In the days before pinpointers

Musky1011

Screwdrivers were the way to find targets. This barber dime was hit from the eye to the rim.. It resides as a special coin in my Dansco 7070. As found, never cleaned

metalmeister

I still use my ol' dull screw driver.

pcgs69

I've scratched enough with my shovel digging plugs. Can't imagine the scratch ratio for screwdrivers!

ricko

Yep...pinpointers have saved many a coin.... Cheers, RickO

johnny9434

Originally posted by: metalmeister
I still use my ol' dull screw driver.

same here.

pocketpiececommems

Screwdriver for me to. No dead spots several days later.

Dockwalliper

The best stuff is too deep to recover with a screwdriver.

Zot

Pinpointers are great indeed!

One just needs to remember that they aren't digging tools (this coming from a guy who has broken a few pinpointers when being too lazy to switch between pinpointer and trowel)

pcgs69

Wow, would love to see a video clip of that happening. I think we've all tried pushing some dirt with ours... it's there and it's looks like it should be able to move some dirt

Zot

For me it happens over time, especially with one particular pinpointer model (which I shall not name, as I know this is entirely my own fault!).
It seems they gradually weaken, until the whole "pointy part" eventually breaks off from the main chassis without even applying too much force.

Usually they can still be rescued with super glue.
I always carry two in case I break one

pcgs69

Is it a Istol Pay Obe Pray? Or something like that. Rusty on my Pig Latin...

Zot

Originally posted by: pcgs69
Is it a Istol Pay Obe Pray? Or something like that. Rusty on my Pig Latin...

Nope!
I'm pretty sure one of them has been pictured in some old posts of mine, but I'm not offering any clues!

ricko

Yep, the urge to move dirt with the probe is strong... so convenient... but will kill the probe

eventually. Cheers, RickO

lordmarcovan

I have an otherwise-decent 1916-D Barber quarter and 1913 Canadian large cent with similar (or worse) "ouchies".



Hit the Canadian cent across the reverse with my dig knife. The Barber quarter I didn't hit with my tool, but when I saw its edge peeking out from the side of the hole, I pulled it out of the dirt and scratched it on the rock it had been resting on for all that time. Bummer.



It happens, though. Electronic pinpointers definitely have helped prevent a lot of similar injuries, thank goodness.