Finally Got A Day Of Decent Weather..

[Jim in Idaho]

We were looking for stage-robbery loot along a stage road that was also an emigrant route. The desert road mostly follows the stage road, but here and there, the emigrant wagons cut a really deep gouge into the soil, and the desert road deviates to avoid those spots. We don't generally hunt the road, as there's too much modern junk, like .22 shells, but yesterday we did hunt the deep sections of the old route, and found a bunch of interesting items. I found an old pocketknife, with only one sideplate, but the plate was mother-of-pearl, which is pretty rare. I also found an unfired .38 S&W round, and a .38 case with no headstamp. Also, the business half of an old hatchet. But the best was the last thing I found....my first Barber dime...a 1902 in excellent condition once I cleaned off the accumulated crud. The places Dave and I hunt, coins are really rare. We also located the encampment location where they spent the night. Lots and lots of trash. We'll be getting to that spot in the future. They couldn't make the spring on the Butte in one day, so stopped at roughly the same place as each wagon train went through. Dave found a pile of stuff, too, but no coins. His finds included a nice obsidian arrowhead, which he left where he found it, of course. He also found a really old spoon, that had broken, and had been repaired by wrapping wire around the neck of the handle. The crushed cartridge is a .44 of fame and legend...LOL I imagine that cartridge with no headstamp is also really old. I was using the TDI SL, and the SP 350 8 x 14 coil. I was running in ALL, but only digging the high conductor signals mostly. Digging low conductor signals results in wasted time...just too much small iron junk.

Jim

[2Valen]

Nice old finds, everything from a horse shoe to the harmonica.

Great job.

[Mark Gillespie]

Wow, looks like you had a lot of fun.  I really enjoy digging silver when it comes up.  That Barber is nice.  I've not found many in the last 2 decades but they were fun to see in the hole.  I too use the same coil on my TDI SL, per your advise.  The ground coverage is great and the depth is good too.  It is not uncommon to dig a beer pull tab at 8" in super hot ground.  Not bad.  Thanks for sharing both the story and pictures, it keeps me motivated to hunt.

 

[Steve Herschbach]

 Very nice Barber, congratulations!

[1515Art]

Nice hunting the bloodhounds are on scent more treasure awaits??.

[kac]

Congrats, good run. Any more bits from the harmonica? Best I found was the wood insert but covers missing.

[Jim in Idaho]

1 hour ago, kac said:

Congrats, good run. Any more bits from the harmonica? Best I found was the wood insert but covers missing.

Nope...just that tone board. I found it in the rocks close to where they camped. I'm guessing one of the kids probably lost it, while out playing. I'd bet if we cover that camp site well ( about 3 acres) I'll find the rest of it.

Jim

[kac]

You might, found couple up this way and one they guys here id'ed it for me. I had no clue what it was.

[Mark Gillespie]

You've found a super site. I'd love to locate a site like yours.