I have not seen my comrades in metal detectors on the 'American Detectorist' forum for a long time. This is because I spend my time between come downs and withdrawals with casing the old and deteriorating parts of my city. This involves slowly driving up and down streets, and occasionally being questioned by the police. After we discover that there is no harm in my form of casing the place, the cops usually ask me if I know good spots to buy drugs, and I ask them if they know any place to scratch around for historical curiosities. This town is going to Hades, but I still put on my headphones and soldier on.
On one of these days of cruising I noticed some traces of black coal in a pile of pale colored sand. Upon further inspection, I found that in the process of tearing out some old plumbing pipe that a construction crew had brought up some remains from a trash pit. When I saw the aqua colored glass shards, I knew that the 1890s were underneath me, and I grabbed my time machine and started digging. After about 6,000 pounds of sand and a new split personality later, I had some precious Victorian era trash pit exposed. It was heaven to see the butchered animal bone and ash containing pieces of bottles and various metal items. Pots and pans, spoons, suspender clips, and several old celluloid buttons were exposed. My heart was beating and my hands were shaking at the sight of so much old trash.
Whenever the trash is plentiful, then so are the dirty treasures. People lose random things, common things, and precious things. I am not surprised to find a coin now and again along with a couple of 'Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup' bottles. These Victorians were vicious party animals. although their poetry and literature would never suggest it.
One of the more exciting metallic finds was a very encrusted and large green disk which fell out of the layers of the trash pit as I scraped it with my Lesche, and burned green disks for me mean silver coins. I ran over to my buddy shouting ...it's fried, it must be a Seated Liberty half! He correctly pointed out that it was bigger, and I realized that I was holding a crushed and deteriorated monster coin. It would take cleaning at home to reveal the true face of this damaged and brokenhearted specimen.
I managed to find some other interesting items, including an 1897 nickel, a 1907 penny, some German Latticino marbles, and some nice antique bottles. The crazy coin turned out to be a pink 1882 Morgan silver dollar. It was pink from the reaction to the surrounding soil and different metals so that the small copper content had risen to the surface.
I have been digging and refilling gigantic holes all over empty spaces every place I can find. My family has labelled me as obsessed, but how could a man be obsessed about chasing coal and digging sand, I ask them?
Please enjoy my finds pictured below! I insist upon it!
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<: wow, nice Morgan |
thanks for posting and congrats!
