Shawn Hewitt
New member
It was sort of a spontaneous idea to go hunting this weekend. I just had an appointment with a friend on Saturday morning, and the day was otherwise unclaimed. So, at 10:30, I think to myself that it's a fine day to get out and hit some favorite spots, and try a few new ones.
By 11am I'm on the road, having located some possible new sites with my trusty maps. The new sites turn out to be nonproductive or totally gone. So, I decide to spend the rest of the day at a couple places I've gone through pretty well before, because you never know what might happen.
At the first place, I found a 1949 dime right off the bat. That's the second silver of the year for me, having been out only a half dozen times so far. After circulating the grounds, I find a fairly hot area and locate a 1905 Indian, and three more mercs. That made my day. At least I didn't bust.
Heading into the late afternoon, I go to a place that my uncle brought me to about 25 years ago. He got me into metal detecting, and this was one of his favorite spots. He and some friends had pulled out several Seateds, Barbers, and Indians over the years. I remember finding my first Barber dime there in the early 1980s. Obviously, the site has been hit pretty hard, but I've been there a few times since and had always found at least one keeper. I tried the main area and was able to pull up a Buffalo nickel, which put a smile on my face. That's about all I hoped to find. Then I wander toward an area that is away from the central area and hit a good 0-28 signal at the depth I love to dig -- about 4-5 inches. The probe sings the sweet sound of silver as I uncover what I've searched for over 20 years -- a Seated Dime. I've found plenty of Barbers and early Indian cents in Minnesota, but Seated coins have always eluded me, until now. A well worn 1877 dime, found at 5 inches. That's a personal accomplishment for me.
I study this area a little more, and about five feet away hit another nice clean signal. This one's a 1872 Indian. Another keeper. I stick with the area another hour and find two Indians in one hole, and another lone Indian. I'm sure there's more to find in this vicinity, so I'll be back in the fall.
Today, I still have the bug and try a local site that has really produced for me in the past, although I've hit the area pretty well. I try searching in what seems to be an unlikely area of the grounds. About an hour into it, I hit a pretty loud 0-29 along with some other signals, again at the perfect depth to dig. At this point I'm thinking big silver. I pinpoint, and dig down to five inches, stick in the probe, and nothing. So I put the coil over the area again, and now the signal is left of the hole a couple inches. OK, I'll try again. Dig down to five inches, and the probe screams silver. Yes! I pull out a 1902 O Barber quarter. After covering the hole, I sweep the coil, and get another loud 0-29, about three inches from the first hole. Sure enough, at five inches, another Barber quarter, this one a 1898 S. I can't believe my luck this weekend. I finish off by finding a 1926 dime about 15 feet from the quarters.
I don't expect I'll have this kind of luck again, but that won't keep me from trying. Persistence is the name of this game.
Enjoy!
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By 11am I'm on the road, having located some possible new sites with my trusty maps. The new sites turn out to be nonproductive or totally gone. So, I decide to spend the rest of the day at a couple places I've gone through pretty well before, because you never know what might happen.
At the first place, I found a 1949 dime right off the bat. That's the second silver of the year for me, having been out only a half dozen times so far. After circulating the grounds, I find a fairly hot area and locate a 1905 Indian, and three more mercs. That made my day. At least I didn't bust.
Heading into the late afternoon, I go to a place that my uncle brought me to about 25 years ago. He got me into metal detecting, and this was one of his favorite spots. He and some friends had pulled out several Seateds, Barbers, and Indians over the years. I remember finding my first Barber dime there in the early 1980s. Obviously, the site has been hit pretty hard, but I've been there a few times since and had always found at least one keeper. I tried the main area and was able to pull up a Buffalo nickel, which put a smile on my face. That's about all I hoped to find. Then I wander toward an area that is away from the central area and hit a good 0-28 signal at the depth I love to dig -- about 4-5 inches. The probe sings the sweet sound of silver as I uncover what I've searched for over 20 years -- a Seated Dime. I've found plenty of Barbers and early Indian cents in Minnesota, but Seated coins have always eluded me, until now. A well worn 1877 dime, found at 5 inches. That's a personal accomplishment for me.
I study this area a little more, and about five feet away hit another nice clean signal. This one's a 1872 Indian. Another keeper. I stick with the area another hour and find two Indians in one hole, and another lone Indian. I'm sure there's more to find in this vicinity, so I'll be back in the fall.
Today, I still have the bug and try a local site that has really produced for me in the past, although I've hit the area pretty well. I try searching in what seems to be an unlikely area of the grounds. About an hour into it, I hit a pretty loud 0-29 along with some other signals, again at the perfect depth to dig. At this point I'm thinking big silver. I pinpoint, and dig down to five inches, stick in the probe, and nothing. So I put the coil over the area again, and now the signal is left of the hole a couple inches. OK, I'll try again. Dig down to five inches, and the probe screams silver. Yes! I pull out a 1902 O Barber quarter. After covering the hole, I sweep the coil, and get another loud 0-29, about three inches from the first hole. Sure enough, at five inches, another Barber quarter, this one a 1898 S. I can't believe my luck this weekend. I finish off by finding a 1926 dime about 15 feet from the quarters.
I don't expect I'll have this kind of luck again, but that won't keep me from trying. Persistence is the name of this game.
Enjoy!
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