Home Metal Detecting

My 2015 finds worth posting -- updated 12/14/15

Got out for the first time this year. Went on a hunt with the local treasure club to a city park. Found $1.54 in clad, a Chuck E. Cheese token, and a key. Yesterday's all-day rains provided easy digging but also left some areas water-logged. From what I heard, I may have found as much or more than anyone else in the group. One guy did find an Eisenhower dollar; did not hear if it had any silver content.

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Comments

  • pocketpiececommemspocketpiececommems Posts: 5,723 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looks like two of your quarters were found back to back. I'll bet you were glad to get out.
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Yeah, I did find two of the quarters together. Was hoping for a pocket spill! It sure was nice to get out. It was very gusty, but otherwise partly sunny and temps in the high 40s.
  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭✭
    not a bad haul. How many guys were in the hunt?
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭


    << <i>not a bad haul. How many guys were in the hunt? >>



    Thanks. I think we had about a dozen or so this time.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice finds.... still cold and snow on the ground here....any wheaties in those cents?? Cheers, RickO
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Nice finds.... still cold and snow on the ground here....any wheaties in those cents?? Cheers, RickO >>



    No Wheaties this time, just modern Lincolns.
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Luck O' The Irish came one day early for me. image Found this hoard yesterday in a Coinstar return bin. Only silver was the '68 Kennedy. I can understand that and the world coins falling through, but even some modern U.S. coins came out too. Maybe the machine was jammed or something.


    image
  • Bayard1908Bayard1908 Posts: 3,975 ✭✭✭✭
    Looks like you got yourself a few Euros too.
  • I'm not a coin collector, but I dabbled when I was younger and have an appreciation for the hobby. This is my first visit to the coin forums, but I have to say, this coinstar return is so freakin' cool!
  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 27,409 ✭✭✭✭✭
    i wish i had better luck with that coin star stuff.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wow.... that is an amazing Coinstar find....never had that kind of luck... congratulations...Cheers, RickO
  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭✭
    that is a great mix of finds! My only finds at coinstar have been a couple modern Canadian coins. Always peek in though
  • ga5150ga5150 Posts: 743 ✭✭✭
    I know we're fairly close to the same area and I got out with a friend the same day as you. All I got was a V Nickel and a 1973 Quarter and a bag full of iron junk. I was so happy just to get out that it didn't really matter. Good luck and keep hitting it!
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Thanks for the support, everyone. When I made that Coinstar haul, I'm pretty certain there was nothing in the bin when I entered the store. And my shopping only took about 15 minutes, so they must have left all that behind in that short period of time.

    I did find a 1963 Roosie in there a few months ago, and I thought that was really something. image

    Rodney, it was nice to get out, wasn't it? I thought sure it would take me a while to get my technique back, but it didn't take long at all.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice to get back 'in the swing' again... will be a few more weeks here.... Cheers, RickO
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Short birthday hunt for me this morning. At a local high school, I discovered a large patch of ground removed right in front of the main building. Appears to have been dug out by a construction crew. Thought I'd do well there but only found a clad quarter. Tried a little bit in the mulch next to the main door as I had done well there in the past with clad. I think just a modern penny came out of that spot. Left and hunted around the basketball court at a park. Found a little more in clad but not much. Saw the remains of some kid's Buzz Lightyear toy (character from Toy Story). I guess old Buzz finally met his doom.

    Total for the day was just 63 cents in clad and no other keepers to speak of. It was a short hunt but nice to get out and really good weather.
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Last weekend the local treasure club held a members-only seeded hunt. Coins and specially-marked tokens were scattered in a grassy area. I found 21 silver dimes, a dozen Buffalo and V nickels, 4 silver Washingtons, and a couple of IHCs. Didn't find any of the tokens, which were redeemable for prizes like silver dollars, diggers, and other goodies. All participants were in the raffle for one of 4 metal detectors, but alas, I did not win one. The choices were XP Deus, Whites Coinmaster, Tesoro Dejon, and a Tesoro Tiger Shark. I was very surprised the guy whose ticket was pulled first chose the Coinmaster over the Deus.

