AD Anniversary Contest Posts Go Here

[whammy]

My best for this year has to be a series of hunts at a school about 10 miles down the road. It's a modern school, but I thought I might find some school rings and some clad there, plus it was close. I hunted around the school, and found some clad, but little else. I moved over to the football field and things got interesting. I was pulling clad out, but everything over six inches deep turned into silver. During the course of about seven weekend hunts I pulled out over 60 silver coins, 5 silver rings, and several silver religious medals. I got walking liberty halves, washingtons, mercs, rosies, several barbers, and a couple buffs. I just could not figure out why I was only getting them on the football field. My last trip there I met an old timer who explained that there used to be a horse track on that location, and where I was finding the silver was where the concession stand was located. Now, it made sense to me. Sorry for no pictures, my camera is broke.

[Bell-Two]

I started metal detecting in July of 2009 and I was fortunate to find that my hometown had a new but active metal detecting club called the Dayton Diggers. I attended the first meeting and was pleased to find the members were all so helpful and kind to a newbie. I joined that evening and as part of my membership I got the official club patch. The patch showed the club's signature coin a 1913 Barber dime. This was chosen to memorialize the great flood of 1913 in Dayton. As I went home the thought kept racing through my mind Wouldn't it be neat to find a 1913 Barber dime! Now understand at this point in time I had not even found a wheat penny! Well as I progressed I did dig some Barber dimes, a 1911, 1912, 1916, 1901, 1902 etc. But no 1913 came under my coil. As the club grew and it came time to re-order patches a design change was made this time the 1796 Large Cent was chosen to honor the founding date of the City of Dayton. Great I thought I couldn't dig the Barber what chance do I have of digging this? Well time passed and on one Saturday morning my hunting partner Doug and I were out doing some door knocking we had some success and with about another hour of hunting time Doug suggested stopping back at a house we had hunted before. The owner graciously gave us permission and along with a flat button and a 1920 Buffalo Nickel I dug a Large Cent. It was so dirty I could not see anything on it and so I just put it in my pouch. After leaving and riding back home in Doug’s truck I pulled the Large Cent out and looked at it and told Doug “I think that this may be an older Large Cent” he said here is some water so I dabbed some on the coin and I said “Wouldn’t be cool if the Bust was facing right?” After a bit more dabbing at it I could see more clearly the outline of the bust, you should have seen the look on Doug’s face when I said “Dougie the Bust is facing right!” He said “See if you can get the date”. After a bit more dabbing I said “I think the last two digits are 06. But on closer inspection and a bit more dabbing I came to the realization that it was not a 06 I was seeing but a 96! I said “That means it has to be a 1796!” We came to a stop light so I handed it to Doug and he said “I can see the 17…it is a 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent!” We were close to a coin shop so we made a quick detour in to see the proprietor who has been very helpful to our club. I handed the coin to him and he looked at it with his loupe and said “Wow!” I laughed and said to Doug “You know you got a good one when the coin guy gets excited!” It was not until hours later and after I cleaned the coin a bit more it suddenly occurred to me…I had dug an example of the Club’s signature coin! Now …..I still have to get that 1913 Barber!

[dave in iowa]

Heres my best finds this year , Happy anniversary

1882 morgan and the spill , 2 walkers 3 dimes(2 mercs and a rosie) , 2 nickles( Buffalo and jeff) , 3 wheats and 5 keys in the same hole and the half dime . 1st one ever

[CODY]

Hi guys
I've have got to tell ya'll the story behind this SLQ. I work for the Police Dept. About a month or so ago I answered a call about an attempted robbery of a lawn mower. The gentleman who had called was 73 years old. He has had the West Nile Virus and is one of the lucky few that survived it. Well after dealing with his problem we got to talking about his home. Built in the 20's. I asked permission to hunt it, which he gave. When I hunted it he followed me around on his cane and watched every hole I dug. He was so excited. The next day when I arrived he had gotten permission from all his neighbors. All houses built about the same time. He has been there every day, toting my stuff, bringing me drinks etc. It seems I have given this fine gentleman a reason to get up every morning. Anyway. Yesterday we were hunting a yard that he had got permission for. The house had been torn down and it was a vacant lot. Down here in Miss. we have a lot of clay. This yard was like concrete because we havent had any rain in a while. I got a good quarter sig on my F4. Slammed the shovel into the ground. It went maybe a inch. When I pried down the clay plug poped up. The SLQ lept out of the hole and landed about a foot from the hole. It was like the earth just threw it up. LOL Anyway the old man saw it and said,What the h__l is that. I said its got to be a new one being no deeper than it was. You can imagine how suprised I was. The old man was dancing a jig. It was so funny. Made my day.



