Finds Come In Different Forms

[GB_Amateur]

There has been some discussion about detectorists being welcome or not on various public properties.  This post is related to that.  I'm calling it a "feel good story" but it probably feels better to me than it does to you!

Couple weeks ago I was at my (new) favorite park which has been providing old coins (Wheaties, Buffies, silver War Nickels, Indian Heads, and even a few silver dimes), not generously, though.  On this particular day I wasn't having much luck, it was getting hot, and my hunting spot was starting to experience other visitors.  Although I don't mind people seeing me, I do like to keep my distance (even before the pandemic), in particular to allow them to enjoy the park -- it's meant for everyone and I can find coins pretty much everywhere whereas their activities may be more confined.

I decided to check out a crushed stone parking lot that is no longer used.  Part of it was in the shade and it was getting pretty hot.  I had gotten some good signals there while traversing it previously on my way to greener pastures and I figured there might be some goodies which other detectorists hadn't bothered even considering.  I was digging a promising target when I hear a garden tractor approaching, then stopping about 10 feet away (good social distance 😁) and looked up as the driver turned off his engine.  "Well, I've never seen anyone detect a parking lot before" to which I replied "glad to hear that; maybe for once they left me some good stuff."  Then we proceed to talk for 45 minutes.  Thinking he might know of some secret spots I asked him how long he had worked here and my heart sunk when he said "six years".  But then he told me he had grown up across the street in the 1960's!  Talk about my attitude doing a 180.  I proceeded to pick his brain and boy did he deliver.  Sledding hill, former concession stands, former residences (the park has expanded since he lived there), swimming holes, picnic areas long overgrown, hiking trails that once were frequented but since forgotten.  He knew some of the history of the park from 40 years before he even had lived there.  I started wondering if I would remember all this 'treasure' he was revealing.

He told me about other detectorists having been there and said they were respectful.  As long as we fill our holes there's no problem detecting the park.  Now not only do I feel better (I've always felt a bit funny when park employees are around) that I'm welcome, but some of the spots I previously thought might be off-limits are now fair game.  If someone else questions me (not likely, but you never know) about what I'm doing in a certain spot I'll just say "George said it was OK."  If they don't know George then they have no business asking me anyway.

Oh, the target I was digging turned out to be a 5 inch deep copper Memorial penny.    I dug a couple more relatively deep targets the next time there, having subsequently brought my Estwing rock hammer (way faster recovery but be careful to chip around the target -- a case where the White's TRX pinpointer really helps).  Still only modern coins meaning the parking lot has been backfilled in recent times, and probably on more than one occasion (so the desirable old coins are probably quite deep).  I've since moved on to the lush 'gardens'.  Plenty more stories and photos of finds to be posted in the future.

[kac]

Nice story. If the park had been redone then check along the edges, sometimes they just turn it over and push the excess off to the sides. The old trails sound really promising. Park I hit here, the greens keeper told me where the old ball field was and also that the park it nearly 15' of fill on the river side! Little deep for my detector but explains the musket ball I had found off an eroded bank.

[GB_Amateur]

15 minutes ago, kac said:

If the park had been redone then check along the edges, sometimes they just turn it over and push the excess off to the sides.

Great point.  I know of one particular area that used to be a parking lot and is now a sports field.  I did some spot detecting there and I wasn't getting old coins.  Even digging down 6 inches or so I wasn't getting obvious crushed stone layers.  It could be they put a very deep layer of sand/dirt fill over the parking lot but the area doesn't really look built up.  I didn't see obvious piles around the edges but there is a lot of overgrowth there so some more investigation is warranted.

Oh, if you turn out to be right do I need to pay you a royalty? 

🤑

[kac]

If you look at land height you can some times see obvious spots where new dirt has been piled in and where there is older land. One school yard that used to have an old farm house there is a spot that is raised up around the school, bb court and parking lot. Lower parts had many older coins. Unfortunately the are of interest there the farm house had burned down and back of it they had buried all their coal ash so it is almost impossible to detect anything there deeper than 6". I may have to pick through slowly or use my Tejon and play off the dragged down signals to see if I can unmask anything but it's a long shot.

No royalties, just some pics 🙂

[Compass]

Nice read GB, I hope your conversation with George leads to some great finds. Taking the time to speak with people often leads to great intel. After digging so many corroded zinc pennies over the years I now appreciate real copper ones more!

[kac]

Did you go back and do more digging?

[GB_Amateur]

15 hours ago, kac said:

Did you go back and do more digging?

Was out there today for the first time since late June.  There are a lot of places to hunt there and right now I'm combining two requirements:  being in the shade, and far from other people (minimum of 30 feet even from walking paths; definitely not near picnickers, sun-bathers, etc. who stay in one place).  I did re-investigate the area we discussed as having been stripped (leaving piles) and backfilled.  My conclusion now is that it was not stripped but it was backfilled.  I''ve not yet determined how much backfill.  That particuar area is not in the shade so I'm going to wait until fall & winter to get serious hunting there.  I may need to break out the TDI (hopefully I can get away with ground balance off).  Might also be a good place to use the Equinox 12"x15" and run in Gold/Prospecting mode.  A lot will depend upon how much trash I'm willing to dig.  I gotta think there are deep coins under the backfill.

Some of the other areas he told me about are in the heavy growth, and the old paths are frequented by hikers so can't "social distance" right now.  Today I found 5 Jeffies (don't know the dates, so fingers crossed), one Wheatie, and ~50 cents of misc. clad, copper Memorials, and Zincolns.  Probably can get back there early mornings the beginning of this week (but not tomorrow) before the heat & humidity return with a vengeance.

 

 

[kac]

TDI might be tough especially with gb off. Ground really that bad that you need a pi? Early mornings might be cool enough, blazingly hot in afternoons and evenings here but mornings are tolerable. I save all my woods hunting for fall and winter as the undergrowth is down and easier to see what the ground looks like.

[GB_Amateur]

12 hours ago, kac said:

Ground really that bad that you need a pi?

Probably not.  I was just thinking (possibly incorrectly) that it would go deeper for the targets I'm after.  Hunting with the Eqx and 12"x15" coil makes the most sense if I need more depth than the 11" coil.  The latter is my go-to coil by far and that's what will get the first chance.

When I did my survey hunt, I was finding moderatly large (aluminum can sized) targets which I think were from the original (pre-backfill) topography.  Those were 6-12 inches deep (from memory), which means if coins mimic that I'll have a chance.  More investigation needed, but that will have to await cooler weather (including less direct sunlight).  October-November has had great conditions around here lately, and even December.  I'd rather wear multi-layers of clothing for a hunt than one layer sweat!

[kac]

Buddy has the Nox 12x15 coil and think it only goes a little deeper maybe an inch or so. He uses it more to cover more ground in open fields (low trash). 11" coil should do fine. PI will not be effected as much by mineralization so they would achieve a better depth compared to an IB machine with similar coil width though I really think my Seahunter hits deeper in the ground than in an air test.

I would give the Nox a try with the 11" coil and just get the gain up as high as conditions will allow. Just dig those whispers if they sound small enough.