My finds - 2025 [5/22 update]
Boosibri
Posts: 12,353 ✭✭✭✭✭
Went to a park in a very small town which is situated next to a general store from 1868. The store now is a bit of a Frankenhouse, built on and added to over the years, but the storefront façade remains clear
The historical aerials show the park having a ballfield in the same spot which one is today. I searched around the area near the dugout and stands with two notable finds, an 1846 Large Cent and a very nice 1944 Mercury dime.
On the books for the year and running out of places to hunt!
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Comments
any date on the large cent? just curious
1846 Small Date
Latin American Collection
Great finds! Those large cents are hard to come by.
Great start, Brian. Congrats. If only that store could talk.
Jim
Latin American Collection
I have an area near me that has been there since the late 1800's would love to buy a metal detector but the property is privately owned. Sucks it was such a busy area and is a very large area I would be busy for a few years. Ah well not worth the risk of me breaking the law (s).
Just get permission. Very common to do
Latin American Collection
Good idea I will ask. Worst case they say no.
Well done, Brian. Glad to see you’re still at it.
Congrats. I know your area and I believe you have unlimited amounts of opportunities.
Looking for Charlie (Charley) Maxwell cards.
Congrats - well done
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I wish I felt the same! Lots of hunted out parks and tough to get permissions. But the eventual finds are still a thrill!
Latin American Collection
Good luck with finding some new permissions!
In my area it's challenging aswell, but only one or two really good permissions per year can make it worth while.
A few years ago I was struggeling until july, but then I found a section of a public park with exceptionally good finds. So some good, probably even virgin public spots are still out there.
Thanks for posting your hunt. It's going to be a terrific year.
I made it out Friday and decided to hit a park which is in a smaller town. It’s an island in a lake which was formed in the early 1900’s when the county dammed the river. There are large old trees, swimming spots and picnic benches.
I searched the far side of the island to start where people would have gone to swim. Found a wheat cent and a lot of 1970’s Lincoln’s. After a few hours of searching that area I walked toward my car since I was running out of time. Near the entrance I hit a good signal near a massive old pine but after trying to sink my shovel in I realized the target was buried under a mass of large roots. I dug and sawed for 10 min with the root slayer shovel and finally pulled out a merc! I search a little further and found another good signal in a similar mess of roots. Another merc. Several wheat cents later I had to call it a day to go get my son.
I was using the new M9 coil for the Manticore and I’m massively impressed. Beat target separation I have experienced and the two mercs were 8-12in down.
Latin American Collection
Super finds!
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
Two more Mercs and what appears to be an aluminum token which I thought was silver. I was digging really iffy signals and hit a lot of wheat cents and these dimes. The one is a 1927-S which is a good date and not really ED.
And from earlier in the week at the same site
Latin American Collection
The 27-S is a nice find. I too, have found that kind of play money before, and initially thought they might be silver… a “dime” and “nickel” at the same location. A quick look at EBay offerings dashed those thoughts, showing several aluminum examples.
Went out to a new permission, a school which operated from 1873 to 1960.
Lots of metal in the ground and came away with a few good signals, all which ended of being wheaties. One signal in particular at the base of an old tree had me excited but disappointment when the familiar copper came out. Those things are so deceptive! Ring up like silver sometimes.
Latin American Collection
Brian,
That is a good indication for the area you are hunting. To find Wheaties at such an obvious site to hunt is great. The area I live in have been hit very hard. Keep at it. Good luck.
Jim
Wheaties are usually a good indicator of better items yet to be found in a given area, although I’ve covered a few spots that yielded wheatie after wheatie, but nary a lick of silver. It does happen, although luckily it’s been the exception, not the rule.
Well, I went over the whole site and nada. Perhaps I’ll go back and walk in a perpendicular direction to my last pass.
Latin American Collection
Good luck!
Remember: the more signals you dig (including weired and / or undesirable ones), the more unexpected relics and potentially also coins and jewellery you will find.
My how the Kellogg School has changed from its humble beginnings…
Ryan Field is just around the corner
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Had free time today so went out to another park in a small town which started its existence as the site of the train depot in town. The depot still stands and is now a two unit apartment/duplex. The area in front is a grassy park with a playground and a war memorial which was dedicated in 1947. It was upon this dedication that the park became officially a park, though. I imagine it was a grassy open space since the beginning of time.
I started my search at the far end of the park, away from the war memorial for no specific reason other than that’s where I parked the car. I searched around targeting the big trees and open areas and specifically the area lining. What is now the rail depot. I had absolutely no luck. I went over to the open area in front of the war memorial and got a good signal. It was dancing between 75 and 93. I dug the hole open the plug and found my first standing liberty quarter. About 5 feet away. The next hole had a mercury dime. After that, I canvas the area in that general vicinity coming up with a lot of clad and one older trade token which I need to make out After soaking it.
All in all two silvers is not a bad day.
In this photo, you can see the depot now refurbished in the background and where the people are standing in the right is where I found the coins in front of the war memorial.
Latin American Collection
Went out to another small park in a small town earlier this week and I didn’t have a lot of time but the park looked promising. I found one wheat sent and tons of clad before taking a pause. A guy walked up to me and asked me if I found anything and I told him not much. He proceeded to tell me that he already hit this park really hard and then he has metal detector usually in fields and so on. He told me that he found most of the silver in a spot in the back corner, but the park was hunted out.
I asked him what type of detector he used and I didn’t recognize the name. I figured that it probably wasn’t a top end detector that the guy was clearly skilled so I figured I’d go back and see if the high discrimination on the man core could find things amongst all of the nails and metal in the ground. I went to the place in which he said he found most of the silver and spent about two hours. In the end, I found a Merc and a barber dime. Will head back probably tomorrow and cover some more ground.
Latin American Collection
Cool finds thanks for sharing!!! You are getting some nice hits. I am still waiting on a response from an area I want to search were I live. Hope they give me the OK. Would love to find some early halves or dollars (Canadian in my case). Or any silver coins as well.
Early Mercury dimes in EF or better are always a nice find.