SLQ.JPG (129.31 kB, 640x480 - viewed 41 times.)





Report to moderator 68.66.104.127

2011 Finds, Since May 2011
117 Wheats
2 Buffalo Nickels
1 War Nickel
29 Silvers
2 Barber dimes
18 Merc's
5 Rosie's
1 SLQ
3 Washingtons
1 Silver Ring
Lots of clad
Numerous tokens, dog tags and relic's.
All found with a Fisher F4

Always ask, the worse they can do is say no!

IN GOD WE TRUST

[Viking]

No one hunt stands out the most for me since joining American Detectorist; rather, the number of hunts I've gone on since joining AD is what I feel I should mention.

As a child, my parents got me a cheap Radio Shack metal detector. I loved that thing and used it as often as I could. But as I grew up, graduated college, started a career, and got married, the hobby all but disappeared for me. I've always loved finding things though. I have no say in the matter- it is a passion. I knew I would get back into the hobby when the time was right.

A few years ago, I purchased a metal detector and started learning some hunting skills all over again. I tried a few different models and got more comfortable, but still was only moderately active in the hobby. Then I stumbled onto American Detectorist, and the addiction became stronger than ever. In two years, before joining AD, I went on about 20 total hunts, finding 2 silver coins, and $35 in clad. In 2011 alone, with the help and excitement of this forum and its member postings, I have made it out 50 times finding over $125 in clad and 8 silvers (including my first Barber Dime, shown below). I still have a lot to learn with my E-trac, but I am a sponge for any tips, videos, or comments made about this machine. I am in this hobby for old coins, and there are no shortage of them posted here. I want nothing more than to get to the level of you power E-trac users. Thanks AD for inspiring me! |)

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[Full Metal Digger]

We all find coins that have been holed. One of my most memorable finds this year was to find two holed Barber dimes in the same hole with the string STILL attached!

[RobW]

Well....... This was an on going hunt which lead me to Americandetectorist.com....

It all started one day, when I called my previous hunting buddy, and told him they were doing work on our town green, and we decided that that afternoon we were going to go hunt it. That morning I'm driving by the green and see 2 guys out there detecting. So I stopped my car to chat. At first they were a bit stand offish, but then I explained that I was a detectorists too and not some PAIN, and I said that my buddy and I were planning to hit it later. When we came back they were gone. Like mysterious shadows... lol We came back a few more times over the next several days, not really finding much, so on my return trips my buddy didn't join me and eventually phased out of detecting. However, the other two mysterios strangers were there...One of them said I should check out this forum he has...what an Angel ....... rofl. Little did I know how much of an influence this stranger would be in my life...I was a die hard Garrett man...I now own and love my Minelab E-Trac, I have learned much from him through his posts and pms. Who was that other stanger? John (Midas) one of our forum sponsors. He and I met there on the green on many other numerous occassions that hot, hot summer, and we made some great finds.

Word got out in town about my finds, the library/museaum asked if they could document my finds. I agreed and when I brought them in for them to photograph, they had one of the newspapers there, So the story ended up in the paper. Then athe larger paper in the area picked up on the story and they did a story of my finds as well. I placed them on loan to the museum who displayed my finds for a few months.

I also submitted my story to Garrett Metal Detectors...who also had me take better pictures rofl...and they claim that they are going to include it in an upcoming book.

I have attached a pic of most of the coins found there..to the date of the pic. I had also found other after the date of the pic.

The hunts at that location I pulled out 2 Spanish 2 Reales in one hole ...Two large cents in one hole as well as several other large cents, 4 half dimes (2 bust 2 seated),6 indians, 2 barber dimes, 1 seated dime, a civil war token; for relics, (no pics, sorry) I had lots of buttons, a pocket knife, musket balls, and my first Rossett.