    After the hunt we were treated to a cookout with burgers and hotdogs. Weather was perfect and it was a great outing.

    image
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That sounds like a fun day with like-minded folks... nice finds too...Cheers, RickO
  • C0INB0YC0INB0Y Posts: 627 ✭✭


    << <i>Luck O' The Irish came one day early for me. image Found this hoard yesterday in a Coinstar return bin. Only silver was the '68 Kennedy. I can understand that and the world coins falling through, but even some modern U.S. coins came out too. Maybe the machine was jammed or something.


    image >>




    I have to say you live in a good Coinstar area!

    I have found a few "hauls" with about half the number of coins like that on 3-4 occasions!

    I am just amazed how folks just walk away without bothering to check the rejection slot!
    I was ‘COINB0Y' with 4812 posts and ‘Expert Collector’ ranking (Joined in 2006).
  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭✭
    that sounds like the perfect day detecting... lots of silver, and a cookout after
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Had time for a short hunt on Sunday morning, about an hour. Went to one of the local high schools I had not hit before. Mostly concentrated on the grass area next to where the faculty park. All findings were clad, but it was a decent haul in a short period of time: 6 quarters, a dime, a nickel, and 2 cents. First time finding more quarters than pennies, so that was nice.
  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭✭
    If there are any stands around sports fields, that might be a spot to check. People sitting down and losing change. Or the sidelines as well. Keep us posted on what comes up next!
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice haul for a parking area..... Cheers, RickO
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Went to the monthly meeting of the local treasure club last night. In the warmer months, they do a mini-hunt by scattering items in the grassy area next to the meeting hall. I had one of my best outings at these hunts this time. Found 19 Wheats, 1 Buffalo Nickel, 1 silver war nickel (which was actually left over from the closed club-members-only hunt a few weeks ago), and one Indian Head cent. I also found a specially-marked brass token which I was able to redeem for a 90% silver Kennedy half during the meeting image.

    One of our members showed a metal detector that was sent to him by a dealer, asking him to try it out and provide feedback. It was a brand I'd never heard of, Nokta, made in Turkey. Seems like an interesting machine, probably on level with the AT Pro.
  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭✭
    Sounds like you had a pretty good day out there, and got a couple of silver out of it too! Can't complain about that. Wonder how that Nokta machine will work. Might have to check out youtube for videos of it.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You did fantastic on the club hunt... congratulations.... have not heard of the Nokta....let us know what you hear at the club. Cheers, RickO
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    I found this ring in a park last weekend. I am assuming it's junk jewelry. Maybe someone else here has seen a ring like this, with dolphins on it. It looks like "bling" for the younger crowd. This particular park is probably not more than 40 years old, and all my other keepers I found during this hunt were clad coins. I haven't seen any markings on it so far. Need to clean it up and take another look.

    image
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yep....looks like the rings at swap meets/fairs etc.... if no markings, it is pot metal. Cheers, RickO
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    I stand corrected! It's my first silver find!! image

    imageimage
  • mariner67mariner67 Posts: 2,746 ✭✭✭
    Congratulations....here is to you finding much more silver...and gold!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Successful trades/buys/sells with gdavis70, adriana, wondercoin, Weiss, nibanny, IrishMike, commoncents05, pf70collector, kyleknap, barefootjuan, coindeuce, WhiteTornado, Nefprollc, ajw, JamesM, PCcoins, slinc, coindudeonebay,beernuts, and many more
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Great.... silver finds are always cool....Cheers, RickO
  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭✭
    congrats! sometimes that stamp can be hidden by the tarnish. That's one of the best surprises thinking it's junk, but later finding out it's real, and it's spectacular!
  • pocketpiececommemspocketpiececommems Posts: 5,723 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When I saw the first pic that you posted I thought that the way it was tarnished it sure looked like silver. Another reason never to throw away anything until you can get home and clean it up and look closer at it. Any kind of silver is always nice. It's been eluding me pretty good this year.
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yeah, that definitely had the look of silver. Neat looking ring, too.

