This year I had been planning to make a three day detecting trip to either Ohio, New York, or even here in Massachusetts. The year would soon be over, so this past Thursday I finally took the plunge and made the necessary arrangements, electing to detect at a few locations in Massachusetts. Even though I would be detecting in my home state commuting the three hour one-way drive did not appeal to me, so I booked a motel room not far from the sites I had planned to hit. I arrived at the motel at 3:00 PM on Thursday, got settled in and reviewed the list of sites I planned to detect during the next few days. By 4:00 I was at one of the sites to look it over. Public parks are appealing to me because many detectorist tend to give up on them as 'hunted out'. They would be surprised at what it is they are missing.
I ended the trip with 15 silver coins, 35 coppers, two 2-cent pieces, several Indian Head cents, and a good number of old wheat cents.
Thursday: Just a tease of finds
I had intended to remain at each site for about thirty minutes before heading to the next site as all I wanted to do was to check out the locations to determine if the grounds had been redone, what type of trash layered the ground, and how much of it I could expect to deal with. However, the temptation to remain at the first site had been too great after I picked up two Indian Head cents. The planned 35 minutes turned to 2 1/2 hours but during that time I had dug up several old coins, and though I wanted to stay for a while longer the rain that was now steadily falling forced me to head back to the motel room. The next day was one I was eagerly looking forward to.
This 1806 half cent was in the same hole as the large coin. I ended up scratching it while attempting to retrieve the larger target.I still love her though.
This large and thick coin is a 1814 Dom Joao VI Copper 40 Reis from Portugal. What a heavy coin! I can't imagine carrying several of them around.
A Nova Scotia coin, dated 1852.
Six Indian Head cents and one lone silver.
Friday: A day of coppers
I had made the detecting trip in the hopes of picking up a few old silver coins, but what this site had in stored for me was a complete and pleasant surprise. I arrived early in the morning, selected a spot near some very old trees and proceeded to grid and listen for the deep targets. The surface trash did not bother me much as I carefully listened for those deep signals I have become very familiar with. Within fifteen minutes I had a good one. I dug down a good nine inches before the X-1 probe screamed loudly, alerting me of the targets nearness. Another inch or two of soil later I had in my hand a large cent. I had a huge smile, but it would pale by comparison to the one I would sport by the end of the day. During the next hour I picked up another four deeply buried coppers around that tree, a copper every fifteen minutes.
After while I moved on to another large tree detecting outward from it, and more or less had the same results. This went on for most of the day, and at the end of it I had in my pouch twenty old coppers! Five of them are Draped Bust cents! To say that I was ecstatic would be an incredibly silly understatement.
These are representative of what is found in the pile of twenty coppers.
Twenty coppers in one day. A personal record. They ranged in depth from 8 1/2 to 12 inches.
The five Draped Bust cents. I can make out the dates on three, 1797, 1798, and 1802. The other two still have caked-in soil. I have to be careful about not scraping off any details.
I need to take a closer look at this one. I can barely make out some digits.
This one is a 1837 Daniel Webster hard times token. It has great details.
The only two silver coins I picked up from that area, along with the IH and other miscellaneous items.
Saturday: Then the old silver showed up
I returned on Saturday to continue gridding another section of the park. I was feeling good about my chances for finding old silver. The park did not disappoint. I dug up two seated dimes, one that was part of a coin drop being in the hole with two Indian Head cents.
Another interesting one. I can make out the word Canada.
More coppers added to the pile.
An old button and the Indian Head cents.
Sunday: Closing the trip with more coppers and old silver
I had a late start in the morning as I started detecting after 9:00. I was to leave at 3:00 for the long drive back home so I had to make every minute count. I detected at another location, working it as slow as I could, focusing on the signals of the deeper targets. Soon I had Barber dime, and a while later I had another. Employing the circling-around-a-find method allowed me to pick up several coppers, a seated and Barber quarter, along with some old wheat cents. I moved along to another section and managed a few more coppers, two 2-cent pieces, and a mercury, Barber, and Roosevelt dime.
These are what I had initially made the trip for, but the end result turned out to be even sweeter.
The silver dimes.
All the silver together.
The two cent pieces made for fun finds as well.
Another Colonial copper.
Yet another Draped bust cent. This one is quite worn though.
These two were in the same hole.
Two more large cents, bringing the total to six for the day.
The old wheat cents and one Indian Head cent.
HH!
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I belive your unknown 1837 one is a Van Buren Metallic Currency hard times token...Congrats on the amazing finds..
Originally Posted by RobW
Hey, thanks for the ID on that token! 
I like the way it looks. It should clean up nicely.
And Happy Hunting All 
