Finally on the board in 2015 with a cut pistareen, more coins, buttons & other stuff

Bill D. (VA)

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SE Virginia
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F75 SE (land); CZ-21 (saltwater)
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Finally on the board in 2015 with a cut pistareen, more coins, buttons & other stuff

It's been a long and very slow winter for me, and a lot of it can be blamed on the lousy weather. Seems like I've only been able to get out about 1/3 as much as usual this year, and my recoveries are hurting as a result. I was finally able to fit in a short 2 hour hunt on a decent day (last Thurs), right before my wife and I had to go out of town to attend her 98 year old grandmother's funeral. I'd been studying additional homesites that were showing up on a great 1802 chancery court plat map I uncovered during research. I had already discovered one of these sites last year, and it was extremely productive. This new site I had my eyes on was only a few hundred yards away from the first, but it appeared to be right on the very edge of the field or possibly in the owner's yard when I overlayed it on top of a modern aerial. I was forewarned that it might be difficult to get permission there, but I got along great with the elderly owner after I started showing her my research materials. She invited me in for a long chat, but when I finally popped the question I was told I'd need to speak with her husband who was not home at the time. It was about 10 days before I could make that happened, and fortunately we hit it off great. With permission secured I decided to start out by zigzagging in an organized pattern to cover most of the 50 acre field just to give it an initial check. But other then one plow point and a couple pieces of aluminum can, the field was absolutely devoid of signals. I saved the area on the edge of the field for last, and as I was walking back to my truck I got a nice 80s signal that turned out to be a toasty 1850 LC. And it was only about 20 ft from the dirt lane that separated the cut soybean field from some neighboring yards. After that I slowed down a bit and noticed a very small piece of brick which always gets my attention. I slowly started pulling out a few flat buttons (one an early Navy) when some more coins started to appear. First a '46 rosie which was a major disappointment, but soon afterward I was rewarded with a nice 1858 holed half dime. And almost immediately what I thought might be a small button turned out to be an unexpected surprise - an early 1700s cut pistareen! So I was finally able to put Spanish silver in my pouch after not finding any since Dec 30. That makes 7 for the season and 176 overall. But the signals were confined to a very narrow area - within 30 ft of the lane and maybe 100-150 ft wide - and not a thing outside that rectangle. But it appears the site very likely extends into the adjacent yards. That might be a tough sell, but hopefully if I wave my early maps in front of the other homeowners I might get lucky. I may give that a try on the first mild day, but with the way the forecast is shaping up that might be quite a while.
 

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Upvote 24
Excellent hunt & you met some friendly people too. :icon_thumright: Andi

If it wasn't for presenting these folks with some nice research materials showing the history of their property many of them would not be so "friendly". That tactic is so much better than just knocking on their door asking to detect. It really works and ha gotten me into many sites I would not have been able to access otherwise.
 

Awesome finds congrats! Maybe the property owner where you are searching will put in a good word in for you!
I really hope the weather stays good for you.
Posts like yours is what keeps us in the frozen north going till we can dig again! GL. HH
I hope you get permission for the yard next door!
 

I know you were tickled to see that cut Spanish pop out of there. Very nice to see, since I'm home bound lately and this week ahead sure doesn't look to good. Congrats on all of it!
I was having a time trying to just find black and white maps with just roads on them so I can make transparent overlays. (Finally found it) I see some promising things. Once I get my overlays and historicals matched with Topographical maps, I'll be ready to go. So, at least I can work on that and getting permissions till I can get back outside. Sounds like we might be getting some of that snow.. At least you have that nice little pile of finds to play with for now.. WTG!
 

If it wasn't for presenting these folks with some nice research materials showing the history of their property many of them would not be so "friendly". That tactic is so much better than just knocking on their door asking to detect. It really works and ha gotten me into many sites I would not have been able to access otherwise.

That is a good day of detecting for most but I know the type of sites that you are looking for and this doesn't exactly fit the "Bill". You really make a good point about presenting research material and educating the homeowner about the history of their property. This gets them engaged and interested then curious about what you might find. Great tactic for gaining permission.
 

Congrats Bill. Very nice haul. The old silver is just awesome. GL&HH.
 

Good research and scouting paid off. Congrats on the beautiful cut pistareen, Bill!
 

Fantastic recoveries Bill, nice to see you were able to get out digging. I got out digging today too, but it wasn't the kind of digging I wanted to be doing. 2 ft of new snow and hurricane force winds yesterday, going to be awhile before I put silver in my pouch but it's nice to see my buddies down south are pulling up some nice silver.
Keep at it you could be on the cusp of an awesome roll.
Please pass on my condolences to your wife on the passing of her Grandmother.
ZDD
 

Fantastic recoveries Bill, nice to see you were able to get out digging. I got out digging today too, but it wasn't the kind of digging I wanted to be doing. 2 ft of new snow and hurricane force winds yesterday, going to be awhile before I put silver in my pouch but it's nice to see my buddies down south are pulling up some nice silver.
Keep at it you could be on the cusp of an awesome roll.
Please pass on my condolences to your wife on the passing of her Grandmother.
ZDD[/QUOTE

Thanks Dave - I'll definitely pass on your sympathies to my wife. Looks like I'll be doing your kind of digging tomorrow. Its snowing and in the teens down here this evening. May get 6-10" tonight and it could drop to below zero later in the week. Very unusual for typically mild Virginia. So it'll be a while before I can return to the fields. Good to hear from ya.
 

Congrats on the silver, copper, and brass Bill. I have not been out since the day after Christmas! It will probably be May before I get on the board!!
 

It was time for some cut silver Bill. I like the half dime as well, still waiting to walk over one, although thats tough where I dig. Hopefully March will be better weather.
 

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