Why are there more Merc

[goes4ever]

Originally Posted by tater

I have found more seated than mercs this year. Go figure

Wow to have that problem!

[Xaquin]

at this point I have something like 8 barbers, 12 mercs, and only 2 rosies

no complaints here.

[bamadigtab]

I posted this post yesterday, believe it or not I found the first rosie in months just this afternoon. Strange I know but it happened. Strange thing is it was the deepest silver coin I have ever dug in Alabama at 7-8 inches with my Whites XLT. Now for me that was a deep coin most are around 4 and half inches This one nearly twice as deep. But it was a silver rosie. I don't know go figure. Ratio 17 mercs to 10 rosies.

[Patton]

Can't speak for the other hunters in my area, but Rosies easily outnumber Mercs.

[RyanChappell]

I have found approximately 38 Mercs to 8 Rosies. ~5-1

Factors

-Length of circulation
-Cherry Picking (previous metal detection activity)


Length of Circulation, in years:

Originally Posted by goes4ever

Last year I dug about 100 mercs and about 45 rosies, this year I havent counted but my merc count is way higher than rosies. You got to remember mercs were minted 1916-1945 and silver rosies from only 1946-1964, therefore a lot more mercs to be lost

Originally Posted by Irons

Roosies were culled from banks and melted in 1964-65 along with the quarters.
Merc's had more time to circulate and be lost.

I am too young to have first hand experience, but I am pretty sure Mercury dimes were still in wide circulation up until 1964-65, right? So these were circulated for nearly 50 years (1916-1965) compared to the Silver Roosevelt dime that only circulated from 1946-1964/5 or 19 years. That is also why you see so many thin Mercs.

This Merc to Rosie Circulation (MRC) Ratio is 2.58.

Also, I was actually told that there was a time when coin roll hunters would leave the well worn mercs behind and keep the nicer dimes. (I assume this was within a year or two of silver being removed from circulation)

Cherry Picking and Metal Detection Activity:

Originally Posted by Captain Silver

Rosies are usually found at shallower depths than Mercs, so more of them have been dug already...My dime finds are pretty much equal between Mercs and Rosies, and most of 'em are deep or masked.

I believe that metal detectorist in general are more likely to find a Silver Roosevelt dime, if they are there, as opposed to a Mercury dime due to cherry picking. We never miss a quarter signal but may skip yet another dime or a memorial penny which often registers the same.

Mercury dimes often come in at a lower Conductive VDI number than Roosevelt silver dimes do. On the E-trac this is usually 44 for a merc vs 46 for a Rosie. Most metal detectorist don't dig all the targets that they should. I get lazy toward the end of a hunt especially, but I never miss a Quarter signal, 46 or 47 signal, and the Rosies tend to come in like quarters.

One of the more prolific and successful coin shooters in our area who has detected since the 80s, and found almost everything our area has to offer from Seateds to $5 gold pieces, admitted that he often hits sites in the bad part of town and only digs the high tones. I get the feeling that wheat pennies and mercs are not what he is looking for, and I am pretty sure he has detected almost everywhere I have been with the exception of most of the private homes I got permission to detect.

Application:
Bamadigtab, your ratio is 1.89. I think that being lower than the 2.58 Merc to Rosie Circulation (MRC) ratio reflects that you are searching more virgin sites. Same for Bonesquat (.67 ratio)

It is reasonable to speculate that the number of mercs in circulation was much lower by 1960 than it was in 1950, so maybe some of you guys with ratios under 1.0 might be hunting sites that were built around 1960-1965, and that may have contributed as well. I know Bonesquat found 4 or 5 Rosies in a row at this one project complex we hunted together.

[Schweddy]

Great thread. Beetween years minted and years circulated it would make sense to me to find more mercs on average. In 15 months I have 41 mercs and 28 rosies - found mostly in (presumably) undetected yards. This sample group matches the likely ratio pretty well - about 30% more mercs.

[bamadigtab]

I won't quote your last post RyanChappell but you gave a wealth of information concerning this. You always do your homework and you are a great researcher. Maybe you should have been a paralegal Great information though. That is why I always love doing hunts with you and am looking forward to our next one. With that said the below incidents are surprising.

I posted this thread on Tuesday I think. I have not found a silver rosie since sometime around March or April. Guys it is so weird! Yesterday I found my first silver rosie since then and believe it or not today I found another one (both 1951's weird same year I suppose they just made more that year). I was happy of course cause as much as I LOVE MERC'S I was glad to find the rosie's. Weird I know. Well this one put me at silver 37 for the year. So now I'm at 17 mercs and 11 rosies. I don't know go figure. This certainly is a surprising hobby. It seems as soon as I get something I think I've figured out I get surprised. Nice surprises not complaining, but none the less surprise.

HH and God bless.