...only 2 old coins all day...but good ones! :-)

mlw67 · Jun 11, 2011

We knocked at the door of a place we had been wanting to hunt, but got no answer. We almost left, but decided to hunt the sidewalk easement out front. We found clad, junk, and a 1900-S barber dime. :hello2:

Then we drove to another spot we had been eyeing, and got permission to hunt a yard at a house built in 1892. All we found was clad and junk! :dontknow:

But we also hunted the sidewalk easement across the street from that yard, and pulled out clad, junk, and a sweet 1905-S quarter! :headbang:

Not a single wheat or indian, no newer silver, nothing old at all except a 1959 license plate tag--and two barbers. Kind of odd--but I'll take it! 8)

Tuberale · Jul 1, 2011

Two S-mint Barbers the same day! That's gotta be a record for Portland!

Great finds!

jeepcj5 · Jul 1, 2011

AWESOME Barbers! I am green with envy, as i have yet to find a Barber anything!!! the quarter is FANTASTIC... i hunt the sidewalk strips as well and have found my most valuable items in them... In California the sidewalk easements are owned by the city, county or state depending on where you're at.... Don't ya just love finding a lot of the S minted coins here on the west coast, just yesterday i found (in a sidewalk strip) a 1945 micro s dime in really good condition!!!

Wldbil · Jul 1, 2011

Yep... I would take those 2 anytime. :icon_thumright:

mlw67 · Jul 2, 2011

Thanks for the great replies, everyone! :headbang:

I do love how many "S" mints come out of the ground in these parts. 8)

Most of my hunting is done in East Portland, though I do venture other places occasionally.

>waving to Lisa< :hello:

oldmaps · Jul 4, 2011

do you ask permission to hunt the easements

hombre_de_plata_flaco · Jul 4, 2011

That is one nice looking quarter! Congratulations! :icon_thumright:

bclark · Jul 4, 2011

Nice finds. I went out for a few times in the front yard this weekends and gained 72 cents, a hot wheel car, battery terminal clamp, a few unknowns, and a piece of a water hose. I am trying to cover every inch of my front and back yard before my new detector gets here. I want to see what I missed with the ACE 250 searching with the AT Pro. I have detected my yard over the years and find all kinds of stuff. I recently had my roof and gutters replaced so I am also looking for nails so I dont get a flat. I stepped on a old roofing nail a few days ago and it didnt feel too good. I ahve not checked the strip by the street yet.

mlw67 · Jul 5, 2011

oldmaps said:
do you ask permission to hunt the easements

No I don't, unless I ask to hunt the whole yard, in which case I would of course hunt the easement too.

At the same time however, I don't hunt in front of people's houses that often.

I've been hunting easements since the 70's, and have developed some good tips for hunting easements which against my better judgement I will now share with you: (Portland, Oregon residents, please stop reading now)

*Apartments; I've never once had someone come out of an apartment and complain about me being on the easements.
*Industrial or business areas; often times these places were once residential, and good coins can come from them. In these areas, watch for old driveways that no longer go to a driveway, or perpendicular sidewalks that now lead to nothing--indications that an old house was once there and is no longer.
*Landscaping; Often times people take out the grass and add bushes or whatever. Don't overlook these! I found an apartment building in NW Portland one time that had brand new bushes in the easement--along with several old coins almost right on the surface including a nice rare barber dime and some other good silver.
*Fences and bushes; If they can't see you, they won't complain. LOL ::)

If someone ever *does* complain, I just tell them that I only hunt the easements because those are city property--and then I ask them if I can hunt their yard. :laughing9:

You would be shocked at how many people come out to complain, but then because I'm nice to them, actually give me permission to hunt the yard!? :dontknow:

*Other types of fences; If the fence is see-through, like a chain-link, that at least usually means that the owner knows the easement isn't his or her property. (not always however)
*Adjacent easements; although these are often in front of houses, I've found some of my best stuff in the easements that are adjacent to sites that were at one time a good spot, such as a park or school.
*For sale signs; I watch for these, then look at the house. If it is noticeably vacant, chances are good no one will come out to chase you off the easement. :tongue3:

NOTE: it is NOT a good idea to start hunting the yards of vacant houses--those are still private property.

I could probably think of some more tips, but that should get you started. :wink:

(Portland residents, resume reading now)

hombre_de_plata_flaco said:
That is one nice looking quarter! Congratulations!

Thanks!

bclark said:
Nice finds. I went out for a few times in the front yard this weekends and gained 72 cents, a hot wheel car, battery terminal clamp, a few unknowns, and a piece of a water hose. I am trying to cover every inch of my front and back yard before my new detector gets here. I want to see what I missed with the ACE 250 searching with the AT Pro. I have detected my yard over the years and find all kinds of stuff. I recently had my roof and gutters replaced so I am also looking for nails so I dont get a flat. I stepped on a old roofing nail a few days ago and it didnt feel too good. I ahve not checked the strip by the street yet.

Your yard is a great place to start! But yeah, watch out for those roofing nails. $:-\$