LovestheShiny!
Forum Supporter
I headed up to Missoula to meet a fellow detectorist, Steve (Danner22 on the Friendly Forum) from Sacramento CA who was up visiting family. We met at a nearby WalMart parking lot and headed out to detect. He turned out to be a great guy, retired, loves detecting, and very competent with his AT Pro.
Today turned out to be very rewarding and a bit discouraging at the same time. We started in on a curb strip and Steve pulled a couple of clad quarters and a wheat penny, while my side of the street had been hammered with nary a coin. I noticed a young woman pulling up to a house next to where we were hunting, and I got the OK to check a tiny front yard. Steve stayed put with the curb area next door, and my first signal, just along the street sidewalk, turned out to be a Merc Dime down about 2" in some pine duff! I went back to part of the nearby curb strip and pulled a couple of wheaties and a second Merc Dime. Then I noticed another neighbor getting out to his car, so I approached and got the permission for his front yard. This one started out well, I got another couple of Mercury Dimes, wheat cents, and Steve found 4-5 wheat cents and cool small plated lock. About then, Mr. PoPo pulled up, and I immediately set down my machine, walked toward the officer, and greeted him with a friendly "Good afternoon, Officer." He was very pleasant, and mentioned that someone had called in saying there were a couple of guys detecting on private property. I told him that this was true, and that we had permission from the owner, and that we only detect on private property with permission. He replied that we were good, all was fine, and drove off. No other nearby neighbors were home, so we crossed the street to recheck that first curb strip. I pulled a couple more wheat cents, and a Silver Rosie. About then, the nearby homeowner came out and wanted to know what we were doing on "his property." I explained that the street, curb strip, sidewalk, and 18" inside the sidewalk were owned by the city, and that we were out on public land. I also told him that we did confirm the OK with detecting in the curb strips / boulevards with the Police Department and the City Attorney's Office (both true). He then said that he and his wife "felt uncomfortable" with us out there, and could we just move along. No sense making a lot of trouble so we did just that. I am sure that he was the Nosy Neighbor that called the cops. I then crossed the street at a diagonal, and as I approached a home that I had not detected before, a voice came from the porch saying "No." "Don't even ask." "I don't want to talk to you." Keep away from the porch." This guy turned out to be a real "donkey" for sure. I felt bad that Steve was meeting some real kooks on our trip.
We then drove to a nearby area and got the OK from a renter to do a quick check in the front yard. A real sweet elderly lady with a walker. My situational "alarm" did go off as when I first walked along the street sidewalk, a guy in full Covid Prevent facemask confronted me and asked what I was up to. I mentioned that we had the OK from the neighbor to recover some coins and historical items from the front. He then went off about if we found Native American Indian artifacts, we MUST turn them in to the proper authorities etc etc. I told him we don't look for those, just coins, buttons, tokens, and the like. We had just started in the yard, I had found a wheat penny, and Steve found a cool 1964 Montana License plate small metal tag, when the landlord showed up. He was polite and actually apologized for having to end our hunt there, but mentioned that the elderly woman should have checked with him first. I am pretty certain that the probable archeologist neighbor had phoned him to get over there pronto.
Steve had some family get together stuff to do, so I dropped him off back at Wally World. I really didn't want to leave Missoula with 199 Silver Coins FTY, and a bad taste in my mouth and mind, so I drove around looking for one more house to detect. I did get the OK from a friendly retired fireman at a ca late 1940's home with a big front yard. Starting in along the street sidewalk, I began pulling wheatie after wheatie, but no silvers. On the other side of the yard, I finally pulled a 1934-D Mercury Dime, for my 200th Shiny of the year! Out in the curb strip in front of this house, I started finding more wheat pennies, and finally a Silver Rosie for #201! I was very happy with that, and with the sun getting close to going down, I headed back south to Hamilton.
With the tough scenarios I experienced today, I can sure see why many of you guys (and gals) on the Forum just detect schools, parks, the woods, and farm fields, and do night hunts, or just detect anywhere where people are not around. Today was just one of those days that I / we ran into some uncomfortable situations. Anyway, my totals for the day were 7 Silver dimes, 32 wheat pennies, about 20 copper memorials, 4 nickels, 8 clad dimes, and 3 clad quarters. Steve may be able to send me a pic of his finds, and I will be sure to add it to the story. This is kind of a long post, but I wanted to give all the details on the way to 200+ silvers, thank you for your interest!
