Thrown A Curve Ball; Hit It Out Of The Park ( Coin Find 1st )

[GB_Amateur]

We've had nice weather here in the Midwest the past week or so and after getting out Wednesday I was doubling up on Thursday afternoon.  The curve ball mentioned in the thread title was breaking an ML Equinox 11" coil ear when loading the car, which I described in the appropriate thread.  Fortunately I have both the 6" and 12"x15" coils (but not the Coiltek 5"x10" yet).  I'm detecting a park with not too much iron or aluminum trash so I figured the large coil would be OK, as long as it didn't mess up my elbow swinging a heavy coil through the deep grass.  (Wet and warm early autumn hasn't met with the Parks Department's mowing budget....)

First target was showing low 20's (typically an aluminum screw cap) and out popped a clad dime.  Hmmm, that should have been 25-26.  Was the larger coil giving different dTID's.  Going back over the hole answered the question -- 20-21 and out comes a Zincoln.  I don't think the two coins were touching but they were super close to each other leading to the anomalous dTID initially.

15 minutes into the hunt I get a Wheatie, not too deep (3-4 inches).  That's the age coin I'm looking for.

Maybe an hour later after the typical occasional can slaw, a couple rusty nails, and a few modern coins I got a nice sounding but inconsistent tone & dTID.  From one direction as I swept close to the target location left-right I was getting hi-lo-hi-lo... tones (14-19 = pulltab zone is set for a medium tone whereas 20 and up are high tones; the tone was alternating between these two).  This is not typical of coins in my experience by any means so I'm thinking a flattened, non-symmetric aluminum screw cap.  I don't remember the exact strength indicator value but I'm sure it was at least 5, maybe mostly 6, possibly occassional 7.  I also don't remember the dTID at a 90 degree compass change angle of approach but I'm sure it was at least high 20's (large, elongated can slaw?).  The tone volume told me it wasn't a near-surface coin-sized object.  Definitely good enough to dig.

Weak(er) signal strength means take a good sized plug so about 7"-8" diameter and 5" deep was my start.  The Garrett Carrot (set at max gain = 3) said I was in the right spot and switching to the fine tuning White's TRX told me I had a localized (coin-like size) target which was between 1" and 2" deeper than the current hole depth.  I carefully cut about a tennis ball sized chunk of dirt centered on the TRX signal's centroid and upon removal was told the target was in that glob.  Breaking it up with my fingers I saw a coin but it wasn't immediately obvious if modern clad or silver.  Again, careful not to scratch I picked off a clod of dirt and saw the familiar (from dimes I've found 🙂 Barber Head.  See middle coin in photo:

Only my 3rd silver quarter ever and 1st Barber Quarter, others being Washingtons.  (Guess I'm going to skip the Standing Liberties.  )  Even better than being 19th Century date was the -S mintmark.  Left coin in the photo is actually a 1919-S which I found the previous day probably less than 10 m away from where I found the quarter.  So -S mint oldies in consecutive days, and neither is particularly common although neither is a semi-key.  On the right is a 1941 Merc which I found last week, so three consecutive hunts with non-penny old coins.  That's very good for me in my current public sites.

Why the anomalous dTID from one direction?  I wonder if the coin was oriented on-edge.

So what's the big 'A'?  Some of you recognize this as the Atlanta Braves initial.  For those who don't follow our North American professional baseball, they just won the annual championship (not so modestly called 'World Series') for their first time in a quarter century.  They were underdogs vs. at least their last two playoff opponents.  But there is a detecting connection.  I sometimes hunt in rural areas during Autumn and that is prime (gun) hunting season.  I have other bright (orange) garb but I wanted a baseball cap (easier to accomodate headphones) and I saw this hat at a flea market for $5 a few years back.  I wonder if I can sell it now for a profit.  Anyone interested? 

[mh9162013]

So you were the metal detecting equivalent of Soler or Rosario, eh?

I used to collect baseball cards and one of the reasons I stopped was b/c the team I collected for (Braves) were probably the most in-demand cards after the Yankees and Red Sox. So you might have a chance to sell that hat for a profit!

Great finds by the way!

[F350Platinum]

Way to go GB! 👍Great finds all, and I appreciate the details. Good to see some "S" coins making their way east. 😀 I'll have to look but it I think I dug an S penny yesterday. Still gotta get me one of those Barbers, tho. 🤔

[kac]

1895, getting in striking range of those seated's 🙂

[geof_junk]

Great find. Any date older than your own is a good win. As you get older the date of a good find gets harder.😭

[Valens Legacy]

 

Only my 3rd silver quarter ever and 1st Barber Quarter

Great finds and glad to see you get them out of the ground. I always like to read your adventures and how well you detail your finds.

Wish you more luck on your next hunt, not to many more warm days in this part of the country for us.

Sorry I won't buy anything sports because of the strikes they have pulled. Grandfather refused to watch since the players held hostage the World Series, and then the rest of the games started the same thing. They are over paid people playing a game and that is all.

[CPT_GhostLight]

That's awesome, GB, congrats on the great finds!

[strick]

Nice hunting GB. love your analytical approach to each target. Precise surgical extraction of the target using two pin pointers no less. Your enthusiasm and knowledge  about coins is impressive.  The hat you might find a sucker for it.... or may get you shot depending on where your hunting lol. 

Valen Im with you....I get more enjoyment watching a dog chase a ball then these modern day circus clowns who make up professional sports. 

Strick