BUZZKILL? Or Not?

[SlateBeltDigger]

The weather here has been insane lately, so my detecting time has been limited. Last weekend I was working a permission that I thought had some promise based on the area it's in. I was digging junk and more junk, and some clad. Then it happened...my Nox almost blew up and I got excited. I dug a 1989 Walking Liberty silver dollar. The condition and odd placement amongst this trash made me suspicious and it actually took away some of the excitement. It just had a weird feeling to it. I put it in my keepers box and moved on.

The next day I talked to the landowner. He winked at me and asked if I found anything special. Here he had planted the coin to see if I'd be able to find it, a friendly test.

Has this ever happened to you? And if so, how did you feel about it??

Sure the coin is now in my collection, but it just seems less fun knowing it was a plant.

 

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[BC1969]

The weather here has been insane lately, so my detecting time has been limited. Last weekend I was working a permission that I thought had some promise based on the area it's in. I was digging junk and more junk, and some clad. Then it happened...my Nox almost blew up and I got excited. I dug a 1989 Walking Liberty silver dollar. The condition and odd placement amongst this trash made me suspicious and it actually took away some of the excitement. It just had a weird feeling to it. I put it in my keepers box and moved on.

The next day I talked to the landowner. He winked at me and asked if I found anything special. Here he had planted the coin to see if I'd be able to find it, a friendly test.

Has this ever happened to you? And if so, how did you feel about it??

Sure the coin is now in my collection, but it just seems less fun knowing it was a plant.

That's when always being honest in your dealings with folks shines.
That was probably checking your honesty.

I've had permissions where the only stipulation was I show them everything I find.
The spot on the property they recommended I start my search, I found a double eagle within a half hour.
At the end of the day, the couple said that I was the only one who passed their test.
It has allowed return trips to the best Earth that I have ever swung a coil over.
It opened many other doors.

I didn't feel bad about them doing that.
Nothing wrong with knowing if that smiling guy is true.

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

mixed emotions but still a cool add to the collection. honesty pays off for sure. One time on an impromptu permission, I'd told the owner that one thing I look for is old coins. After a few minutes of digging, he came out of the house with a handful of wheaties and an 1899 IHP, all in great condition. He insisted that I take them so they are in the collection, just feels weird. Kinda like a surface find but somehow worse and better at the same time...........

 

[BC1969]

mixed emotions but still a cool add to the collection. honesty pays off for sure. One time on an impromptu permission, I'd told the owner that one thing I look for is old coins. After a few minutes of digging, he came out of the house with a handful of wheaties and an 1899 IHP, all in great condition. He insisted that I take them so they are in the collection, just feels weird. Kinda like a surface find but somehow worse and better at the same time...........

That's a fantastic gesture that Man did.
He's probably in the same boat as many older folks, which grandkid do I leave my various collections to..
It'll probably all end up on a Pawn Stars episode..

He knew that you would appreciate them.

I buried 95% of my Fathers collection in glass jars scattered across the great State of Michigan.
Each jar contains a riddle piece.
If all jars are found, then possibly the riddle of the Samurai will be unveiled and the true treasure will be found.

If you look hard enough, you can find my original post about doing it.

 

[JerV3]

Still I'd be happy and like what the hell at the same time lol.

I got one that tops that story though. When I first got into the hobby 27 yrs ago 13 yrs of age.

My mom was engaged to a guy who introduced me to the hobby.

He took me out one day to an old homesite. Within minutes I started popping old coins out of the ground left and right including two silver dollars.

I was over the moon. Being 13 yrs old and digging up treasure was just awesome to me at the time.

Well about 20 yrs went by. I am still friends with the guy my mom was engaged to.

I said one day let me ask you a question. Remember the site we hit yrs ago that was loaded.

He goes yeah I remember. I go was that spot legit.

He then proceeds to say hey I went and panted all those coins the night prior.

He said I really wanted you to stick with the hobby so I wanted to do something that would really motivate you to continue this hobby.

Needless to say 27 yrs later thousands and thousands of hours in the field.

I am still loving this hobby. So really if he didn't mold me at a young age who knows if I would have stuck with it.

I owe it to him every time I see him for introducing me to this great hobby.

I have found so many treasures over the years. I now spend my time training friends my boys my wife etc.

Keep at it.

The next site could just be the one you are looking for.

Jer

 

[cudamark]

I prefer "wild: hunts myself. Planted targets are just too much like shooting fish in a barrel IMO.

 

[Megalodon]

I've taken a lot of people out fossil hunting on my sites and have not planted anything. It really hasn't been necessary because they always find Miocene shark teeth. My son gets paid to guide fossil hunts and will plant fossil teeth if there are kids in the family. He may get the approval to do this from the parents first (a gesture that might pay off with good tips).

 

[crashbandicoot]

Here,s a thought for ya.I,m 69 years old,I,ve found that a lot of older people were raised in a kinder era when it was common to do nice things for folks just to do it.Now a days kindness is kind of hard to find and if you try to do a kindness,folks somehow think poorly of it.Maybe the guy just wanted to do something nice for you,that,s all.

 

[HeatherM]

If this happened to me I'd probably be a little embarrassed thinking this guy is thinking look at this poor sap out there digging for treasure but only finding junk. Let me throw him a bone. But I'm a pessimist.

 

[Rmeav8r]

That?s still a cool find even if it was a plant. Honestly is the best policy, e specially when your a guest. I recently mowed an acre of grass at a permission site, the owner asked what I would charge when I offered to cut it. I told him that I was happy to cut it for free and that it would help me too, the tall grass was kicking my butt!

 

[cannonball]

I'm guilty of planting a silver Kennedy half dollar on a colonial site so my detecting partner could find it. It was an early 18th century site with very little trash on it. I got it on tape when he dug it up. I glued a picture of his face on the Kennedy Half. I thought it was pretty funny: John no so much!

 

[CRUSADER]

Less fun, I would say no fun.

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

love the feedback and especially the story from JerV3. Now my wheels are turning on where and what to plant for my own grandsons. thanks all.

 

[DigToChina]

Did he plant pennies? If he was trying to punk you, it would be like that. I?d go with the benefit of the doubt in this case.

 

[SlateBeltDigger]

I just want to clarify that by posting this I wasn't questioning his motive for planting it, or overlooking how generous it was of him to even think about giving up that coin in the hopes that I'd find it.

My main point was that when I find a coin or relic that's noteworthy I like to research it, and imagine how it ended up there etc. I don't want the group here to think I'm an ingrate or being a punk about this lol.

When he disclosed the fact that he did indeed plant it hoping I'd find it, we had a good laugh.

 

[DigToChina]

Makes the research easy. Ask him how he came into possession of the coin. It?s a part of the story.

 

[tokameel]

I prefer "wild: hunts myself. Planted targets are just too much like shooting fish in a barrel IMO.

Yea. It's kind of like kissing your sister. But still, she is a girl!