Coin Hunters, What Do You Dig With?

[Steve Herschbach]

I use a screwdriver or a Lesche digging tool.

I also used to treat coins like every one might be worth $10,000 but now having dug hundreds of thousands of them and only a few worth over maybe $10.... Well, not so much any more.

[Cabin Fever]

I use a Lesche for most digs and a Sampson Shovel wherever I can get away with it.   I pass up most coins in the first 3" except for quarter signals  because I am primarily looking for old coins and silver.  I use Fredmasons technique mentioned above for shallow digs and cut a plug for everything else..

I have a different experience than Steve in my area and dig quite a few coins with decent value so I am very careful when I get that deep copper silver signal when I dig.  Last week I dug a 1921 D Mercury dime and a 1931 S penny on the same day. The local coin dealer offered $350 for the dime and $40 for the penny.  A scratch on either one would have cut the price in half or more.

Bryan

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Well I would be remiss in implying I scratch a coin very often! You tend to know when you need to be careful and when not.

[sjmpainter]

Steve, be mindful you are not in Anchorage anymore. I 'm getting the feeling a gold coin is due and if you post it with a big scratch ..........

 

[GB_Amateur]

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.

[gambler]

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!

[gambler]

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. 

[Eklawok]

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.....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.

[Cabin Fever]

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.