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Thread: Diggen with Digger Don in Central Illinois / A Wheat Cent Kind of Day!

  1. #1

    Diggen with Digger Don in Central Illinois / A Wheat Cent Kind of Day!

    Hey Diggers,
    With the weather forecast to be so nice this weekend Don and I decided to meet for some coin shooting. We met at a park that dates to 1834 and it didn't take long to realize we weren't going to find anything there! I overheard Don talking to a gentleman who was walking his dog in the park. About 20 minutes later I saw this same gentleman at his house across the street. I walked over and introduced myself and asked him questions about his Victorian style house (1888). I asked him if anyone had ever detected his yard and he said "No, do you want to?" I said yes and he said "Have fun, knock yourself out!"

    Don gave me the choice of which half of the yard I wanted. I chose the side that looked most promising. BIG MISTAKE, LOL! I was digging wheat cents and he was popping Barber quarters! Every time I turned around he was filming another find! I got a wheat cent, what have you got? Oh, just another Barber quarter. Don killed it! I was very happy to see the joy on his face as he held 3 just-dug Barbers in his hand!

    Finally I got a great signal about 8 inches deep and pulled out a huge copper coin. It was too big to be a large cent so I thought it might be some kind of KG or something (I was thinking colonial copper for some crazy reason!). Turned out to be a 1861 French Empire Napoleon III 10 Centimes. A few minutes later I scored my first silver with a 1924-D mercury dime that was sharing the hole with a wheat cent and a chunk of rusted iron (LOVE the e-trac). All together we pulled 7 silvers out of that yard!

    The next thing I know Don informs me he has gotten permission for us 2 doors down. It was also a late 1800s Victorian. He asked which side of the yard I wanted and I said "OH NO! The last time we did this you killed me!" I told Don he gets to pick this time! He picked the side closest to the driveway and I got the larger portion of the yard (He is such a nice guy!). A couple wheat cents later and finally a beautiful 12-48 at 4 inches deep. Out pops a very nice 1925 SLQ! As the day went on we got a couple more permissions but the finds were not as thrilling for me as the first 2 yards. I finished the day with 18 wheat cents, 1 Indian Head cent, 5 silvers, 2 junk rings, an old key, and 2 enameled pins. I must admit thought that my most favorite find of the day was a simple coal scatter tag! I love finding them. They always ring up as 12-12 on the e-trac. You think you're digging a nickel and out pops a thin aluminum token. It was pristine when I dug it but it got bent in my pouch. The Orient Coal Co. was an Illinois mining company and is well known for a disaster where 119 miners died in an explosion in 1951.

    Thanks Don for sharing this adventure with me. I had a great time. I'm looking forward to our next meeting in late May.

    P.S. Can anyone identify the bullet I found at the 1870 house?
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    Last edited by Full Metal Digger; 04-24-2016 at 08:53 AM.
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent
    Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France
    1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria
    Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6)
    YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger

  2. #2
    Elite Member Digger Don's Avatar
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    Congrats on your 5 Silvers and Indian. I still think the find of the day was that 1861 Napoleon III 10 centimes. That was just a great looking old coin.
    I sure wish there were more yards like that one!!
    I had a great time hunting with you again, even though you dug the only SLQ of the day. LOL.
    We'll see you at the end of May.
    Take care and HH, Don
    Oldest Coin: 1699 William III Halfpenny


    20
    24
    Silver 4
    Indian 3, Buff 1, V Nik 1, Rosie 2, Barber Dime, SLQ 1,

    YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoU...FVGumMQ/videos

  3. #3
    Global Moderator aloldstuff's Avatar
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    Your pile of keepers is starting to make me want to do the door knocking thing again. on all the silvers, wheats, the 10 centimes and of course the IH. Fantastic hunting.....
    V3i- Prism IV- Pro Pointer
    2020 GOAL: Any Flowing Hair coin

    TOTAL 100 YEAR OLD COINS - -280
    2020:
    Silver: 11


    Oldest U.S. Copper - 1795 Liberty Cap
    Oldest U.S. Silver - 1829 Capped Bust Dime extra large 10C
    Click here to view my album

  4. #4
    Elite Member Digger_O'Dell's Avatar
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    Jun 2015
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    near Milwaukee Wi.
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    Great hunt! I can't believe the SLQ is so worn but the date still looks so clear, that's usually the first to go. Nice group of keepers!
    Equipment:
    Minelab: CTX 3030, GPX 4800, X-Terra 705. Whites TDI SL.

