I found 12 cents!(Trash pics added)

packerbacker · Oct 22, 2007

Sunday a couple friends of mine and I drove 180 miles round trip for 12 cents. We got permission to hunt an old site that used to have a school on it back in the 1800's. For us out here in California, that's old. I found an 1889 map that showed the school existed then. The field was freshly plowed and I had visions of old silver. Didn't happen. The place had tons of trash in the ground. My 2 friends weren't feeling well. One didn't detect at all. The other left a few times to use the restroom at the gas station. Anyway, I swung for a while and found 2 pennys and a clad dime. One of the pennys was a wheat, 1917S. Felt guilty staying there with my friends not feeling well so we left. The penny came out of the ground in pretty good shape. It's been washed with a little beer is all.

mastereagle22 · Oct 22, 2007

Re: I found 12 cents!

Now that's more like the kind of hunts I have.

At least you did get out and find a wheat. Not a total loss.

mountainplayer · Oct 22, 2007

Re: I found 12 cents!

That wheat is in great shape PB. If beer does that good for coins, I now have a perfect excuse to keep my fridge full. "Honey, its for cleaning copper coins....well, um, no, the Old Grandad isn't....its for cleaning silver!"

Great job on the research. I live in N. Cal myself and definitely feel your pain in regards to a lack of old, reasonably "populated" spots. The oldest site that I can positively identify in my town is a private home built in 1892. Still standing and occupied. My permission request letter went out the early part of last week...we shall see. On the other hand, I live really close to a river that still produces consistent, impressive gold finds. I think my clad is going to go for a decent nugget shooter.

P.S. Next trip, pack lunch for your buddies instead of letting them eat those gas station burritos. I think peanut-butter and Lomotil sandwiches ought to do the trick!

MP

packerbacker · Oct 22, 2007

Re: I found 12 cents!

Thanks for the responses guys. Player, if you go to the "Maps" forum on this site I have a thread called "Must see site". That's where I get my old maps from; check it out. The ground where I found the penny was very kind. There wasn't any corrosion on it, just some dried up dirt. It's not copper colored though, it's more of a olive drab (Army green)

tymcmurray · Oct 22, 2007

Re: I found 12 cents!

That penny has some nice patina.
Just imagine if you were, or are, a golfer,
and drove that far just to spend $125+
just to knock a ball around for a couple
of hours.
We have a much more fun hobby!

Mona Lisa · Oct 22, 2007

Re: I found 12 cents!

The important question is....Have you sold any kites lately??

That's a nice looking wheatie.

packerbacker · Oct 23, 2007

lol plehbah! The kite business is picking up Mona. No one can afford a house anymore so they are spending a lot more time outside.

Here are some pics of the trash I picked up. Got 1-1/2 horseshoes, at least 1 piece of a pocketwatch, a beat up marble, a bunch of shell casings and other odds and ends. Is the "bullet" in the pic with the marble what you folks refer to as a "3-ringer"?
btw player, I had bought a ton of KFC, bottled water and beer and those two guys didn't touch any of it. I even took large, pre-moistened towels so they didn't have to lick their fingers. Think I'm taking a woman next time!

COUNTRY GIRL · Oct 23, 2007

Those wheaties are alright, but I love the horse shoes. Good luck will now be comming your way. One and a half times over

.

johny mc. · Oct 23, 2007

packer backer- you live in CAli...so why packer backer................I actually could use that 17s in my set.......wanna trade? anyway don't give Abe any more beer .....he was an alcoholic......or he should have been .........his wife was ugly

halfdime · Oct 23, 2007

That's a nice wheat; you have to follow your instincts, even if they don't always pan out.

packerbacker · Oct 23, 2007

johny....I was born in Calif. but spent the majority of my youth in Wis. Once a Packerbacker, always one. The Packers have a great relationship with their fans and community; just can't help but be a fan........the beer and brats are also a plus!!

PM me with your address and I'll send you that penny. Can't think of anything I need right off so I'll just take a rain check. I may need a lung some day....what blood type are you?
I hope you're right about the luck CG and you're right halfdime. Actually I may go back to this place just for the practice. It was freshly plowed so the soil was soft. I could try cleaning all the surface iron targets out of an area and then go over it again listening for the good stuff. That's what I should have done in the first place but I tried cherry picking; didn't work.