Today turned out to be very rewarding and a bit discouraging at the same time. We started in on a curb strip and Steve pulled a couple of clad quarters and a wheat penny, while my side of the street had been hammered with nary a coin. I noticed a young woman pulling up to a house next to where we were hunting, and I got the OK to check a tiny front yard. Steve stayed put with the curb area next door, and my first signal, just along the street sidewalk, turned out to be a Merc Dime down about 2" in some pine duff! I went back to part of the nearby curb strip and pulled a couple of wheaties and a second Merc Dime. Then I noticed another neighbor getting out to his car, so I approached and got the permission for his front yard. This one started out well, I got another couple of Mercury Dimes, wheat cents, and Steve found 4-5 wheat cents and cool small plated lock. About then, Mr. PoPo pulled up, and I immediately set down my machine, walked toward the officer, and greeted him with a friendly "Good afternoon, Officer." He was very pleasant, and mentioned that someone had called in saying there were a couple of guys detecting on private property. I told him that this was true, and that we had permission from the owner, and that we only detect on private property with permission. He replied that we were good, all was fine, and drove off. No other nearby neighbors were home, so we crossed the street to recheck that first curb strip. I pulled a couple more wheat cents, and a Silver Rosie. About then, the nearby homeowner came out and wanted to know what we were doing on "his property." I explained that the street, curb strip, sidewalk, and 18" inside the sidewalk were owned by the city, and that we were out on public land. I also told him that we did confirm the OK with detecting in the curb strips / boulevards with the Police Department and the City Attorney's Office (both true). He then said that he and his wife "felt uncomfortable" with us out there, and could we just move along. No sense making a lot of trouble so we did just that. I am sure that he was the Nosy Neighbor that called the cops. I then crossed the street at a diagonal, and as I approached a home that I had not detected before, a voice came from the porch saying "No." "Don't even ask." "I don't want to talk to you." Keep away from the porch." This guy turned out to be a real "donkey" for sure. I felt bad that Steve was meeting some real kooks on our trip.
We then drove to a nearby area and got the OK from a renter to do a quick check in the front yard. A real sweet elderly lady with a walker. My situational "alarm" did go off as when I first walked along the street sidewalk, a guy in full Covid Prevent facemask confronted me and asked what I was up to. I mentioned that we had the OK from the neighbor to recover some coins and historical items from the front. He then went off about if we found Native American Indian artifacts, we MUST turn them in to the proper authorities etc etc. I told him we don't look for those, just coins, buttons, tokens, and the like. We had just started in the yard, I had found a wheat penny, and Steve found a cool 1964 Montana License plate small metal tag, when the landlord showed up. He was polite and actually apologized for having to end our hunt there, but mentioned that the elderly woman should have checked with him first. I am pretty certain that the probable archeologist neighbor had phoned him to get over there pronto.
Steve had some family get together stuff to do, so I dropped him off back at Wally World. I really didn't want to leave Missoula with 199 Silver Coins FTY, and a bad taste in my mouth and mind, so I drove around looking for one more house to detect. I did get the OK from a friendly retired fireman at a ca late 1940's home with a big front yard. Starting in along the street sidewalk, I began pulling wheatie after wheatie, but no silvers. On the other side of the yard, I finally pulled a 1934-D Mercury Dime, for my 200th Shiny of the year! Out in the curb strip in front of this house, I started finding more wheat pennies, and finally a Silver Rosie for #201! I was very happy with that, and with the sun getting close to going down, I headed back south to Hamilton.
With the tough scenarios I experienced today, I can sure see why many of you guys (and gals) on the Forum just detect schools, parks, the woods, and farm fields, and do night hunts, or just detect anywhere where people are not around. Today was just one of those days that I / we ran into some uncomfortable situations. Anyway, my totals for the day were 7 Silver dimes, 32 wheat pennies, about 20 copper memorials, 4 nickels, 8 clad dimes, and 3 clad quarters. Steve may be able to send me a pic of his finds, and I will be sure to add it to the story. This is kind of a long post, but I wanted to give all the details on the way to 200+ silvers, thank you for your interest!
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and put up a box, minus the bags for the poop...
