granthansen
Bronze Member
- Joined
- May 16, 2012
- Messages
- 1,474
- Reaction score
- 555
- Golden Thread
- 0
- Location
- New Jersey
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab CTX 3030, Garrett Ace 350, Fisher CZ-21, Garrett Pro Pointer
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
I knew I'd have 2 hours free time to detect on Sunday (2/17), from about noon to 2pm at which time I'd have to leave, clean up, and head to my mom's birthday party. I woke up to see it was 29 degrees and 30mph winds. I went outside with the dogs and said, "Grant, you have a sickness if you detect today." Well, I'm sick. I bundled up head to toe, and put on my new waterproof Helly Hansen rubberized pants. So worth the $22. I dare say I felt balmy and didn't even notice the wind. I went a few blocks away to a vacant house where my step-father is the real estate agent and had gained me permission. I've been once before and found a beer token and gas valve, but nothing much else. This day I would target the side and back yards, which had basked in the sun all week long. The soil was ideal. Soft and didn't fall apart.
On the side yard I gridded, and up the first past just found aluminum shards. Around my turn was a bush and I got a 12/29 and 12/30 on the CTX. It would ring 12/29 on the left swing, 12/30 on the right. So I dug. Out came a washer, NO! Square hole! Chinese coin? Yes, definitely looks like an old Chinese coin. Cool!
A few feet away I got more aluminum shards, a nickel, and then another Chinese coin! My first!
I started to wonder about migrant Chinese railroad workers and maybe this meant something to my town's history that I didn't know about, but then again, we're not on the west coast. Hmm...
About an hour in I looked up and saw 2 policemen. My first encounter with cops! "Whatcha doing?" I explained that I have permission etc., and they were really cool. A neighbor had called since the house had been vacant for so long and they saw me out there. Actually nice of the neighbor to be looking out. They left and wished me luck.
I wound up finding another Chinese coin before I set my sights on the back yard.
Got all the way up one side and then got a good signal. I popped the plug out and a GIANT coin stared me in the face, and I could clearly see a left-facing bust. George!! I gasped and fell back. I grabbed it and poured the rest of my bottled water over it to see it clearly. Not as old as I hoped but still very cool: 1916 King George V penny. A first for me:
I still couldn't get over the size of it. My alarm set for 2pm, I knew I had 15 minutes left. Probably enough to finish off the yard. Then I got a really messy hit... numbers jumped all around. Well, why not dig, right? Out pop 2 more Chinese coins on top of each other. My pro pointer was lighting up. Another Chinese coin! And another! Then a few nails, and then another coin! My first coin spill! I also retrieved a few small bullet shells from the same hole, which gave me a creepy feeling that perhaps there was a scuffle that led to the spill. My alarm started to sound. Crap! I have to go. Ug, still more in this hole! I managed to retrieve 12 more coins (15 total for the day) before I had to pack it up. Didn't want to but my mom's b-day party beckoned.
I will be back soon to retrieve the rest. I was able to ID the smaller one (I measured it at 22mm but this site has it as 23mm):
Ching Dynasty - Tao Kuang coins
Tao Kuang Coins (1821-1850 a.d.) - Obv.: Tao Kuang T'ung Pao; Rev.:
Right: Manchu Ciowan - The Board of Revenue mint, Peking
Left: Manchu Boo - coin
The larger coin I have measured at 23mm (so maybe it's 24mm)?
Other cool finds that I have to ID:
Vintage toy car, measures 3.75"
Cowboy on horse? Measures 1.75"
Toy train, oil tanker, measures 3.75:
Oh, and I saw a neighbor outside gathering all his garbage that was blowing around (not sure if same neighbor who contacted police). But I chitchatted with him a bit and he told me when he bought his house that he found a lot of railroad relics. He wound up going inside, and coming back out and giving me one of them! A vintage railroad insulator. Another first!
And finally, some misc finds from the day:
On the side yard I gridded, and up the first past just found aluminum shards. Around my turn was a bush and I got a 12/29 and 12/30 on the CTX. It would ring 12/29 on the left swing, 12/30 on the right. So I dug. Out came a washer, NO! Square hole! Chinese coin? Yes, definitely looks like an old Chinese coin. Cool!
A few feet away I got more aluminum shards, a nickel, and then another Chinese coin! My first!
I started to wonder about migrant Chinese railroad workers and maybe this meant something to my town's history that I didn't know about, but then again, we're not on the west coast. Hmm...
About an hour in I looked up and saw 2 policemen. My first encounter with cops! "Whatcha doing?" I explained that I have permission etc., and they were really cool. A neighbor had called since the house had been vacant for so long and they saw me out there. Actually nice of the neighbor to be looking out. They left and wished me luck.
I wound up finding another Chinese coin before I set my sights on the back yard.
Got all the way up one side and then got a good signal. I popped the plug out and a GIANT coin stared me in the face, and I could clearly see a left-facing bust. George!! I gasped and fell back. I grabbed it and poured the rest of my bottled water over it to see it clearly. Not as old as I hoped but still very cool: 1916 King George V penny. A first for me:
I still couldn't get over the size of it. My alarm set for 2pm, I knew I had 15 minutes left. Probably enough to finish off the yard. Then I got a really messy hit... numbers jumped all around. Well, why not dig, right? Out pop 2 more Chinese coins on top of each other. My pro pointer was lighting up. Another Chinese coin! And another! Then a few nails, and then another coin! My first coin spill! I also retrieved a few small bullet shells from the same hole, which gave me a creepy feeling that perhaps there was a scuffle that led to the spill. My alarm started to sound. Crap! I have to go. Ug, still more in this hole! I managed to retrieve 12 more coins (15 total for the day) before I had to pack it up. Didn't want to but my mom's b-day party beckoned.
I will be back soon to retrieve the rest. I was able to ID the smaller one (I measured it at 22mm but this site has it as 23mm):
Ching Dynasty - Tao Kuang coins
Tao Kuang Coins (1821-1850 a.d.) - Obv.: Tao Kuang T'ung Pao; Rev.:
Right: Manchu Ciowan - The Board of Revenue mint, Peking
Left: Manchu Boo - coin
The larger coin I have measured at 23mm (so maybe it's 24mm)?
Other cool finds that I have to ID:
Vintage toy car, measures 3.75"
Cowboy on horse? Measures 1.75"
Toy train, oil tanker, measures 3.75:
Oh, and I saw a neighbor outside gathering all his garbage that was blowing around (not sure if same neighbor who contacted police). But I chitchatted with him a bit and he told me when he bought his house that he found a lot of railroad relics. He wound up going inside, and coming back out and giving me one of them! A vintage railroad insulator. Another first!
And finally, some misc finds from the day:
Upvote
17
Congrats on the cool Chinese coins, Canadian coin, and sweet relics. Love those toys. 
and all this time I thought North Jersey was completely paved over in concrete and asphalt 
I like the toys , and "the Man " story ,, doin' their job, so that's ok . 
I took a few that I dug to the local Chinese take out place for the chef to help id . He wanted them really bad so we figured out a deal ,, traded them for a large order of General Tso's chicken , fried rice , and two egg rolls a week for a month . He keeps asking if I found any more . Chinese coins do show up down here in South Jersey farm fields . Keep on rockin' , Northern style . 
