO.
When seeking permission, I make sure to look my best when I knock on the door, introduce myself, explain a little about my hobby, ask for permission, and try to reassure them that there will be no damage to their lawns. I always give them a business card with my cell number on it, so that they can call it right then and there if they choose, so they know I’m for real, and not a scam-artist. If I receive permission, I usually tell the landowner that “If there’s any indication that I dug, or any incisions in his lawn that he doesn’t like, I’ll buy a bag a grass seed and personally fix it“.
So far, I haven’t bought any grass seed!
Another thing is to not get upset when rejected. I’ve found that usually when I get rejected, another more promising situation presents itself shortly after, that soon makes me forget about the rejection, and keeps me busy until I find my next permission. And sometimes things change, and previously denied sites, can eventually become open to you.
You never know, so it always pays to be nice to everyone you encounter.
Almost all of my finds came from private properties here in Northeast PA, with the exception of a handful of keepers that came from an area of a public park that was scraped, and quite a few from dirt piles.
So here’s all my keepers from June till December. And a couple of my favorite finds from earlier in the year.
1st pic- Injuns
2nd pic-Nickles (strange how I got more than double the amount of V’s compared to Buff’s)
3rd pic-Mercs
4th pic-Barbers
5th pic-Large Cents
6th pic-1937 Walker
7th pic-1880 Canadian 5 cent piece (fish scale)
8th pic-1863 British Halfpenny
9th pic- 1891 Seated dime
10th pic-1875 Seated dime
11th pic-1763 Spanish 1 Reale (Mexico-city mint), my favorite find of the season! And it made the Treasurenet banner!!! A MAJOR HIGHLIGHT!!!!
I also found SEVERAL more Injuns, Silver Rosies, SLQ’s, Silver Washington Quarters, Mercs, Barbers, and another Large Cent between the months of January and May that are not in these photos. But these are pretty much the best pics I could put together right now.
I think I got close to 100 Wilvers, but I’m not sure till I can count everything together.
Anyways, that’s my year in review. I hope everyone enjoys the photos. Several of these FIRST’s were major heartstoppers for me this year. LOL.
Thanks for looking. Happy holidays!
The Buzzard King.
PS: I modified this post today (December 10th), to add the Mexican 8 reale coin to my totals for the year.
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If not already > you could retire with all this treasure 
maybe next year.) Best of luck in 2008 Buddy.
W! You are the King!! Congratulations on a fantastic year!! 
