Coins!!

Dihren · Aug 13, 2012

Its driving me crazy! I have been metal detecting as a kid just kinda playin around for about 5 years, I recently just started doing it very seriously about 6 months ago, and the oldest coins I found its a 1977 penny!! I live in a town that dates back to about the 1830's, and have been to two buildings. 1 was a hotel during the civil war, and the other was a house built in the 1800's. The problem is, they have both had so much landscaping over time, I feel like there is just nothing left! Maybe I'm wrong though? I have spent two days so far at the 1800's house, and today got to talk to the man who grew up there, and he told me where the outhouse was. Hopefully I can find some good things there tomorrow, but I have scanned a good bit of the field, and oldest thing was square door lock, probably from one of the doors of the house, as they still have those original locks. I have also been to the site of a house from mid to late 1800's to about 1930, and no old coins! It has been driving me crazy lately just wanting to find a Wheatie! Any ideas as to where I should go to find some older coins?

Thanks
Dihren

finderskeepers · Aug 13, 2012

Hi I must admit that I've only been detecting for a month , but have been reading and studying like crazy and I did find my 1st old coin on Sat.YEEEEAH! I switched up a bit and started searching around the bandstand in the local park. I do have a couple of comments for you to consider.

1. If the families that lived there were poor and just getting by...there may not have been much dropped to begin with. Probably not easy to verify
2. If major landscaping was done (both adding and subtracting soil) coins could be covered or removed. Look at the grade...does it seem "natural" or does soil go almost to the wood at the bottom of house? Do the trees have big flares and roots that spread?
3. Try to imagine the property as it was 150 years ago...woods can creep in and completely transform in that amount of time. Fields were likely bigger, swamps and creeks can both appear and disappear in that time frame.
4. Try to imagine how life was lived 150 years ago on THAT property. Outhouses, hot summer days under the only big tree instead of AC, driveways that went to a barn or pasture gate instead of right to our front door, chicken coop, where would they have dumped trash. Focus hard on the most likely daily paths they took to these places. FORGET HOW YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING...THINK LIKE AN OLD-TIMER!
5. I'm NOT saying I wouldn't do a random scan on the field, but I would focus on the likely routes of daily travel 1st, slowly,methodically (search a spot from a different angle, or 2) before declaring it DONE and moving on to the next.
5. Believe that you are going to find something.
6. Are these your only 2 spots...maybe you just gotta stay away for a few weeks to brake some bad mojo or only go for an hour when you know you have one of the best quality hours you could possibly give to the site and the search.

Stay determined with technique and research and you will get rewarded.

TerryC · Aug 13, 2012

Try this: carry a notebook and pencil. I do. When I find a good spot.... sometimes I drive around LOOKING for spots... write down the location. If you collect spots to hunt, you will have many ideas. Sounds kind of simple, but I find this a very good way to develope LEADS. Like a salesman does. My FAVORITE spot for old coins is those construction sites where they clear off the top 4/5 inches of topsoil. It's an EPA requirement. That puts you 4/5 inches CLOSER to the old coins. TimC and I hunted the SW corner of Kinnikkinic and Howard in Milwaukee, WI just after they cleared the topsoil to the rear. We hunted the lot about 7 times that year (summer) while the ground was still clear of weeds. As I remember, we found (I found) 28 wheats, 4 silver dimes, 1922 nickel, and a silver quarter. Only found ONE clad! They built the brewery across the street that year... 4 years ago? 5? I don't remember. Old age! And the nickel was already dug by someone and they didn't even know it because it was the same color as the dirt! right in plain view, next to the hole! Give the lot some time. Don't give up. TTC

TerryC · Aug 13, 2012

BTW: You may find my LUCKY GOLD PIECE... a 1/4 ounce coin, near the power substation next to the property. I lost it when exiting my car there.... I think. I can't find it, leastways.... but it is there, somewhere. TTC