    Hope you can straighten out the bend in it. Congrats!

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Went back to the same park where I found the silver ring. Other than clad, this was the only interesting find. I assume it's fake, but don't know for sure. I need to get one of those silver test kit solutions, figuring that nobody would bother putting real diamonds into a cheap metal earring. This park is proving to have a nice ratio of keepers to trash, that's for sure.

    imageimageimage
  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭✭
    Well that's interesting. Hope is what keeps us going. Probably not real but no harm in checking. Hope diamonds flow in your future
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Certainly worth checking.... good luck..Cheers, RickO
  • pocketpiececommemspocketpiececommems Posts: 5,723 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If they park on the grass you will find change😊
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    At the monthly treasure club meeting last week, I participated in the "no dig" mini hunt they do for half an hour before the meeting. The president of the club scatters coins and a few specially-marked brass tokens in the grass field next to the meeting hall. I found 21 Wheaties (oldest is 1919 and I got FIVE of them), a dozen Buffs, and a brass token I turned in for a Walking Liberty Half.

    One member did an overview of the Fisher F75. I'm not real familiar with Fisher machines, but he seems like a devoted customer and really knew his stuff. The prez and VP also did a presentation on beach hunting: machines they use, equipment needed, and techniques. That is what I like best about this club, they give back in terms of knowledge. I've learned so much in the past year.

    image
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That sounds like a really great club.... and you did really well on the hunt. Cheers, RickO
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Had the day off on Friday and figured I'd hunt for a bit in the morning. I asked my son (age 11) if he wanted to go, fully expecting him to say no. To my pleasant surprise, he said yes. We went to the local park I've been hitting a lot lately, where I found that sterling silver ring. Decided to try other areas besides the basketball court edges this time. We didn't have nearly as much luck, though. Only found a few Zincolns and some assorted trash.

    We chased a very deep signal near the stump of a large pine tree that was recently cut down. We were probably beyond 8 or 9 inches and gave up on it. Not sure what it was. I'm guessing it was a large hunk of junk the way the pinpointer signal kept jumping around. This park is maybe 30 or 40 years old at the most, so I doubt it was any deeply buried goody like old silver.

    Even tried a bit around the basketball court again. Maintenance crews had recently cut the really tall grass/weeds that are just beyond the short stuff around the court. Found a couple of Zincolns in there, might be more to be found, but by that time it was getting hot and my son and I both had enough for the day.

    Was nice getting him out there and that beats anything we were going to find anyway image.

    Hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th of July.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A great day together sounds even better than finding silver... Cheers, RickO
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Went on a group hunt yesterday with the local treasure club. One of the club officers had secured permission to hunt at a horse farm. This property is about a quarter mile from a historic mansion that was originally built for one of the British governors of Maryland in colonial times.

    Supposedly this farm has never been hunted or the land even changed much, so hopes were high going in. Turns out that our group didn't find any really big, earth-shattering keepers. Only one old coin was found that I'm aware of, and not by me. It was really slicked and heavy with patina. Our best guess was either a Large Cent or a British coin of some sort. We couldn't make out any details. One person found a flat button and a musket ball. Another found what he thought was a gold-plated button, but he said it was practically falling apart so it's hard to verify if it was gold (I didn’t see it myself). He said it rang up as gold on his Whites detector.

    (EDIT: I received confirmation that in addition to the old, unidentifiable coin mentioned above, our group also found a silver Washie, two V nickels, and a button with the name of a local college on it.)

    Plenty of farm junk was found, horse tack, pieces of tools (such as a shovel head), etc. Much of it was corroded beyond being able to see any markings or any way to date them. One guy found a neat license plate of some sort. Was too small to be from a car, but too large to be a dog license. It said 1908 and had some other writing on it. I only got a brief glance at it. It was about the size of an index card.

