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A Tenderfoot’s Tale - Part 2


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This is the second half of my post for lurkers and noobies 

On May 13, I went detecting for the very first time and found my first penny. I was hooked! I went back to the park on May 16, May 19, May 31 and June 7. I stuck to the playground and Fitcore lot because the digging was easy and I figured people were most likely to lose items while active. My expectations were low. My detector is basic and the park is a 25 year old suburban athletic field, not a 150 year old park in the center of town. I was out for the nice weather and the thrill of the hunt. I always came home with at least one coin.

The problem with my search strategy was that the playgrounds are the most-used part of the park on weekdays. In this day and age, I didn’t want to be the Weird Old Man who shows kids his metal detector. And I certainly didn’t want to annoy the musclemen when they were working out!

On June 14, I was crowded out of the playgrounds. So I tried the sidelines of the soccer field. My neighborhood is largely immigrant, and amateur soccer is a very big deal. Still, I wasn’t optimistic. How much can you drop watching soccer? Do young people even carry change any more? 

I started swinging. Keep in mind that I still was using the “all metal” setting and digging every target. Also the ground was bone dry and rock-hard from being trampled by spectators. Much to my surprise, I was finding a target every few feet. Because of the soil condition and the fact that this is a park, I didn’t dig more than 2” before giving up. Still, after 2 hours, I had found 2 dimes and 3 pennies (in addition to countless bottle tops).

QUESTION: How the heck does a coin minted in 2018 end up 2” under turf in 2021?

Before I left, I looked around. How did I not notice there was a shaded hill at each end of the field? A quick check showed they not only had perfect views of the field, but plenty of trash and trampled grass. Hey, I was learning to read the terrain!

On June 17 and June 23 I hit the hills. Not only did I find 2 dimes, 3 nickels 11 pennies (a huge haul for me at the time) but I was getting a PhD in telling trash from treasure. For the first time, I started playing with the discrimination knob, finding the spot where I could dial out the countless beer bottle tops.

Armed with this new knowledge, I hit the more productive of the hills on August 4. Here’s what I found in 3 hours:

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 I continue to hit those hills, especially on Mondays. On August 23, I decided to detect the field itself. I figured young Central American men + competitive soccer = lost gold chains. Since I was looking for surface finds and didn’t want to leave holes players could trip on, I only probed targets with a thin screwdriver. No gold, but I did pop 1 dime, 2 pennies, and a house key, along with 2 aluminum cleats (which really pegged the meter!).

QUESTION: How the heck do coins end up in the middle of a soccer field?

That’s the end of my tale. I don’t consider myself a Tenderfoot any longer. A beginner, but not a Tenderfoot. As I sharpen my skills, I continue to find more coins, not fewer, as I work the same park. I hope I have inspired others. You don’t need a fancy rig or an historic location to have fun.

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You're catching on , using a probe is pro level stuff ! 

You can cut a slit in the turf and probe easier.

I use one of those tools for taking off old style door and window handles that looks like a big tack puller. 

I'd go back and try the soccer field again ,

Discrimination might also be ignoring those gold chains ...

 

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Coins sink mostly from worm activity. There are other factors than put finds deep but for turf hunting the first few inches coins will drop in the shortest amount of time and as time goes on the drop rate is reduced and also as the density of the ground and eventually clay line the heaver coins will sink but lighter coins will lag behind.

Other factors is cultivation (turning dirt over)

Vibration (more of a factor in sandy ground)

There is an thread somewheres on the forum all about this but I can't find it.

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1 hour ago, rvpopeye said:

You're catching on , using a probe is pro level stuff ! 

I learned about “coin popping” by lurking here all winter. Honestly, if I had not found this website, I’m sure my first detecting trip would have been my last. Thanks, Steve!

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1 hour ago, rvpopeye said:

Discrimination might also be ignoring those gold chains ...

 

Hadn’t thought about that. The Winbest manual doesn’t even mention gold. I just assumed gold would be even more conductive than silver. I will have to take some gold items out in the backyard and see what happens. Thanks for the tip.

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    Thanks for taking us along Paul!

   It will be fun watching, and reading your progress! Your not a bad storyteller either!!😁 

   Many of us are not that far removed from where you are at this stage! So it's enjoyable to watch!! In fact, my targets and conditions are similar to what you have been describing, at several places! But you also have access to much older targets where you are, (Maryland👍) and those will appear, as your experience, and equipment evolve!

   Since you have been following the forum for awhile, I'm sure that you have noticed or felt, that it is easy to get caught up in "The Best" equipment! But it's only the best , if you can use it efficiently, and to best advantage! That can be a minefield, for many reasons, and is highly subjective!

   Steve; and others, have given very sage advice on this subject! Depending on what and where you hunt, one or two detectors will most likely cover 98% of what conditions, and items you hunt! Generally, more than that, are either backups, and have overlapping features, or have a very specific purpose in their use!!!  So take your time if/when upgrading, and enjoy the hobby!!

 But most of all, Have fun!, Be safe!, and Good Luck!!!🍀👍👍

 

 

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Gold chains will be really close to the iron range or slightly above. Super fine chains you probably won't detect unless they are balled up. Many common earrings are in the foil range, wedding bands close to square tabs and class rings are up towards the ring pulls to give you some idea. All that can vary though depending on depth and orientation.

Nice your having some pretty good success with that machine.

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Thank you for sharing the story with us as I felt as though I could see were your were at detecting.

I believe that in no time you will be wanting to upgrade your detector and then you will have to learn the new one.

Good luck and good hunting.

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The key to using any detector is just getting that coil over a target .

You seem to have that part down.

Dig those beeps no matter what is down there .

It's the best way to understand what the machine is telling you.

 

 

 

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16 hours ago, Old Line Paul said:

QUESTION: How the heck does a coin minted in 2018 end up 2” under turf in 2021?

There are many reasons coins end up at the depths they do.  If you think too simply you may end up (mentally) discriminating out the ones you want.  I've found Mercury dimes at less than 2 inch depth multiple times.  I've been disappointed to dig down 7-8 inches only to be rewarded with a modern coin.  Rule #1: every rule has its exceptions.  Rule #2: (see Rule #1).

16 hours ago, Old Line Paul said:

QUESTION: How the heck do coins end up in the middle of a soccer field?

Again, there are many reasons coins end up where they do.  For sure it takes a human being carrying a coin somewhere (pocket, purse,...) for starters.  Spectators have coins and lose them.  Participants (players, officials,...) in sporting events have coins and lose them.  Children lose coins.  Adults lose coins.  Heck, maybe even pets!  :laugh:

Look for patterns but don't put too much confidence in that.  Sometimes the most out-of-the-way spots will produce and the obvious ones won't.  But if you do find a coin, search carefully around that spot.  It might just be a random drop but it also could be due to that place being a frequent hangout where more coins have been lost.

It's good to ask yourself and others questions.  Pile up the data from experience and you'll be a better detectorist.  Just don't take anyone's answer (including your own) as "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."  Constantly revise your hypotheses as new data presents itself.

Regarding target ID as a function of metallic composition, here is something I wrote a couple weeks ago.  That should help you understand where gold jewelry shows up on the TID scale.  (Snyopsis:  everywhere!)

 

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