Damaging Targets

[usa2stay]

I received a new pinpointer as part of the package with my new Garrett AT Pro which I am really having a hard time getting used after my Xterra 305. Anyway, the pinpointer kind of sucks but it was "free" The pinpointer on the AT Pro works better. Anyway, I have been metal detecting for about 6 years with a lot more hours in the last couple of years. I have found a few sterling silver rings, lots of clad for which I am thankful. Not a single silver coin as yet. So I want to dig the target and see as fast as I can what it is. I have never worried about damaging a target which I have many times because if I find any jewelry or silver (or gold) I am going to sell it as melt and get the cash.

I have always been respectful of the property that I detect and has been mentioned many times I want to make sure that I do not ruin this great experience for my fellow detectors so as I said I do as little damage as possible and cover my holes always. Is my lack of concern about damaging my targets a violation of proper metal detecting behavior since I am not interested in collecting the coins or giving the jewelry to my wife or daughter? Sorry I did not get to my point right away, but I do not start many threads so I hope you will forgive me.

 

[l.cutler]

The problem is that you never know what the target may be. What if it is a valuable coin and you lose thousands of dollars by damaging it?

 

[RobRieman]

I would say you can damage your targets all you want since no one else will ever even see them anyway.

 

[WhiteTornado]

The problem is that you never know what the target may be. What if it is a valuable coin and you lose thousands of dollars by damaging it?

I would say that would be the concern, IMO. When you get a silver coin, it may indeed only be worth melt value, in which case damage may not matter much. But what if it's a key-date coin? In that case, the collectible value would far outweigh the value of the precious metals.

Worth thinking about it, anyway.

 

[airscapes]

It all depends on how pissed off you will be and how long you will beat yourself up if you scratch a coin that is of high value.. If there is little to no chance of finding such a coin at the site you are working, then why worry about it.

I would assume after 6 years you would be popping coins that are less than 3" deep, but if not, and you are digging large holes when gathering clad that ends up only being 2" deep you may want to invest in the Whites TRX pinpointer. I used to dig nice plugs for every target but since getting this Pin Pointer, I have learned to pop the coins with a screw driver. Cuts down recover of fresher clad to moments, no hole to fill, just a slit.. This of course does not work for anything too deep especially in dry ground.
I guess the point I was going to make about using the screwdriver is you can scratch a coin with the screwdriver but I have found that I scratch more targets cutting a plug than when I pop them.. Obviously very old valuable silver coins will not be 2" down..

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Is my lack of concern about damaging my targets a violation of proper metal detecting behavior . . . ?

Pound 'em with a rock and drive over them beside the road if you like. Such actions just make those the rest of us take care of worth more. ;-)

Most of us do this for entertainment. You can do as you like if that's what pleases you.

 

[CoinandRelicMan]

Id get a Pro-Pointer and accept no substitutes, never go without mine now, saves tons of time!

 

[Sandman]

What ever floats your boat. Granted you might find a key date, but if that is important be careful in retrieving ...

 

[cudamark]

It's not just a rare coin you may be damaging. There are relics that would be worth a whole lot more undamaged too. Not to mention jewelry. You find a nice expensive ring but you've knocked the 5 carat diamond off the thing by being careless, that can be a costly mistake. What's the rush? It only takes a bit longer to be careful when you have a pin pointer.

 

[rainyday101]

The problem is you get a clad finding streak and get careless. Then the silver comes when you least expect it. I found a 1894 Barber quarter at 3" last year. My ProPointer was even hitting on it at the surface. I figured clad for sure. Can't believe I didn't scratch it!

 

[DonDigger]

If after 6 years you still have not found a silver coin I would think you are looking in the wrong places. Do some research and find some older locations, some that showed a lot of people activity prior to 1964. Start finding a few silver coins and you will start taking a bit more care in the recovery.

 

[valleyglen]

Ya 6 years of detecting with no silver you have to do some research into what was where in your area....
my first silver was a 1913 barber dime. I bought my first detector in 1996. I found pennies and a crotian bell
before taking a 15 year break in the hobby.Then in 2011 I got more serious into it. I think back sometime
if I kept with it all those years even with a average machine how many more great finds I'd have today.
But when done the proper way, you should find silver in a week at most,

 

[usa2stay]

Yes, I agree - now that I have upgraded to a Garrett AT Pro I think things should get more exciting. I really am enjoying MD more than ever. I think I need to get to the beach so I can learn how to use the new detector without killing myself digging as I learn what each target that shows on the screen may be. I have found lots of things a flash drive (for which I actually found the owner), toy cars, some souvenir medallions, a cub scout Neckerchief slide, etc. The responses that all of you have provided are very helpful and have inserted enough guilt and common sense that I will now develop a technique like using a screwdriver to pop the targets out with a lower risk of damage to the target. Thanks to all for your usual valuable insight.

 

[usa2stay]

Well it was a little more than a week, but April 14, 2015 I found my first silver - a 1951 Quarter. Now that the ice is broken, I hope to be reporting a lot more silver.

 

[Molewacker]

Congrats on your first silver coin - great feeling huh?

 

[releventchair]

Just have fun with it.
I can finesse a pull tab out like it was precious and later get carried away and roughly recover something with a scratch.
The last silver after a lot of other recoveries got gouged big time. (Blush).
It's all good.

 

[Nugs Bunny]

Some coins are worth millions of dollars, imagine sending your Lesche into the meat of a 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar ($7,850,000) or how about sinking it through a 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle – ($7,590,020).Even that worthless penny could be worth some serious err herm... change.

1944 Steel Wheat Penny - $110,334
1942 Copper Wheat Penny - $85,782
1873 Indian Head Penny - $10,000

Most of us will not be lucky enough to find coins worth anything close to those figures... but imagine if you did and gouged the hell out of it.

What are the odds of finding a million dollar coin? Probably pretty freakin' slim, but you never know what a target is until it's out of the ground. Would you throw away a lottery ticket before the drawing?

I've never found anything of value yet, but I have recovered many cool little trinkets that I'm glad I didn't damage. One day they will find their way into display cases with all my other collections.

Here are a few links worth checking out.

25 Most Valuable Pennies (Updated 2015) | CoinTrackers.com
Top 10 Most Expensive Coins in the World | World Most
Most Expensive US Coins : Top 10 Most Valuable American Coins
The Top 10 Rarest Coins In The World - TheRichest

 

[Skippy SH13]

The care you choose to take is your own. It's like watching the videos where someone finds a ring, and chooses to rub the dirt off (instead of using water). It's THEIR coin. They can rub it, cut it, mark it up or whatever. The number of people posting comments about "OH MY! THEY SHOULD NEVER RUB IT!!!" Yeah, they know that. They don't care... again, it's THEIR coin! I also think it's funny when people believe they're doing the poster a favor. Seriously?! If the Youtube video taker is actually posting a video about metal detecting, of COURSE they know about coin care! (heck, all they'd have to have done is read any of the comments on the OTHER metal detecting videos. LOL!) They know and rubbing a coin doesn't bother them.

This hobby is about what you want to get out of it. I've never once found a valuable coin (just jewelry). I regularly ding copper pennies and clad getting them out of the ground (sometime with coin popping). When I dig gold signals, I try a little harder to avoid damage (worked so far!)

Don't sweat it. If you want to not damage things, just dig a wider hole.

Cheers!

Skippy