    2023 Silver: 1 Gold: 0

    Best finds: 28 silver dime spill, 1800s Dutch customs seal.
    Oldest/best coins: 1837 Upper Canada large cent, 1877 Seated Dime
    Oldest find: 1800 Sailors Luck token
    You Tube: Rediscovering America

  5. #5
    Elite Member Bucknut's Avatar
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    Jun 2015
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    SE Michigan
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    2,024
    Man you guys sure did well!!! Sweet SLQ too!
    Detectors I use: Minelab Equinox 900 & Manticore
    Favorite finds I have made:
    1,000+ silver coins
    92pcs of 1700's Trade Era Silver
    Copper Culture Indian Artifacts
    125+ War of 1812 Era buttons and relics
    My wife
    (probably should have started with that one)

  6. #6
    Wow, you had an awesome day, Dave! I love that 1861 French coin, it has a beautiful patina. 155 years old, wow!

    The 1925 SLQ is a terrific find too.

    I always like to find the coal scatter tags as well. You're right, they always ring up like a nickel.

    Congrats on your wonderful finds!
    Lifetime totals:
    10 Large Cents, 415 Indian Heads, 2 Two Cent Pieces, 1 Capped Bust Half Dime, 1 Seated Half Dime, 10 Shield Nickels, 68 V Nickels, 124 Buffalo Nickels, 31 War Nickels, 16 Seated Dimes, 131 Barber Dimes, 405 Mercury Dimes, 249 Rosies, 4 Seated Quarters, 18 Barber Quarters, 20 Standing Liberty Quarters, 89 Silver Washingtons, 1 Seated Half, 3 Barber Halves, 16 Walking Liberty Halves

    YouTube Channel: Tony Two-Cent https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmz...RlHTBIU42bUORg

  7. #7
    Elite Member Digger Don's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Two-Cent View Post
    Wow, you had an awesome day, Dave! I love that 1861 French coin, it has a beautiful patina. 155 years old, wow!


    In my opinion, that 1861 French coin was the find of the day!!
    Oldest Coin: 1699 William III Halfpenny


    20
    24
    Silver 4
    Indian 3, Buff 1, V Nik 1, Rosie 2, Barber Dime, SLQ 1,

    YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoU...FVGumMQ/videos

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Two-Cent View Post
    Wow, you had an awesome day, Dave! I love that 1861 French coin, it has a beautiful patina. 155 years old, wow!
    Thanks Tony, I was hoping for a colonial copper at first but I will gladly take this one! I encourage everyone to read about Napoleon III on Wikipedia and how he came to be Emperor during the time this coin was minted. That really is the best part of this hobby--learning about the history behind the coin or relic.
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent
    Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France
    1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria
    Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6)
    YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger

  9. #9
    Now that's a good day of digging! Congratulations fellas!
    Treasure hunters for life

    Garretts AT Pro, and Whites Treasure Pro

  10. #10
    Global Moderator Fire Fighter 43's Avatar
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    You guys did very well congrats on a bunch of nice digs, WTG.


    Minelab Equinox 800, 15”Coiltek, 11” & 6”coils

    XP Deus II , 11", 9” & 11x13 coils


    Detectors since 1977: Simplex, DEUS, CTX 3030, F75 Ltd, Etrac, Excal II, V3i, DFX, GTI2000, Eagle II, 6000DI, 6DB, AlaskanTR4B, Beachcomber

  11. #11
    Elite Member
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    You guys had one heck of a hunt. Nice duo Trifecta on the quarters. Wd
    Total silver 3 - Goal 50 (2024 Finds) - 0 Washington - 0 Barber Dimes - 0 Mercury Dimes- - 3 Roosevelt Dimes - 0 V Nickels - 0 Buffalos - 0 War Nickels - 0 Indian - 10 Wheats - $ 3.44 in clad
    Relics: MILESTONES since 2012: 1700 silver coins - 8000 Clad Quarters - 500 Roosevelts - 750 Mercury Dimes

  12. #12
    Great finds. Sure wish there were big old parks around here. That is the price I pay to in in podunk.
    2017 Total:
    Mercs= 2
    Wash=1
    Seated=1
    total slivers=4
    Wheats 8.
    Indians=4 (1864,1865,1888)
    LG cents=1
    1 Sliver Pendent, 2= 3-ringers, 2 tokens

    Most Valuable find ever: 1834 C.B. dime, Oldest 1776 1/2 Reale, Biggest 1822 CB half.
    Detectors: E-trac and F75LTD2

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