Geologyhound
Well-known member
It’s been a bit of a dry month in more ways than one. I obtained permission to hunt a field where there was a civil war skirmish so I thought I would swing by and see if it had been brushed or mowed yet. Unfortunately, it’s still waist high, so I will need to wait until everything dies and is matted down before I can hunt there. So, I headed on down the road to a public park.
Old maps show a couple structures there near the turn of the last century. In addition, I strongly suspect a section of this park was used as an old garbage dump. I have found several wheat pennies, some more modern silver, and a silver wash alpha shank flat button here.
The vegetation here was rather thick too, so I was limited to the immediate vicinity of the path, and a few small clearings. I really only intended to check one spot and move on to a different location. However, little did I realize I would find a bucket-lister which would keep me here the rest of the day.
I was working along the backside of what might have been the dump heading for my target area. Iron signals were everywhere and any hole had several square nails or nail bits. I had the 11 x 13 on my D2 - perhaps not the best coil for these conditions. I was running the Tekkna program (modified fast) with reactivity anywhere between 1.5 and three depending on the iron density, when I hit a signal in the copper penny range (about 87 to 8
.
I was expecting a memorial, but was absolutely flabbergasted to see “2 cents” facing me. This is the only two cent piece I have ever found, and aside from three large cents last year, the oldest coin I have ever found. Needless to say, I did not head to the other park, and I spent most of the rest of the day poking as far back into the brush as I could.
As astounded as I was to find a two cent piece, what is even more amazing is the condition. There does not appear to be any corrosion on the surface, and except for a little greenish tarnish, this looks like it could’ve been dropped last week. It’s got enough detail on it, it would probably rank in the AU range. It was easily in better condition than the 1944 wheat I found not too far away. Of course the wheat was in a dense clay soil along the path, and the two cent piece was off the path in a looser soil just above a gravel layer. It must’ve been the gravel which kept it from sinking too deep, as it was only about 5 inches down.
I wonder if this could’ve been somebody’s good luck piece and was recently lost. But if that’s the case, I would’ve thought it would’ve been more rubbed and would not have the detail.
Some other finds for the day include a plate for a front door knob, possibly part of a spring hinge, and I’m not sure what the tooth/claw shaped thing is with the triangular base. I’m guessing it’s more modern. I included some of the larger square nails and bits in the picture.
Thanks for looking!
Old maps show a couple structures there near the turn of the last century. In addition, I strongly suspect a section of this park was used as an old garbage dump. I have found several wheat pennies, some more modern silver, and a silver wash alpha shank flat button here.
The vegetation here was rather thick too, so I was limited to the immediate vicinity of the path, and a few small clearings. I really only intended to check one spot and move on to a different location. However, little did I realize I would find a bucket-lister which would keep me here the rest of the day.
I was working along the backside of what might have been the dump heading for my target area. Iron signals were everywhere and any hole had several square nails or nail bits. I had the 11 x 13 on my D2 - perhaps not the best coil for these conditions. I was running the Tekkna program (modified fast) with reactivity anywhere between 1.5 and three depending on the iron density, when I hit a signal in the copper penny range (about 87 to 8
.I was expecting a memorial, but was absolutely flabbergasted to see “2 cents” facing me. This is the only two cent piece I have ever found, and aside from three large cents last year, the oldest coin I have ever found. Needless to say, I did not head to the other park, and I spent most of the rest of the day poking as far back into the brush as I could.
As astounded as I was to find a two cent piece, what is even more amazing is the condition. There does not appear to be any corrosion on the surface, and except for a little greenish tarnish, this looks like it could’ve been dropped last week. It’s got enough detail on it, it would probably rank in the AU range. It was easily in better condition than the 1944 wheat I found not too far away. Of course the wheat was in a dense clay soil along the path, and the two cent piece was off the path in a looser soil just above a gravel layer. It must’ve been the gravel which kept it from sinking too deep, as it was only about 5 inches down.
I wonder if this could’ve been somebody’s good luck piece and was recently lost. But if that’s the case, I would’ve thought it would’ve been more rubbed and would not have the detail.
Some other finds for the day include a plate for a front door knob, possibly part of a spring hinge, and I’m not sure what the tooth/claw shaped thing is with the triangular base. I’m guessing it’s more modern. I included some of the larger square nails and bits in the picture.
Thanks for looking!
