Curb grass and strips.

I dig a lot of curb strips. The ownership varies from county to county and state to state. Where I live, in Montana, the city owns the sidewalk and grass strip between the sidewalk and the street, and the street. I've detected a few places in North Dakota, where the landowner owns the sidewalk, curb strip, and to the middle of the street. These differences require different actions.

In ND I do ask each property owner for permission to detect both the curb strip and their yard, as they OWN the land. The city just has a sidewalk and street easement thru the property.

In Montana, there are times I just go ahead and detect the curb strips, though many times as a courtesy I will go up to the door to let the private property owner (who takes care of the city owned sidewalk and curb grass) that I will be detecting, and that I will be careful, leave no holes, lay a towel out to keep the grass clean, and in the summer and fall I carry a gallon jug of water to soak the roots so the grass stays healthy and so I do not leave unsightly brown spots in the grass. Talking with the homeowner also gives me a chance to ask permission to detect their front yard, and to let them meet me and know I am not some psycho or weirdo out next to their property.

I have found some great finds in curb strips. I have found rings, silver coins as old as 1853 (Seated Liberty quarter), - 1718 Spanish 1 Reale, and 2 pocket watches including this one that has emeralds to mark the hours and gold dots to mark the minutes.