    My personal tally was only a clad quarter, clad dime, and a Lincoln Memorial cent. Beyond that, I found a few heavy junk objects. Found some small rivet thingy I need to clean up, but it looks modern at first glance.

    A couple of guys went down toward the historic mansion and even hunted the grass next to the driveway that leads to a locked gate. They didn't find anything of significance. I tried along the road right next to the horse farm but after about the 4th pull tab, decided it wasn't worth it. After a few more passes in the horse field, the clouds broke up and it got sunny and hot. That was when I figured it was time to pack it in for the day. Glad we were able to go yesterday and not today, as it is very hot out there now. Summer has returned with a vengeance here in Maryland, after some relatively mild weather in the previous week.

    Overall it was a good experience and this was my first time hunting any farm land. Hopefully we get another outing in that area again. I recently ordered a Sampson T-handle shovel and this was my first outing with it. Worked like a champ, easily dug deep, clean plugs and it doesn’t weigh all that much, either.
  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭✭
    at least you got your feet wet on hunting a farm. They can be very hit or miss. Sometimes the large fields can be intimidating, and one day you find nothing, but the next you hit just the right spots. I'm sure there will be some good fields opening up for you in the fall after the harvests. Will be worth knocking on some doors.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Field hunting, as pcgs69 stated, can be hit or miss. Some incredible finds have come out of fields, both here and even more so, in England. One often does not know the history of fields (i.e. could have been an old house, inn or something there) many years ago. That is particularly true of my area that dates back to the 1600's. Cheers, RickO
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    My son and I got out this afternoon and did some door knocking. Took a few tries to even find anyone around. First stop was a church not far from us where the congregation has been in place since the Civil War, although the current building was constructed in the early 1950s. Alas, nobody there on a Saturday. Will have to try them again sometime. Second stop was a private home that dates back to the first half of the 18th century. It appears to be for sale and the place is empty, so nobody at that stop either. Moved on to another town near us, figured we would try some streets where the homes are probably at least pre-1960.

    Tried one home, no answer. Went a half a block or so down the road, found a home where the people were outside, so that made it easy to reach them image. They were amicable to us hunting their front yard, so we gave it a go. Yard was fairly small and with my son doing the pinpointing, we were able to cover the whole thing in about 30-40 minutes. No great shakes, found a few pieces of junk and a tiny bit of clad (three Lincoln Memorials and two dimes).

    The folks were nice and they eventually went inside, so it was nice they weren't breathing down our neck or anything. I did agree ahead of time to show the guy what we found, and he came out partway through and I showed him the junk we had found up to that point and a couple of the pennies. Funny thing, I knocked one more time as we were leaving, to give them one final thank you. After they shut the door, I found another new, shiny dime sitting on their front steps image.

    I later looked up the address and their home dates to the late 1930s, so there was promise at least. I will have to go back to that neighborhood sometime. There are a lot more of those older homes along there. This was only my second attempt at getting permission, so practice makes perfect I suppose.
  • pcgs69pcgs69 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭✭
    testing to see if this message trips up the security software too:

    Saw your post on the detecting forum. Congrats on getting out and knocking on some doors. It can be frustrating knocking and getting a "no" or finding no one home, but you will eventually get access to some great places. Seems like my success rate is about 50% once you find someone at home, but I think with your son by your side, that should help your chances.

    As you can see this is a highly threatening message!
  • WhiteTornadoWhiteTornado Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭
    Another Coinstar score. In addition to the modern stuff, there was also a 1985 German 10 Pfennig, 1983 Chuck E. Cheese token, and a 1961 silver Roosie image

    image
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Silver!

    I've never found anything in the CoinStar return slot except a very badly corroded Zincoln, once.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The coinstar at the local market has been totally devoid of coins in the reject bin for two months now..... thought when they moved it I might get lucky since the checkers/baggers did not have such a great vantage point anymore.... no such luck. image Cheers, RickO
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