Not only did I make some great finds, I met 2 great guys, and found this forum through Angel ...what a hunt!

[exsquid]

Here's my story...

It started last June we made a week long trip as our son was going to be married in PA and needed some help getting their soon to be home readied for their moving in. Each day was very, very, busy doing electrical, plumbing, and numerous other fix, change, and repair jobs that lasted to well after dark. This area is an older area and was loaded with older great looking detecting places. Each morning I would get up and go out at 5:30AM and hunt for a couple hours before everyone else was up and around and before duty called to get back to work on the house. Well, anyway had some great finds but just didn't get the time needed to really hunt like I would have liked.....Jump to October....We were able to make a quick trip back to the area to visit my son and his bride and this trip allowed some time to revisit some of the spots I previously hunted. Well one of the days I found a first for me... a multi-coin old spill that included two silver quarters, one silver dime, and two wheat pennies. They are not the oldest coins I have ever found nor the most valuable but none-the-less I had not had the pleasure of pulling multiple silvers from the same hole before and that was indeed quite the rush..... I finally kinda got to feel what some of my peers here have enjoyed numerous times... happydance02

[mdakin]

I think one of the things that keeps me going out metal detecting is finding new things, and learning about new things related to those items. Every year I usually will have one or two it items that are my favorites.

I thought I had found that one item early in the season when I found a bronze foo dog wax seal. However, a few weeks ago, I was able to share something that was not only a first for me, by literally blew me away with its historical significance related to a major event in American History, The Civil War.

Have you ever wondered how our country became so divided? How were we so willing and able to go to war against each other? Was Abraham Lincoln that charismatic? How did he gain so much support? While not taking anything away from his accomplishments, a recent find educated me on what is probably one of the largest grass roots movements in the history of our country. (Which just happend to originate in my home state of Connecticut.)

The name of that organization, The Hartford Wide Awakes, and the reason behind even knowing about this name was a campaign token from 1860 that I found while detecting a private home site that dates back to the 1700's.

The owner had recently cleared out some woods to one side of his property which allowed me access to areas I had not been in before. After digging a nice sized Tombac button out of a hole, I re-scanned the hole and got another strong signal. Out popped a large cent sized disc, but I could immeadiately see that it was no large cent. I saw what looked like a military figure holding a rifle, I couldn't wait to get back home to clean it off and do some research.

As it turns out, that was indeed someone dressed in the military style of the 1860's, but he was not carrying a rifle, but a large torch.

Apparently in March of 1860, 5 young dry goods clerks from Hartford Connecticut organized a movement to support some local political candidates from the newly formed Republican party. They based their organization in a para-military style, dressing in military caps and capes and provided ranks and military structure to its members. This fledgling organization grew and soon spread all across the northern states in support of presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln. Members would march in military processions to their local meetings carrying large torches. The organization catered to the young men of that generation and helped polarize hundreds of thousands of Americans.

According to an article I read from the Journal of American History, it was this organization and it's movement that was the missing link researchers had been looking for. This was the organization that assisted in the election of Lincoln as the next President, as well as being a major contributing factor in polarizing the citizens of our country such that they were willing to go to war against each other. Below is a link to the article, it's a very interesting read. I've also copy/pasted a passage from it.

http://www.journalofamericanhistory..../grinspan.html

The march that shook New York was one of thousands that poured through America’s cities, towns, and villages in 1860, started by a revolutionary new political organization. Stumping for the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln, the strange movement electrified the presidential election. Young men from Bangor to San Francisco and from huge Philadelphia clubs to tiny Iowa troupes donned uniforms, lit torches, and “fell in” to pseudo-military marching companies. They flooded every northern state and trickled into upper South cities like Baltimore, Wheeling, and St. Louis. Launched in March by “five young dry goods clerks” in Hartford, Connecticut, by November the Wide Awakes had developed into a nationwide grassroots movement with hundreds of thousands of members. Many of the movement’s supporters—and even some of its vociferous opponents—believed “there never was, in this country, a more effective campaign organization than the Wide Awakes.”

