Big Silver On One Hunt; Gold And Silver On Another!

[Raphis]

6 hours ago, Tom_in_CA said:

Raphis - Dan, it's good to see you posting ! 

Thanks Tom!  👍🏼

 

3 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

I'm surprised at how many of the coins were cut by mowers.   Not only must their blades have been sharp (my mower damaged coins tend to just be bent or dinged) but the sheer numbers are unexpected, IMO.  Do you think a change in dTID (from the missing material) caused previous detectorists to ignore these?  Also, do the two clipped dime pieces mate or is that just a coincidental illusion?

Oh, and nice sunbaker!

Thanks for the reply GB.  This park I hunted is only one of countless parks I hunt here in So Cal with clipped coinage.  Here on the west coast, our parks are cut once every week throughout the year.  We don’t have dormant grass.  It grows all year long.  And KAC was spot on with his synopsis.  Very large, Reel style lawn mowers are used in these parks weekly.  I’ll upload a picture of a similar large reel style lawnmower used in many of the larger parks here. This lawnmower, coupled with its frequency of use, and the large scale gopher problems pushing old dirt (not to mention older metal targets) to the surface does create numerous clipped coins.  
 

The two clipped  rosies I found in my pic were not a match, but I have found two halves of the same Rosie at this park years ago (both pieces were 5 ft from each other).  Twice, I found 3 pieces of the same silver Washington quarter.  I probably have found the largest collection of chopped silver/wheaties in the US 😅.  
 

The tID of that small, clipped piece of Rosie was a 19-20, and it was 5-6” deep.  I will always dig those targets in our parks with lots of gopher action and a history of clipped coins.  

[Raphis]

3 hours ago, F350Platinum said:

If you'd photographed that marble alone I'd swear it was a bowling ball. 😀 Great finds, that ring is really nice! 👍

Ha! Yes, it does resemble many of the fancy, colorful balls used in the PBA these days! Thanks for the reply!

1 hour ago, kac said:

Cut coins like that are probably from the reel style mower and not modern rotary is my guess.

That is a good run.

You are spot on with your synopsis, kac! 👍🏼
Here’s a pic of a similar style mower I’ve seen used at our local parks here..However, with the large, extensive drought we’re having here, the parks are not getting watered , and super dry conditions are the norm now...that means a lot less grass growth, and the normal frequency of mowing will likely be curtailed!  Thanks for the reply!

 

[GB_Amateur]

24 minutes ago, Raphis said:

KAC was spot on with his synopsis.  Very large, Reel style lawn mowers are used in these parks weekly.

That explains the cuts.  Here the parks and schools are mowed with horizontal blades which probably don't get sharpened but maybe once a year, and the likelihood of the blade encountering a coin is likely much less, too.  Golf courses have the reel-types but we don't get to hunt those ( at least I don't 😞).

 

25 minutes ago, Raphis said:

I probably have found the largest collection of chopped silver/wheaties in the US 😅.

Which brings up a painful point for which I suspect you have several examples -- key or semi-key date+mintmark coins that have suffered this fate.  That would sadden me considerably.

[Raphis]

8 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

Which brings up a painful point for which I suspect you have several examples -- key or semi-key date+mintmark coins that have suffered this fate.  That would sadden me considerably.

I don’t think I will sadden you...because I can’t recall ever finding a chopped/clipped semi/key date silver coin before.  I’ve only ever found 2 or 3 barber dimes that had been chopped....most are mercs/Rosies/Washingtons/walkers/wheats...I found an SLQ that was clipped, but it was a “slicky” (no date).   I’m certain I have found a clipped early teen semi-key wheatie (‘09S-‘15S) before, but I have dozens of those unclipped  ☺️

[dogodog]

Nice Job Raphis, Can't beat a day like that. I feel your pain with the humidity, Here in PA we are plagued with the hot and damp conditions. Almost remind's me of South America but with less snakes. Passing up on those 8-9 signals will get you on the gold ring wish list. Thin 14k usually hits in that range. Hope you can cool off and get to diggin some more!!!!

[Raphis]

1 hour ago, dogodog said:

Passing up on those 8-9 signals will get you on the gold ring wish list. Thin 14k usually hits in that range. Hope you can cool off and get to diggin some more!!!!

Thanks for the reply!  You’re right about those ring ID’s. I just don’t have the time to dig all those signals at a super trashy park.    At the beach I dig almost everything that beeps on my PI machine.  

[schoolofhardNox]

Great couple of hunts. Love the green wheats, reminds me of when I was younger digging in my local parks.... That when they still had coins 😄 Nowadays there is so much trash you can't even move your coil. We have small parks here. I don't think I've ever seen a clipped W/L. Beauty of a ring too. Looks like some fun hunting!

[geof_junk]

Clipping coins reminded me of coin debasing.

......Google Link.....

[cuniagau]

Nice digs Dan!  Glad you posted a picture of the Gang-reel mower pulled by the tractor too, as most only think of a rotary mower when you say mower.   🙂  So is that about a 45 cent piece instead a 50 center? 🤣

[strick]

5 hours ago, dogodog said:

 Passing up on those 8-9 signals will get you on the gold ring wish list. 

1.5 gram women's 10k gold ring the other day was a solid 7 in park one. 

strick