Return trip to old picnic grove-My first silver dollar!

Danimal

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Feb 1, 2006
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I was gonna wait until tomorrow to post tody's finds...but right now I am SO excited and I may not even go back tomorrow, as my lower back is KILLING me and my right elbow's wasted (is there such a thing as detector elbow?)Anyways, Spencer and I went back to the Iceberg today and were joined shortly thereafter by Bob (Mirage) and Nate. I knew it might be a good day because Spencer and I both dug a Merc within the first few minutes we were hunting. Like a typical 12 yr old though, as my finds started accumulating and he didn't have coins jumping into his pouch, Spencer lost interest and spent the next 4 hrs or so just rummaging around the woods while the three of us hunted feverishly. Eventually, as Bob and Nate prepared to leave (with maybe 2 hrs of daylight remaining), Spencer started again in a new area and began finding silver and his excitement grew accordingly. He ended with 5 silver, including his first Merc (he had three) his first silver quarter and his first silver War Nickle. He also dug a nice religious medal, several cool marbles (they are scattered around the woods here) and an old lipstick case.
I ended the day with 18 silver, which included 8 Mercs, 6 Rosies, two quarters and another silver War Nickle. Today I got one Buffalo Nickle, a 1934 in VF condition.
Between us we dug 32 wheats, including many early dates (1-1910, 1-1912, 1-1915)
I also dug a trade token from the Ivanhoe Restaurant/Theater in Chicago. I saw them online listed as vintage, but am unsure of it's age.
I also dug a cool silver buttonf rom some British Military group with Latin around a picture of a guy on a horse spearing a dragon.
As we were leaving, right at dark, I was passing a spot on a hill where a HUGE old aoak had fallen. I turned my ACE back on and scanned the depression near where the roots were and a LOUD signal rang out. I didn't even LOOK at the ID (it was almost dark anyways) and put the backpack down and fiched out my Lesche and didn't even bother digging a plug, just stuck it about 3-4" back from the pinpoint center and levered back and a BIG dark disk popped right out.
1879 Morgan Dollar, my first silver dollar!!
I can't find my camera, so these pics are with my Dad's, which I am unfamiliar with (sorry)

Hopefully Bob and Nate will post their finds soon...they both did great, and Bob found more big silver!

Oh..and BTW, I have heard it from Bob, Nate and others that I REALLY shouldn't be polishing my silver...and I KNOW that better coins as far as dates, etc, should be left as-is...and I am NOT going to polish the Morgan, so tonight all today's silver were left unpolished.

HH all!
 

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Totally awesome finds. You just had one of those days we all hope for. Very well done indeed.
 
Thanks for the update. I'm still in shock just looking at the pics. I hereby nominate you for Detectorist of the Year for the U.S. Don't know if there is such a thing, but you definitely qualify in my book.

You won't have to worry about finding a different place to detect for a long time. Mucho CONGRATS!
 
Man, what a post!!!! Truly a day of a lifetime.

Heartfelt Congrats!!

DM
 
Those are some sweet finds!

I'm always amazed when I see people find silver dollars. You just have to figure that loosing a buck a hundred years ago was a pretty big deal, and those coins are so big you think they'd be easy to find if you dropped one!

Congratulations!
 
What a great hunt and a great place you found.
That is a day like I only dream of.
Congrats to you.
 
Well you know how it goes...I loaded up on Ibuprofen Sat. night and fueled the tank with a few beers and looked forward to a good night's sleep with visions of silver coins dancing in my head.
Woke up at 10, and went and saw Spencer sawing wood and twitching all over, in the middle of deep sleep. I then thought of the relaxing day ahead...maybe a nice long hike with the dog and Spencer, followed by more beer and the Browns game.
Suddenly, Spencer pops up outta bed at 11 and says 'let's go get em!"
I said "you gotta be kidding me!" and, seeing he wasn't, started prepping gear and packing lunch. Since it's a good drive and since I had to have him home to his Mom in Cleveland at 6pm, I knew it would be a short hunt at the Iceberg. We arrived at 12:30 and hunted till 4:15.
Spencer was so thrilled with his finds he took them to show his Mom, so I won't be able to post pics until Tuesday when I see him next ("shared parenting" sux). He asked me to list what he found today though. We both worked a slightly different area, but really, most all these finds at the Iceberg have been found within maybe an acre of each other. My guess is now that there must have been a concession stand or something here judging by the sheer number of coins and also plenty of rusty nails. No foundation is evident thus far.
I found this afternoon:
*1908 V Nickle!!...only my second V, but in MUCH better shape than the one I found 5 months ago. The soil here is VERY nice to nickles.
*2-Buffalos, one undated and one 1917D in F condition...kinda a good date, worth perhaps $35.00
*3-War nickles, 2-1943Ps, one 1943S
*1939 silver Canadian dime (my first)
*1957 Rosie
*1940 Jefferson Nickle in great shape
*7 wheats
*neat play quarter with horse heads logo
Spencer's finds:
*2-Mercs, a 37 and 40
*2- Buffalos, 1917 and 1920
*2-War Nickles, both 1943P
*8 wheats

this place is like no other I have seen or read about, outside of stories in old W&E magazines I bought on Ebay!!

We'll keep working her until she quits coughing up coins!
HH all!
 

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mxtswinger said:
Thanks for the update. I'm still in shock just looking at the pics. I hereby nominate you for Detectorist of the Year for the U.S. Don't know if there is such a thing, but you definitely qualify in my book.

You won't have to worry about finding a different place to detect for a long time. Mucho CONGRATS!

very kind words MXT, but really, I am just a beginner as far as this hobby goes (9 months now) and after some research found an untapped old grove. Most anyone of you folks could've dug these (had you found this spot and been willing to put in the now-40+ hrs there)
 
Holy canoli what a haul, nice spot indeed - And this might make the case for investing in one of those little head mounted LED flashlights, they come in handy when darkness comes and you don't feel like quitting.
 
Nice goin', Danimal !!!

You have found what every coinshooter dreams about....an unsearched area full of lost coins just waiting to be found. If nothing else, your good fortune is an encouragement to the rest of us that, yes...such places still exist! Like you said in an earlier post--research pays off! If we all did a little more homework, we too, could possibly find such areas.

BTW, I too live in NE Ohio...Wayne County to be exact...about 1 mile to the south of the small town of Rittman. Whereabouts are you?

- Harley-Dog
 
Great job danimal!! I'm sure that site will keep on producing for some time. How much of the area have you covered so far and what is the average depth you are pulling coins at?
 
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