I've attached pictures of the token I found, as well as pictures I found from an eBay auction for reference. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Matt

[Ill Digger]

Here's a neat piece I found this summer.
(quarter is shown for size comparison)




When I found it I had no idea what it was. It turns out to be a wax seal. At least thats what this auction site considers it lol
http://www.blackmarketantiques.com/b...l-p-11594.html

If it's a wax seal.... ..... I had to find out what the seal would look like in wax. So I gave it a shot. thumbsup01 lol


Weather it's a wax seal or not I don't know. But I do know it's old. lol (Wouldn't a wax seal reveal itself forward? )
The logo looks very familiar. It turns out to be what we know as the Arm & Hammer logo. In 1846, John Dwight and his brother-in-law Dr. Austin Church began manufacturing bicarbonate of soda...
Here's a little more history if anyone is interested
http://www.thehistoryofcorporate.com...dwight-co-inc/

[mcdoogal]

My Most Memorable Hunt

It was last spring on a comfortable afternoon near Houston Texas, I just finished up my weekend “honey do’s” around the house and headed out to a school sports field about 4 miles from home. The sports fields are used by two schools that are side by side separated by a small creek and about 25 yards of woods. There is a well used footbridge across the creek connecting the two schools. There are several foot worn trails through the little wooded area made by countless pairs of exploring feet of the local school kids. I have found several rings and other pieces jewelry along these trails in the past. However, this day I decided to work the sidelines area of the football practice field and near a baseball field backstop about 30 yards from the wooded area. The day was pleasantly bright and the air was fresh with light organic, “woodsy” scent on the light breeze coming through the nearby forested area. I was really enjoying the day and I remember digging quite a few quarters in a 20’ X 20’ area. The digging was easy and the dark, rich dirt made me feel connected to nature that surrounded me.

I was busy digging a quarter when I noticed that the bright daylight quickly dimmed and the wind changed direction. I looked up from my target hole and looked toward the westward sun. I saw a dark bank of clouds blocking the sun. It was a strange sight, the sky was a beautiful blue directly above me and to the east but this large dark cloud blocked the sun to the west. Within seconds I saw the dust begin to blow from the sports fields and a gravel parking lot about 200 yards to the west. I could see that the wind would reach me in just a few seconds and I was out in the open, so I stayed kneeling on one knee over my target hole and turned my back to the coming gust front. It seemed that just as I turned around the dust, leaves, and parking lot grit carried by the wind began pelt my back and swirled around me. I was thinking to myself that nature was pretty awesome and suddenly the wind REALLY picked up. The sudden force of the wind knocked me off balance and I hunched down very close to the ground. Even though I had my headphones on, it felt like my base ball cap was going to blow off, so I brought my head down, looking directly into the hole I had just dug. I noticed that the dirt I had just dug out of the hole was blowing away. My Dad was a USAF weather forecaster for over 30 years and I guess a little rubbed off on me. I realized that I was in a micro burst. Once I realized what was going on, I looked around as best I could and was very excited, enjoying the experience. I heard a large crack, not thunder. I looked toward the wooded area where the cracking, breaking, and rending sound was coming from and I saw a huge 50+ foot pine tree slowly leaning over, then quickly coming down, crashing through several other trees, shearing off their branches and slam to the ground directly across the walking path from the footbridge. The sound was unbelievably loud. I saw the tree trunk hit the ground so hard that it bounced back in the air about a foot before finally coming to rest. I felt the “thunk” of the tree transmitted through the ground to where I was crouched some 25 yards away. The tree and debris settled to the ground and the wind died down, and … I grinned like a madman. Flushed with excitement, I felt truly alive.

I don’t think this thing lasted more than 3 min from the time I noticed the sun dim till the tree was down. I felt a part of everything in those few moments. I felt more alive in those few moments than I had in years. I felt that all was right in the world and I had my small place in it. I called my wife on the cell phone and I am sure she thought I was at the bar by the way I was excitedly babbling about quarters, wind and falling trees.

So all in all, I guess you could say my most memorable hunt since joining the forum was one where my best find was not silver, gold, or historic relics; it was a profound sense of peace… and it was truly AWSOME!

