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Coin Hunters, What Do You Dig With?


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23 hours ago, Cabin Fever said:

Last week I dug a 1921 D Mercury dime and a 1931 S penny on the same day.

Could you give an estimate of how many hours you spent digging last week, and how many total coins you dug?  I'd like to be able to estimate how rare such an occurrence is.  The number of coins dug is the more important one.

The word 'impressive' doesn't begin to do this justice.  If those are nearly independent events (that is, we're not talking about someone stealing a coin collection and then dumping it in the local park) this is approaching astronomical.  I recall an article in Coin World newspaper back in the the 60's where an estimate was given of the number of hours searching through bank rolls it would take to find various scarce and rare Lincoln Cents.  Wish I could find that article.

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22 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

Could you give an estimate of how many hours you spent digging last week, and how many total coins you dug?  I'd like to be able to estimate how rare such an occurrence is.  The number of coins dug is the more important one.

The word 'impressive' doesn't begin to do this justice.  If those are nearly independent events (that is, we're not talking about someone stealing a coin collection and then dumping it in the local park) this is approaching astronomical.  I recall an article in Coin World newspaper back in the the 60's where an estimate was given of the number of hours searching through bank rolls it would take to find various scarce and rare Lincoln Cents.  Wish I could find that article.

so, about 5 years ago, someone came into the station and bought several pack of smokes, and paid for them with silver dollars, I was able to buy the newest one from the till. 1938 I think, the boss got the rest. 

another time couple of years ago, I was playing 7 card stud, 25cent ante, at boomtown near reno, I dragged a pot and one of the quarters was a 1938.

just this week, I walked around front of the shop and found a wheat cent on the floor mat near the door.

no detector needed!:smile:

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I was wrong , 1935, any way these are some of the coins that show up in the till. The cashier always calls me if anything looks strange. ( except the quarter and the wheat ). As an aside, he asked me after the fact if I thought a ten dollar bill felt wrong, yep counterfeit . It's taped to the till now. 

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8 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Could you give an estimate of how many hours you spent digging last week, and how many total coins you dug?  I'd like to be able to estimate how rare such an occurrence is.  The number of coins dug is the more important one.

The word 'impressive' doesn't begin to do this justice.  If those are nearly independent events (that is, we're not talking about someone stealing a coin collection and then dumping it in the local park) this is approaching astronomical.  I recall an article in Coin World newspaper back in the the 60's where an estimate was given of the number of hours searching through bank rolls it would take to find various scarce and rare Lincoln Cents.  Wish I could find that article.

@GB_Amateur I know that you are probably meaning more towards silver coins. But, this is what I have dug over the past week....starting Monday. Found my first ring today too. It is a kids ring from a gumball machine, but it is still a ring:biggrin:.....you can see it at the bottom of the pic. I would say that is the take for about....mmmm....maybe 12 hrs of hitting a few of the local parks where I live.

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8 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Could you give an estimate of how many hours you spent digging last week, and how many total coins you dug?  I'd like to be able to estimate how rare such an occurrence is.  The number of coins dug is the more important one.

The word 'impressive' doesn't begin to do this justice.  If those are nearly independent events (that is, we're not talking about someone stealing a coin collection and then dumping it in the local park) this is approaching astronomical.  I recall an article in Coin World newspaper back in the the 60's where an estimate was given of the number of hours searching through bank rolls it would take to find various scarce and rare Lincoln Cents.  Wish I could find that article.

Here are the finds from the two hunts that week.. Modern clad not included and don't remember how many.. I try not do dig shallow clad and concentrate on deeper good signals.  Probably 9 hours total hunt time between an early 1900s house and early 1900s park where I found the two key date coins on the same day.  I find a surprising number of  semi key date wheat pennies and dimes.  Living in the PNW we get a lot of S mint coins which helps but also makes the 1921 D Merc. Dime a very nice surprise. 

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On 26/04/2016 at 6:47 AM, Rob said:

Sampson T-Handle / Serrated Edge

 

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I use 3 very similar UK made digging tools,the smaller one i call my sniping spade it can be used for quick recovery of shallow targets and the other 2 are much larger especially the big fella as that is the one i use for real deep artifact/hoard hunting on sites like pasture or ploughed and rolled.

All of mine are basically built of pretty bullit proof stainless steel,why so heavy guage ?? we dont dig on manicured lawns ie parks,tots lots or what ever you call them neither the party lawns at Buckingham Palace :biggrin:

If i am digging either single coins or a possible purse drop or scattered hoard then they could be deep,so a strong spade is required,during the peak summer months when the ground is like concrete then the only digging tool that will do the job is a ultra strong shafted specially designed spade for the job,the amount of pressure that you can put on a long spade handle can snap them like carrots if they are el-cheapo wooden garden spades or these plastic handle one are a total waste of time.

Buying a decent stainless spades are not cheap,but will in theory last you a lifetime subject to them either not being stolen or you forgetting about them after celebrating about that ultra rare gold coin that you have just found :laugh::laugh:

In my finds pouch i also carry a Hori Hori knife for when say you are near tree route or need to peel back the odd turf on someones horse paddock,pinpointing is critical especially as i then once found the centre of the target,lets say a coin on pasture then i dig either a 3 or 4 sides flap of turf or soil and then remove it but going in from a wider angle so as not to damage a possible rare hammered silver or gold coin,that would be gut wrenching to find that you have hit say a celtic gold stater with a trowel or spade and a few choice verbal words into the bargain as well.

Must be honest i cringe when i see folks recovering coins from a park across the pond with a screwdriver or knife,i can see that most would be modern change but one can never tell if its a rare date or gold coin as well.

Prehaps i am over cautious,but i would rather do that than damage a nice celtic gold stater,these are of course just my personal thoughts and how i recover my coins,we all do it differently,but for me i use good quality stainless digging tools that have lasted me for many years,and they may even use them when they finally carry me out in a 6ft wooden overcoat :biggrin:

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