Keepers from a hunted out property - IH, Silver #38 and Sterling

DS_Digger

Full Member
Joined
May 9, 2014
Messages
172
Location
Wisconsin
On Saturday, I wanted to detect but was more or less out of new places to go. Instead of door knocking, I went back to a large old house in town (circa 1870) that is abandoned, that I was able to previously secure permission to hunt whenever I wanted. I had been to this house 2 previous times with nothing more than a couple wheats. I really think someone has detected it before since the decent signals are GONE. The owner lives out of town, and I'm fairly certain that there's some individuals where I live that hunt WITHOUT permission at such places.

Nevertheless, I gave it a shot, and made it a point to hit some of the nooks and crannies that are either on the boundaries of the property or hard-to-reach. I was determined to find some sort of "keeper" from this spot.

I was there for a few minutes, and I got a jumpy mid-60s on my ATP, about a foot into the overhanging branches of an old pine tree. I weaved my way through the sharp needles to cut my plug, and low-and-behold... at 7" my first keeper from this property: a 1906 IH. This is the 9th IH of 16 I've found that has LIBERTY fully legible. For some reason, the soil here is really easy on old pennies.

Later on, I was working along the base of the house, and got a screeching high-tone, up into the 90s only a half foot from the foundation. Thought I might have a half or dollar coin. At only 2 inches, I pulled out what I thought was just scrap metal, but looked closer and saw an engraving. Turned out to be an old Sterling napkin ring with the initials C.A.F. I have yet to look into the family history of the house to see if I can put a name to the find, but I was pretty excited for something a little unique (at least for me).

Before finishing, I was swinging and walking back towards my vehicle on the very edge of the property, and got another high 80s, low 90s at 6". New I had to have silver. Popped out the '48 Washington to round out my day (#38 fty). It was slow going, as I ended up with less than $0.50 in clad, and only 1 wheat in a couple hours of detecting.

I know these are pretty modest finds compared to some of the crazy amazing finds I've been seeing on here lately, but it was a good hunt for me!

141018_Finds.jpg

141018_Sterling.jpg
 
That napkin ring is a top-shelf find, any day, all day long. Finding a piece that can be traced directly to an individual is (in my mind) the rarest and most exciting thing possible in detecting. I would take that ring any day over silver coins. I hope you can do some research on the property and figure out which family it came from, and bring it all full circle (so the speak!) :D
 
Thanks guys! Still doing some research on the house... I'll post an update if I can piece together the puzzle for the napkin holder.
 
Any day I find a silver coin is a good day. Add a silver napkin ring and it becomes a great day. Congrats on a great hunt.
 
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