[silversearcher]

Interesting Find

I'm new to AD. Did A 3 hour hunt on Sunday the weather is holding out.
brought my son and his friend ( the friend that collects coins and likes to CRH ).
Discovered my son really is not into the hunting but his friend got a metal detector for his birthday <:. It is an old Treasure Tracker .
My son was bored and his buddy was more interseted in using my Prizm V 8/. Tested out his detector and it does not know the difference between can tab and a gold bar, so he is a little discouraged. He said I really wanted a metal detector so I could find a Walking Liberty.
We hit my neighbors yard and a local school. All we found was a few pennies a couple of can tabs and a can the lawn mower hit :-\. I let him keep everthing including a butter knife and O-clamp he pulled out of my yard the day before.
I did dig up 1 item of interest out of my neighbors yard however.Not sure what it is but that keeps things interesting. Here are a couple photos. Al is clueless as to what it might be but told me how to clean it. Which I did.
It appears to bo be a flower on the front side.

[skribnodsister]

Happy Anniversary! Thanks for having such a wonderful forum. (I told my husband that it's in my blood-I was born to do this lol) I have had a lot of firsts for me-but the most memorable ones are the ones that I got to go out detecting with my brother. We've hunted in 100 degree weather-soaked to the bone, the ground so dry you can't get a shovel through it. 40 degree weather, raining cats and dogs-soaked to the bone, the ground so muddy it sticks to everything but the laughs we've had, the first time finding a first of something, the trying to figure out the what is it's or the I thought for sure we would find something there.Oh ya can't forget the happy dances in front of the cows (with those kinda dance moves I thought for sure he was going to start a stampede ) So to me those are my most memorable moments. Thanks Donna -Happy Hunting everyone!

[Beefcake]

My most memorable hunt was Last October hunting a Bean field with my buddy Tim. It was a frosty one and we had been gridding off the large field by using twine and stakes. I had found an unreadable half cent when we first got there which was awesome! Tim came over to talk to me during a break. I moved my detector to the right as he was talking to me and I had to interupt him... He caught the live dig.... Here it is! http://www.youtube.com/user/Beefcake.../5/ukRQ3edo_EQ

[Cheap Thrills]

Always on the search for silver coins but not really scoring many I decided one day recently I'd dig it all and my hope was to hit a gold ring . It was a pleasant day ,I had the small park to myself and my mind was right .I didn't dig but a couple of junk targets before I got a soft nickel sound , the meter was shifting between foil and nickel . I just had the most confident feeling it was going to be a gold ring and it was , a nice 14K . That was truly a lift and a confidence builder and it was the first gold ring I had found in quite some time .A truly memorable hunt .

HAPPY 2ND ANNIVERSARY TO ALL THE STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN DETECTORIST !!!

THANKS FOR A GREAT FORUM AND THIS COOL CONTEST .

[Epi-hunter]

I'm going to draw for the winners in the next hour or so.

Thank you for your participation!

I am adding five American Detectorist T-Shirts to the prizes.

[Epi-hunter]

My daughter drew the entries out of a hat. We took them in order of the prizes.

#1) aloldstuff (Sun-Ray or equivalent or $150 in cash)

#2) Jason in Enid (Garrett pinpointer/equivalent or $100 in cash)

#3) Viking (1884 Morgan silver dollar)

#4) Beefcake (1899-O Morgan silver dollar)

#5) Mcdoogal (1945-d Walking Liberty Half Dollar)

#6) RaZR (1942 Walking Liberty Half Dollar)

#7-#12 are American Detectorist T-Shirts: whammy, digemall, pulltabsteve, fsa46, Bell2, and xsquid.

Thanks everyone who participated! Those who won T-Shirts please send me a size and a mailing address. Everyone else, please send me a mailing address

[pulltabsteve]

Congratulations to all the winners happydance02 And a big thank you to Angie for having the contest and all those cool prizes

[Beefcake]

Coool!!! Thanks for the contest Angie! I always knew I like your daughter! Thanks kiddo!

[jkress]

Congratulations to all the winners.
Thanks again for the contest Angie.