2014 find totals from the super sweet turn of the 18th-19th century pinic site.

Helix · Dec 17, 2014

These are my coin and relic finds from the undetected picnic site I found last Aug. Detected it about 8 times August through Oct. Just about every item I dug was turn of the 19th- 20th century, very little modern trash if any. Area must of only been used for about 10 years from what I can tell. Did pull two Lincolns though that must of been dropped by deer hunters or something. Coins range from 1870's to 1906. So far I have pulled 52 Ih's, 15 V nickels, 9 barber dimes including the elusive 1895-O which is not pictured because it is in a safe and one 1890 Morgan dollar. Strange no quarters though.

I sure got lucky stumbling upon this site also very strange because it was just an average farm during the turn of the century. I guess you never know with sites like this. Ok relic pictures are having trouble loading should have them up sometime soon.

firemac · Dec 17, 2014

Nice work, about how large an area is it?

Helix · Dec 17, 2014

firemac said:
Nice work, about how large an area is it?

The total area of the woods is about 20 acres but the mass concentration of finds was in a area of about 5 acres.

Argentium · Dec 17, 2014

Helix , Great site and finds ! I'm guessing you intend for your title to read turn of the 19th/20th century picnic site . When do
you suppose it transitioned from the farm to the picnic site ?, and how did you find it ?

beez0404 · Dec 17, 2014

I sure would love to have a fall back site like that to visit when I didn't have anywhere else to hunt. With 5 acres you have lots of hunting left. Great finds.

BigWaveDave · Dec 17, 2014

reading your posts earlier this summer makes it easy to appreciate your group photo, good job by you!

Helix · Dec 17, 2014

Argentium said:
Helix , Great site and finds ! I'm guessing you intend for your title to read turn of the 19th/20th century picnic site . When do
you suppose it transitioned from the farm to the picnic site ?, and how did you find it ?

Yes that is what I intended title to read 19th-20th century. Well it always has been a farm and the area of woods located on this farm was more then likely animal pasture, and for what ever reason picnics, or some type of events were held (in the wooded area) for some years. I did find about 20 gold plated rings in a small 20' square area which lead me to think they were prizes of some type? This site was a complete shot in the dark, I didn't find it doing research it was just a random wooded area that I wanted to explore with my detector. In doing local research I have never read or came across anything about this site. I am sure if there was good documented history on this site it would of already been pounded. Also there is a large stream that flows through the woods and I am thinking it was also a swimming area, the stream and swimming is what I believe attracted people to this site. Still having trouble with relic pics..

Argentium · Dec 17, 2014

Sounds to me like you have a honey hole there ! The areas either side of the stream (and I would check the stream itself too )
could be very interesting !

Helix · Dec 17, 2014

Argentium said:
Sounds to me like you have a honey hole there ! The areas either side of the stream (and I would check the stream itself too )
could be very interesting !

Yep lots of ground to cover yet. I had to quit hunting this site in Oct due to the start of deer hunting season. All hunts even last I was still pulling coins and relics. I did make a straight line pass once on both side of stream just to see how large this debris field is and it did appear the area of congregation was limited to about 5 acres on one side. Still I agree there are a lot more finds to be made and ground to cover. Yes and I am yet to hit the stream.

firemac · Dec 18, 2014

Very interesting area, It may be worth doing some detective work in old news papers from that era, see if can give hints to usage. Keep us posted on the additional Picts! HH

Helix · Dec 18, 2014

firemac said:
Very interesting area, It may be worth doing some detective work in old news papers from that era, see if can give hints to usage. Keep us posted on the additional Picts! HH

Yes I need to look into the exact use of this area further. Church events, carnivals, picnic grove and swimming hole? With out a doubt it sure appears the area had a lot of visitors to lose that much coinage and relics. Almost like a public park. I did find a sterling spoon engraved with the first initial last name of the guy who owned the land in 1900, could just be a coincidence. Maybe they had a huge family and that's were the family reunions were held?? Still having trouble with relic pics.

Pointman · Dec 18, 2014

That is a lot of IHs in one spot. Epic.

I am surprised that you didn't find more varieties of silver. I can't see that many coins being dropped unless there was a lot of people congregating over at least a 5 year period. I can just wonder if there are layers of coins of different eras there. That was a lot of money back then. Did you stumble on this place detecting and then found out later it was a picnic area, or did you know it was there?

Helix · Dec 18, 2014

Pointman said:
That is a lot of IHs in one spot. Epic.

I am surprised that you didn't find more varieties of silver. I can't see that many coins being dropped unless there was a lot of people congregating over at least a 5 year period. I can just wonder if there are layers of coins of different eras there. That was a lot of money back then. Did you stumble on this place detecting and then found out later it was a picnic area, or did you know it was there?

As far as other silver I found a sterling spoon, and two lapel pins. The no quarter finds has me baffled, to thing someone can lose a large Morgan but not a quarters or halves? I don't want to give away too much info on this site because I know other mders here on tnet that live in my area. Don't want to get my claim jumped. :laughing7:

I had zero clue any of this was out there. I was basically just wandering around hitting high ground and around old trees not getting any signals at all except for your typical wooded area finds shot gun shell backs and some fired lead , then boom I stumbled upon this picnic area.

pong12211 · Dec 18, 2014

Wow that a heck of an area. Great array of coins thanks for sharing.

Helix · Jan 3, 2015

I am waiting on a few relic ID's. For example just found out I have the bottom top to a Teddy Rossevelt campaign Cain topper.. I will post all Relics soon from the same site.