Dirty Money
Elite Member
Just got my DFX back the other day, and after charging the battery, dog and I took it out this morning to hit my old high school alma mater. I don't consider the school much of a hunting ground, but the track area is torn up for renovation...and that means fresh dirt! I looks like 3 inches or so have been scraped off which takes care of much of the trash. So...
First couple of swings equaled great sound and 3 to 4 inches deep. Result - two fabulous pieces of fense link. The next solid tone proved to be a nice wheat and was followed by another a couple of feet away. Much better. I started getting excited again. Then came the next ten pieces of junk. Bummed, I couldn't help but wonder how that trash got that deep. I dig anyway hoping for that elusive gold ring or old coin.
The next three hits turned out to be .32 caliber casing and a starters pistol blank. All came in sounding solid with penny VDI's. Next another .32 casing.
Gang warefare in the '40's? I enjoy finding shells, but four back to back are enough.
Another good hit, 44 VDI, good tone, but a weak Signagraph and a tab icon followed by a penny icon. Not good signs. I passed digging and kept swinging. But that tone...it was so solid. I walked back swinging over the area again. Found the tone, pinpointed at 4 1/2 inches and dug 3 inches out. The ProPointer said still in the hole, so I dug a good four inches around the point and popped the clay soil loose. I hand scooped and pin pointed each handful until the ProPointer indicated metal in a two inch cube of hard packed clay.
I broke the clod in half. Nothing in the right half. Broke the left half in half. Still no coin showing. If this turns out to be a track spike, I'll be royally ticked! I squeezed the little chunk of dirt remaining and part popped off revealing...green. Patena green! Squeezed again and there she was...an 1899 Indian Head with great patena and Fine+ to Very Fine detail on the front. Happy dance! I was whooping like a kid, and dog came over and gave me come congratulatory jumps and licks. Day was done. It just doesn't get any better than finding pre 1900 coinage in my area.
The dirt didn't want to come off the back, so she's setting in an olive oil bath for a few days. Once the back is clean, I can better evaluate the coin - it's not a key date, but Indian Heads are getting harder to find all the time around here. Once cleaned, I'll get some pictures posted. And, why so happy? It's the first pre 1900 coin in over two years!
HH
First couple of swings equaled great sound and 3 to 4 inches deep. Result - two fabulous pieces of fense link. The next solid tone proved to be a nice wheat and was followed by another a couple of feet away. Much better. I started getting excited again. Then came the next ten pieces of junk. Bummed, I couldn't help but wonder how that trash got that deep. I dig anyway hoping for that elusive gold ring or old coin.
The next three hits turned out to be .32 caliber casing and a starters pistol blank. All came in sounding solid with penny VDI's. Next another .32 casing.
Gang warefare in the '40's? I enjoy finding shells, but four back to back are enough.
Another good hit, 44 VDI, good tone, but a weak Signagraph and a tab icon followed by a penny icon. Not good signs. I passed digging and kept swinging. But that tone...it was so solid. I walked back swinging over the area again. Found the tone, pinpointed at 4 1/2 inches and dug 3 inches out. The ProPointer said still in the hole, so I dug a good four inches around the point and popped the clay soil loose. I hand scooped and pin pointed each handful until the ProPointer indicated metal in a two inch cube of hard packed clay.
I broke the clod in half. Nothing in the right half. Broke the left half in half. Still no coin showing. If this turns out to be a track spike, I'll be royally ticked! I squeezed the little chunk of dirt remaining and part popped off revealing...green. Patena green! Squeezed again and there she was...an 1899 Indian Head with great patena and Fine+ to Very Fine detail on the front. Happy dance! I was whooping like a kid, and dog came over and gave me come congratulatory jumps and licks. Day was done. It just doesn't get any better than finding pre 1900 coinage in my area.
The dirt didn't want to come off the back, so she's setting in an olive oil bath for a few days. Once the back is clean, I can better evaluate the coin - it's not a key date, but Indian Heads are getting harder to find all the time around here. Once cleaned, I'll get some pictures posted. And, why so happy? It's the first pre 1900 coin in over two years!
HH
WTG I have yet to find an IH. Don't you just love digging in clay?
