Finally, Dunn silver!

[halfdime]

For several years, I've been clearing away the woods around an old foundation that dates to at least the mid-1800's, maybe a tad earlier. It's hard work, with little reward. For the hours I've put in, I have two Indian head pennies and a beautiful 1840 large cent. I shouldn't forget to mention the privy we found and dug last October that had some wonderful bottles, but most of my return at what we call the Dunn site comes in the form of exercise. Kiros32 and DrDetector have each been to the site several times, and they can vouch for the effort that's been put into the place. I keep going back because I'm convinced there is more to find, and some of it has to be silver. Today, my conviction was rewarded with the first piece of silver, but more on that in a second. I worked on clearing two large areas, then detected without success. I then started to wander around a little, just for a change. A little way off, between two springs, I found a 1940 wheat penny. Obviously a hunter or hiker, since the farm had disappeared by the late 1930's. I made my way back to an uncleared area between the house and the barn and fought through the brush for signals. I got one that I thought might be an Indian head because it didn't sing out the way silver does. I dug the plug and saw the silhouette of a silver dime; the only mystery was: would it be a Merc? Barber? Seated? Bust? Remember, this is an old place. Enough dirt fell off that I could see the reverse and I almost puked! It was a Rosey! Another hunter/hiker drop! After I settled down, I remembered yesterday's trip to sell treasure: I got $22 for every dollar of face I had in Roseys and Washingtons. Let's just say it helped make a dent in one of my credit cards! At yesterday's price, this Rosey is worth $2.20, so it's not a bad find, after all.

 

[Nana40]

You might have to take the silver princess with you next time, 1/2. 8) Still...silver is silver and better than no silver at all.

Nana~

 

[halfdime]

Fortunately, the silver princess was in school today! After yesterday's windfall, I'm not complaining about any silver; I sold common silver and got a good price and was able to keep the keepers.

 

[OutBack Duo]

Way to go, Nice piece of silver there!

 

[Golden1]

HH
G1

 

[Bank Runner]

 

[KOOTNEY KID]

Dems da breaks ,keep lookin

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Any day with silver is a good one.

I do know exactly what you mean though, with the work you put in and the age of the site. Just as in life though, there are no guarantees. I forget exactly who said it, (I do know which state.) stated that they average about one silver for ever ten coppers. (old coins) Last fall in November and December I dug 36 old large coppers, no Silver, no old ones that is. Like you i did get one out of place, and time 10 cent piece, a 1942. I'll look at it this way, I am that much, and that many holes closer to getting my old silver.

Just a thought, since you worked hard to clear the area prior to detecting it, do you dig everything ? Perhaps you should ? Signals you don't think are coins or silver, just may be if they are at the limits of your detectors depth capability. Sometimes too the silver everbody thinks is on "their" site, just is not there. Back in those days (early 1800) 50 cents was probably a couple of weeks worth of groceries, like 300 - 400 bucks today, and people were carefull with that money. We are talking homestead, not outside a saloon, where there would be more people, more money, and more drinking.

Hope I didn't ramble too much or sound like an ..you know.

 

[Kiros32]

Sweet, glad there is still a glimmer of hope, though I think we still have only detected a fraction of this site. I should be around this weekend if you want to get out somewhere.

 

[Steve in PA]

I know how you feel. I have twice dug Barber dimes on Colonial sites and felt disapointment when the silver coin revealed itself as a Barber instead of a half reale. However, with the price of silver what it is, I am planning to hit the mid 20th century sites a little more this year and try and pull in some silver. A couple weeks ago I went to an old fairgrounds I hadn't hit in 25 years and scored 3 Mercury dimes.