Stormrider51 · Aug 13, 2012

I don't want to offend anyone or burst anyone's bubble but metal detecting has been around for quite a while now. The chances are good that any location you come up with has been searched before. Sometimes it has been searched many times. It doesn't mean that you won't find anything, it means that all the EASY finds have been made. Sometimes it comes down to technique. I've gone along after detectorists who were of the fast-swinging, cover a lot of ground persuasion and located good finds they missed. Detecting is a game of patience and slow deliberate motions. It also helps to back off on the discrimination. You will dig more trash but find more good stuff. And then, there are many locations that I used to hunt that are now closed to detecting because of people who couldn't be bothered to learn proper digging techniques. In the early 1970's I hunted the grounds of the State Capitol in Austin, TX. I made a lot of good finds there. Today it is off limits as are city, county, and state parks. It's frustrating but that's the way it is. If I were to offer a suggestion it would be that if you aren't finding nickles your discrimination is set too high. Go slow and search carefully. Assume that there are good things out there and take your time even if you are watching another detectorist go over the same area ahead of you.

Storm

Dihren · Aug 14, 2012

Thank you all for your input. I believe that this house has had major landscaping, as with many of the properties that are owned by the College here. However, my mom knows a man whose lives in our town, in one of the earlier houses, and as far as I know, no major landscaping has been done. I am going to the location of the outhouse at the 1800's house today, and to a building that was the servants quarters for the College way back in the 1800's. Finderskeepers- what was your first old coin that you found??

Dihren

finderskeepers · Aug 14, 2012

my find was a dime... 1882 from Canada, and a few minutes later a buffalo nickel. Some good advice above, I hope it helps you find some treasure!

Dihren · Aug 14, 2012

Went to the servants quarters today, wasn't expecting any really old coins. Hoping for some Wheaties dropped by college students back then, but just found a couple Lincoln cents. One was a 1964! Oldest so far! Progress!!

Dihren · Aug 14, 2012

Thanks finderskeepers. Awesome first coin find! Do you live in Canada and the buffalo was the out of country coin or vice-versa?

Dihren · Aug 14, 2012

Oh. Massachussetts. Kinda forgot to look under your name. Whoops :laughing7:

Well, cool finds!! What was the site you found them at?

Stormrider51 · Aug 14, 2012

Keep going! As you learn your detector and locate additional places to hunt things will get better.
Storm

finderskeepers · Aug 15, 2012

Dihren said:
Oh. Massachussetts. Kinda forgot to look under your name. Whoops Well, cool finds!! What was the site you found them at?

Yes, as you figured out I am in MA. The site is a local park in a relatively small city next door to my town. Not sure but I think it dates back to the mid 1800's as a park. I started there because I notice a couple dozen people at any given time playing ball, and picnicing on the weekends. I figured I would find clad for sure and have not been disappointed. I think I might be the only one MDing this site.

A few days ago, the desire to find something old just got much stronger. I changed it up and had a little luck. I think mindset and attitude are important. Not in any sort of mystical/magical way,but when we "really" want something, that desire can help us tap into our brain just a little differently. I'm 50 and have experienced LOTS of frustration in those years. I hate that feeling. I am becoming much better at changing at least some of that into determination. I think we all possess that ability,some of us just need a bit more practice.

Keep searching Dihren...you will be rewarded. I hope that at least part of that reward is in the form of something old and shiny pulled from the ground, but keep in mind that it is not always so tangible as a trinket we can hold in our hand. The people and places we visit, bring much more than we are always able to notice at the moment.

Keep the faith! I wish you luck, and will send positive thoughts and energy your way. Keep us all posted, ask questions and read,read read. There is a TON of very useful info in the posts to this board.

Dihren · Aug 15, 2012

Yesterday really was a big break through with my metal detector. I suddenly realized I learned to trust it a lot more. Before when it gave a coin signal, then suddenly switched to iron, and back again very quickly, I assumed it was junk. Yesterday, I dug one of those signals, and it turned out to be a beat up little penny. Found a couple other pennies in the same little area.