OLD PICNIC SITE SILVER - SURPRISE!

BlueKnight

Greenie
Sep 30, 2012
13
69
So. NM
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug 2, Minelab (various models), Fisher 2 Box
Shadow X-5
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I happen to live in the Southern NM (desert), and during Library Research, I ran across a news article from the 1950s that mentioned a remote picnic site that was popular for weekend and holiday gatherings. A faded black and white photograph showed several concrete tables, benches, and stone bar-b-Que pits on a secluded hilltop outside of town. I couldn't find anything else to go on and everyone I talked to had never heard of it, so I explored the back-roads until I located it by a process of elimination.
Nothing was left of the concrete and stone that was functionally intact, and the, (4x4 only), inaccessibility of the rocky washed out road made the location an ideal lover's lane, beer drinking - high school hideaway.

After several trips to the site and a modest clean-up effort, I managed to unearth a few nice surprises: Wheaties, rosies, Jefferson's, a buffalo/Indian head, a girls 10k gold ring with a tiny "diamond" setting, and a singed (partially burned), 1961 Ben Franklin half dollar. The biggest surprise though, was the improvised "black-jack" made from a gym sock filled with (217) clad pennies, hidden under a pile of rocks!
Another strange surprise was a 1961 Washington Quarter that had a hole shot through it! Gives new meaning to the term, "Coin Shooting" To me, that's what makes metal detecting and coin shooting so interesting. You just never know what you might find next!
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Upvote 18

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
37,597
139,444
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Great research and results.
Hope that brownish staining wan't old blood.
 

xr7ator

Gold Member
Sep 2, 2011
5,205
7,207
Denver, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, AT Gold, ATX, MH7 (oldie!) Minelab Explorer SE Pro, EQ800
Cool stuff down there! The shot silver quarter is a nice find and the Franklin half is a hard find anytime/where. I see at least two and maybe up to four silver war nickels. Throw in some gold and you've got great spot and I'll bet theres more around somewhere.
Congratulations, way to work it and thanks for sharing.
If that 43 nickel two down from the buffalo doesn't have a mint mark above the dome on the back, check out the 43 counterfeit coins.
 

dave_e

Full Member
Aug 30, 2015
232
486
Ohio
Detector(s) used
Nokta Legend,
Rutus Atrex,
Minelab Equinox 600,
Nokta Impact
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Looks like some of those clad pennies were from the 2000's.
 

dave_e

Full Member
Aug 30, 2015
232
486
Ohio
Detector(s) used
Nokta Legend,
Rutus Atrex,
Minelab Equinox 600,
Nokta Impact
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Suggesting that something potentially unfortunate happened there more recently. May be more than metal buried in the ground out there if you follow me.
True. Creepy stuff.
 

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