Just clads but a sort-of nice bracelet and a scare!

[Silver Fox]

Unlike the old days when any excuse was good enough to go metal detecting in Central Park, just a half-block from my apartment building, since I got back into the hobby in January I don't have the ol' get up and go so certain factors have to come together for me to activate my Land Star. Today was such a day.

Even though the rain ended a couple of days ago it was still too cool for me to enjoy detecting without bundling up. Today the temperature was "scheduled" to reach 70, ideal weather to be finding money! I went out to a local park from 1895 in a short-sleeve shirt and while waiting for the bus the 23-mile-per-hour wind made me wonder if I should go home and get a jacket or long sleeve shirt but I didn't bother and I was glad I didn't as it was a beautiful day in the park and a long sleeve shirt or jacket would have been a hindrance. The park has a nice history convincing detectorists that it would be ideal to hunt in but years ago I walked its whole length and it didn't produce what one would think would be found. No silver, no old coins.

I detected almost 3 hours besieged by curious kids, adorable but sometimes in the way putting their hands in the holes while you're probing with a pointed instrument! I didn't mind 'cause they were so cute. I found only clad coins and a horsehair (I'm guessing) bracelet with what looks like silver rings but I'm not sure 'cause there's no markings (photo). 8 quarters, 11 dimes, and 5 copper cents and a 1934 worn wheatie. One of the dimes made me think I had found a silver Rosie 'cause it came out of the hole looking like one! At home I could see it was 1998. Bummer for needing glasses which I didn't have with me.

I did have one bad moment that made my heart race. A couple of teenage girls were chasing each other a little distance from me so I wasn't concerned with them. But while concentrating on retrieving a coin I heard an awful cracking sound and expected to see my detector in pieces. The larger of the 2 girls, big for her age, had gotten too close to me and tripped on my upright coil and I thought she had stepped on it by the sound it made. Fortunately all she did was flip the not-too-tight coil towards the control housing. Whew!

Silver Fox

 

[juju]

Great story. Sounds like that trip was much too close for comfort.

 

[liftloop]

way too go silver, fox keep up the good hunting

 

[Brett]

Hey Silver Fox, I really commend you on getting out there after not feeling so well. I would have probably steered away from the kiddies but you pushed right on through and came away with some loot! Nice story and bracelet too! Have a great weekend.

 

[SoreKneesDayton]

Nice bracelet Fox. Good hunt.

SKD

 

[I_Dig_NYC]

Glad you got out Silver Fox.

Good thing the detector was saved from certain death. LOL

Hey you didn't think that finding a silver coin in one of this cities oldest parks would be that easy, did ya?

It's no wonder guys around New York City find one lousy silver dime and it's like they found the location to the Holy Grail or the Lost Scrolls.

I gotta laugh when I see that, while guys down south and out west pull silver dollars, halfs, quarters and large cents like they are picking daisies

 

[Silver Fox]

Glad you got out Silver Fox.

Good thing the detector was saved from certain death. LOL

Hey you didn't think that finding a silver coin in one of this cities oldest parks would be that easy, did ya?

It's no wonder guys around New York City find one lousy silver dime and it's like they found the location to the Holy Grail or the Lost Scrolls.

I gotta laugh when I see that, while guys down south and out west pull silver dollars, halfs, quarters and large cents like they are picking daisies

Well, NYC parks are sort-of down for the count but they're not out yet. Even though there are 1,700 parks and we are allowed to detect only in 27 of them, I've detected in only 5 or 6 of them and a couple of those are no longer on the list, excluding Central Park which never was on the list. Central Park is CHOCK full of old coins, silver and gold, and everything else.

I think that the reason that there do not SEEM to be old coins, especially silver, in Morningside Park could be that it's been worked on many times and you can see the result of some soil exchange or whatever they do.

Also, research shows that in the early days or right after parks were built in the late 1800s you rarely see people photographed laying around like you do now in places such as Central Park's Sheep Meadow which on a hot summer day will accommodate thousands. However, I did find coins dating to the middle 1800s in Central Park and they were possibly being carried well into the 1900s when they might have been lost.

In my case, I don't feel like traveling to Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, or Staten Island. I never did in the past 'cause I could get away with detecting in Central Park and when I finally had to stop because the Rangers were becoming more visible I hung up my detector for years.

I went to Van Cortland Park (Bronx) & found nothing. And by nothing I don't mean clad 'cause we're always going to find clad but you know it's silver that provides the thrills. I went to Prospect Park (Brooklyn) and found nothing. I went to Clove Lakes (Staten Island) and found nothing.

If I wasn't so lazy I'd go throught the trouble of taking the subway to the other boroughs' parks and I might still do it which would be better than wasting a day in Riverside Park. Like I've said, I don't think anyone has ever found a half dollar in Riverside Park and never might!

I'm going to do some more research into the history of the 27 parks and possibly check out the oldest. One never knows.

