Your opinion is requested...

Denny2w · Feb 23, 2009

Your opinion is requested...

I enjoy researching old towns about as much as hunting them, which brings me to this question.

I know there is no true answer to my question but do my numbers seem about right, high, or low?

Lets say you have an old town that lasted 100 years and the population averaged 100 people that whole time.

Does it seem believable that each person dropped 1 coin per year? If so then there would be 100 years time 100 people per year for 10,000 lost coins.

Then if you add 5 coins per year lost by visitors, travelers, etc you would have another 500 lost coins in the ground for a total of 10,500 old coins there to be found!

What your opinion? sound believable?

Denny
St.Louis MO. area...

booker · Feb 23, 2009

I couldnt even began to guess how many coins have been dropped but have throught about it. People drop and pick up coins all day long. Lots of factors have to be added in.

Romeo7 · Feb 23, 2009

The old MD'ing adage is that there are more coins in the ground than in circulation. That's what I keep telling myself in the "hunted out" places that turn up silver. HH.

Lowjiber · Feb 23, 2009

Your assumptions are as good as any.

tommyb · Feb 23, 2009

actually it would be 100*100=10000+500
Therefore over 10,000 coins would be dropped according to your logic. Never even thought about it that way.

Westernlegend1 · Feb 23, 2009

If the town had local breweries this will add to the lost coin total by a large amount.

Denny2w · Feb 23, 2009

crhunter said:
actually it would be 100*100=10000+500
Therefore over 10,000 coins would be dropped according to your logic. Never even thought about it that way.

I stand corrected!
I think the point is that with only 1 coin per year lost per person that's a boat load of potential. I'm thinking a small town of just 100 folks would only be 25 houses or so. 10,000 coins seems like a lot but one coin per year lost sound very believable to me.

rcasi44 · Feb 23, 2009

Don't forget to factor in that people had less money and were willing to look for it when they lost it. One hundred years ago a dime could buy something and wages where a lot less. Also in many areas barter or running a tab was the main way of making transactions instead of coins. Rob

Denny2w · Feb 23, 2009

rcasi44 said:
Don't forget to factor in that people had less money and were willing to look for it when they lost it. One hundred years ago a dime could buy something and wages where a lot less. Also in many areas barter or running a tab was the main way of making transactions instead of coins. Rob

Good point! but never the less the coins were lost. Many or most may have been found already, some by the guy who first lost them. Clothing and pockets years ago got holes in a very short time which these days we tend to forget.
I just think it's amazing how the numbers add up really quick when you factor in 100 year of time. Whether it's 10,000, 5000 it's still alot.

Lightningjack · Feb 23, 2009

rcasi44 said:
Don't forget to factor in that people had less money and were willing to look for it when they lost it. One hundred years ago a dime could buy something and wages where a lot less. Also in many areas barter or running a tab was the main way of making transactions instead of coins. Rob

That is very true, when I found one of my setting liberty dimes I told my wife that was Prob for someones new pair of shoes...I've also always been told how ever old a site is you can find coins at least 30-60 years older then the site, Guess people back then didn't collect coins like now or they stayed in circulation longer...

kstichfarms · Feb 23, 2009

I dont think there could be that many coins... coins were worth alot more then, and most kids wouldnt have very many coins and if i had a little money i think i would have taken pretty good care of it... I would guess 1 coin/family each year or less. Hard to tell thou you could be right... I just think that way to many coins.

Bennym · Feb 24, 2009

You forgot to factor in one important piece of information...

You have a town of only 100 people/families.... all well and good..... but.... what is the AREA of the town ????

I would think even a small town like that would be a few square miles in area..... so all those coins would be spread over the whole area of the town, which means they'd be harder to find.....

While reading this I found that it's been a looooong winter for some of us huh ! :?:

Shanghai · Feb 24, 2009

Where would they be lost? In the era of the automobile, change would come out of the pocket with the car keys, but what about the horse-n-buggy days? Maybe under shade trees, maybe under cloths-lines....ideas?

Denny2w · Feb 24, 2009

Shanghai said:
Where would they be lost? In the era of the automobile, change would come out of the pocket with the car keys, but what about the horse-n-buggy days? Maybe under shade trees, maybe under cloths-lines....ideas?

Most folks years ago spent a lot of time outside working. The places that I look for are around the outhouse, water well, steps, cellars, porches, big trees, walking paths, old schools, churches, train stations, around the general store & post office. swimming holes, picnic areas.

jag1tx · Feb 25, 2009

Unless that last resident bought a metal detector and cleaned the town out before he left :lol:

Westernlegend1 · Feb 25, 2009

Shanghai said:
Where would they be lost? In the era of the automobile, change would come out of the pocket with the car keys, but what about the horse-n-buggy days? Maybe under shade trees, maybe under cloths-lines....ideas?

I was told by a famous author that my gold coin was most likely lost when someone stepped up to get into a buggy seat or onto a wagon. It does stand to reason that the ground could very well have been muddy and the coin sank out of sight before they realized it was lost.

Denny2w · Feb 26, 2009

Westernlegend1 said:
I was told by a famous author that my gold coin was most likely lost when someone stepped up to get into a buggy seat or onto a wagon. It does stand to reason that the ground could very well have been muddy and the coin sank out of sight before they realized it was lost.

Westerlengend1: I think you hit the nail on the head with the word "muddy"
If it were not for the mud, slop, weeds, and general poor ground conditions of yesterdays towns our coin portion of the hobby would be a lot smaller.

beerdoodle · Feb 26, 2009

Westernlegend1 said:
If the town had local breweries this will add to the lost coin total by a large amount.

Never lost a coin in my life Pete, while imbibing, unless you count the jukebox or pool table.......................

Your opinion is requested...

Denny2w

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