 

[I_Dig_NYC]

You are right Silver Fox, these parks have been around for 200 years like Van Cortland and you can't find one old horshoe or buckle. These were farmlands and Indian territories way before the war with the British and about the only thing that has remained unchanged is the boundaries of the park. Everything within has been worked and reworked dozens of times in the last 200 years. Especially any fields or baseball diamonds they have most definately been scraped and refilled and regraded countless times. Picnic areas the same. Van Cortland has seen the building and demise of a railroad line. The original Croton reservoir tunnel dug through it as well as it's current replacement tunnel. Massive underground valve chambers that control water supply to the massive city lie beneath the old parade grounds and fields near Broadway. These chambers are the size of football stadiums and required alot of earth movers when built. The far side of the park is currently the site of New Yorks latest engineering marvel, an 80 foot deep open crater as big as a football field that will house a massive underground water filtration plant when completed 10 years from now. It will be covered over with a new park and golf course and invisible to people for generations to come. There have been roads and highways built that intersect through it. I mean the history you would think is there has been obliterated long ago, you may find a tiny piece of it's tattered past but I doubt it. The only thing thats original is the land under the mansion George Washington slept in. Lets see you get near that with a shovel.

Silver Fox you can research the oldest parks, like I have, but as we all know if there is any silver coins to be found they will be in the older wooded areas.(Oops did I let the cat out of the bag or what?). Anything out in the open is new clad junk. I went over a 50 to 100 foot area in one part that I didn't realize had been recently filled in as part of a new playground project. Man was I shocked not a peep from my detector, I thought it was broken.

Listen I'm gonna let you in on a Park that is old, cause thats the type of unselfish guy that I am. George Washington built a fort there called Fort Tryon, it's Inwood Park, the northern tip of Manhattan Island near the Hudson. It's pretty safe during the day, lots of park employees, but it's on the list I beleive you can check that on the permit. Theres alot of open field but there is a large ancient hill going towards the fort and the river with lots of trails and woods you can get lost in. This place goes back to the 1600's and saw alot of action and traffic during the discovery and founding of NYC and the war with the English. Listen all I ask in return is that you leave at least one silver dime for me and an honorable mention here if you find alot of goodies. It's a big park and I'm not greedy.

Harry.....

 

[Silver Fox]

I_Dig_NYC, I know what you mean about Van Cortland Park not being its true old self. Riverside Park is like that up to a point. As you know, the lower part must have been dug from here to kingdom come for the freight trains so there's no need to go west of the above ground grilles (for lack of the proper term) that one case see the full length of the park.

As big as Inwood Park is, I don't think that there's enough coins to make a trip worth it since it's more like woods than where people would go to play and lay about. And "native Americans" didn't leave stuff for us since our detectors are not going to pick up arrowheads! And worst, as we know it IS a dangerous park because it is so vast and unpopulated. Before I go up there I'd rather waste my time with clads in Riiverside Park, it's safer and you do see people and traffic all of the time.

In reality, the only park we have that COULD produce the goodies that Central Park is capable of it is Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Even though my only visit there proved fruitless, it's history could make another trip worthwhile. I had a lot of printouts of the various areas where monuments are found with their dedicated dates.

I just gotta get psyched up for the trip.

 

[I_Dig_NYC]

Hey Silver Fox I know all about Riverside Park I was born and raised just north of there and that park was our stomping grounds as kids. We ran up and down that park from the George Washington Bridge down to 72nd. Street. including several journeys through the freight tunnels,(where the homeless live in their underground shanty town), yep we were crazy kids. I would fish off the river there too by the highway, all that rock the highway is built on was dug up or blasted out of the ground to make way for the subway that runs up Broadway.

You are mistaken about Inwood park being unsafe, perhaps you are thinking about the Dyckman area. This is north on Seaman Ave. it's where Columbia University's football stadium is, and their rowing team practices at. There is a kind of museum in there too since it is a natural estuary and rich in Indian History. Listen the neighborhood is loaded with expensive apartments and it's 90% caucasions living in that area surrounding the park. If you went there you might think you were on 86th street & Riverside seriously.

As far as history it was one of the first areas surveyed by Henry Hudson when he first made landing in NYC. It's also where he came under attack by the "startled" Indians, and the even more startled Henry Hudson and his men (oops). It's not far from the old "Kings" bridge the first connection between Manhattan island and the mainland (Bronx). Countless people travelled through there on there way north and to and from the original road to Boston. The only way in and out of the city across land was through there.

Then of course there is the revolutionary war Fort that saw countless soldiers from both sides as they built, fought over and travelled (or Fled) from the other armies to and from this area. Kind of like what Morningside park saw. Prospect park ain't got nothing as far as history compared to Manhattans and the Bronx's oldest parks. Lets not even mention Central park. If you can't find it there then forget about the other Boro's.

Harry.......

 

[Silver Fox]

I_Dig_NYC, what I'll do first is scope out Inwood Park with my wife before I bring my super-expensivo BH LAND STAR!

I know there are caves up there also but one never knows what one is going to find in them or be surprised while in them. If I see meadows that could show promise of finding coins, I'll return and take a chance.

When I was a kid in the '50s, Riverside Park was well visited by hordes that would square-dance in the old skating rink, would mass for the annual fireworks display on the hudson, etc. But they must have left their loose change at home!

However, for a park from the late 1800s it is surprising that I've never found a barber coin or a half dollar. They may be there but you're gonna have to be one fortunate son of a gun to put your coil over them.

I did find a beautiful man's 14K gold ring with a tourmaline gem worth around $300. So there are still some serious goodies to be found and once in a while I'll return to Riverside Park when I feel like being a "swinger"! 8)

 

[JJS NEW ENGLAND]

IT WAS YOUR LUCKY DAY. THE DETECTOR GODS WERE LOOKING AFTER YOU.HH

 

[I_Dig_NYC]

Silver Fox My parents and grandparents as well as my younger generation hung out and picnicked and BBQ there since the 1950's up until the 1980's or so. Mostly on the hill north of Grants tomb, great views of the river and the GW bridge from there, those were good times. On the 4th of July they would close the highway down and let you walk down it to get a closer view of the fireworks display on the Hudson.

My bad about the misinformation earlier about the Fort at Inwood. Now I see what your saying about dangerous, the fort is actually in The Cloisters section by Dyckman, south of Inwood Park but geographically the same area. That's more of a make out point, lovers lane area. Nothing but hills and cliffs, not much lounging in the grass like you say, and like you say possibly some caves. Some caves might actually have been hand dug by the soldiers to gain access to cannon turrets in the sides of the hill facing the river, so they could shoot at the Brittish ships coming in.

Take the A to the last stop and walk west to the park on a nice sunny day with the wife Silver Fox you'll see it's a decent place with scenic views of Spuytan Duyvil (the water connecting the Hudson to the East River) and the cliffs of northern Manhattan and the Bronx. You'll see some NYC estuary wildlife and theres an interesting little natural history museum to check out too.

Harry...

 

[robfinds]

Hello Silver Fox, we went to New York last feb, coldest place iv'e ever been colder than Moscow !.
Robert England.

 

[Silver Fox]

Hello Silver Fox, we went to New York last feb, coldest place iv'e ever been colder than Moscow !.
Robert England.

Maybe upstate New York, Robert. Here in the Big Apple (mainly meant for Manhattan) you could say it's almost paradise compared to what goes on around us in New Jersey and Connecticut, weather-wise. We enjoy almost temperate weather while just a few miles away they get feet of snow and freezing temperatures. But we are comfortable and we like to joke that this because God lives here! Of course, being an atheists I join in but it's a laughable matter.

Colder than Moscow? THAT is hard to beat. But we are also known for historic blizzards. Someone from the mid-states just posted a few days ago that they had hail! In May! Just goes to show ya.

If and when you return to New York (City) let Big Apple Greeters know and they'll set you up with your own private tour volunteer guide. Who knows, you might be assigned to my wife who is a Greeter and she takes people from all over the world around NYC.

 

[Silver Fox]

Silver Fox My parents and grandparents as well as my younger generation hung out and picnicked and BBQ there since the 1950's up until the 1980's or so. Mostly on the hill north of Grants tomb, great views of the river and the GW bridge from there, those were good times. On the 4th of July they would close the highway down and let you walk down it to get a closer view of the fireworks display on the Hudson.

My bad about the misinformation earlier about the Fort at Inwood. Now I see what your saying about dangerous, the fort is actually in The Cloisters section by Dyckman, south of Inwood Park but geographically the same area. That's more of a make out point, lovers lane area. Nothing but hills and cliffs, not much lounging in the grass like you say, and like you say possibly some caves. Some caves might actually have been hand dug by the soldiers to gain access to cannon turrets in the sides of the hill facing the river, so they could shoot at the Brittish ships coming in.

Take the A to the last stop and walk west to the park on a nice sunny day with the wife Silver Fox you'll see it's a decent place with scenic views of Spuytan Duyvil (the water connecting the Hudson to the East River) and the cliffs of northern Manhattan and the Bronx. You'll see some NYC estuary wildlife and theres an interesting little natural history museum to check out too.

Harry...

I've done the hill and playground area all around and behind Grant's Tomb as far north as where the Claremont Inn used to be located. No old or silver coins. I also did Sakura Park across the Riverside Blvd. I plan to pay a return visit to that area soon.

And Linda and I will take a walk to Spuyten Duyvil and appreciate the scenery which I know from photos I've seen to be a nice place to spend an afternoon. Thanks for the "invite."

 

[Silver Fox]

IT WAS YOUR LUCKY DAY. THE DETECTOR GODS WERE LOOKING AFTER YOU.HH

I'm glad they were but they must have been snickering when I reacted to the "cracking" sound which is something you do not want to hear! I really expected to be taking home a basket case. From now on, when I kneel to retrieve an object I'll place the detector right in front of me, not to the side as I'm used to doing. We all do it but I'm going to be more aware. All you need is one lesson and I've had mine.