Dug any holes yet Angela?

[John (Australia)]

Hello Angela, My coin count so far for 2006 is only 18, 2 pre-decimal coins and $3.50 in decimal, but am still going over thrashed gound. Last coin for 2005 was a curious one, a 1980 Dutch 5 cent. I just had to go out on the 1st January but the first coin for 2006 was only a 1 cent. Also same day at a former house site now cleared I found the object that looks like a bit like a buckle. The Anzac Day pin was showing a steady 17 and I was expecting maybe 10 cent or stubbie cap. Have been detecting most evenings for an hour or so when it is cool enough.

 

[Angela (Australia)]

Hi John,
Nice to hear from you! Wow, I love those finds. The two sixpences are in very good condition. Is there a date on your anzac badge? And the last relic does look like a belt buckle. Did you clear the site yourself, and are you going back there? I'm curious, what is the buckle made of? Last Wednesday I went down to the beach straight after work for a much needed break. I hit a spot I'd been before, my last photo posted shows the coins I found. Decided to try again. Only got about $4.60 in decimal currency, and about another 15 sinkers! I got to the beach about 6:30pm and detected through to 10:00pm. Actually the evening was perfect, just a slight breeze, warm and I didn't want to go home! I think the sand had built up a bit since the last time I was there, so I couldn't get the depth. I found that at this particular beach there's a blueish black sand layer about 10in down, then a gravelly layer of small stones beneath that. The coins seem to sink just to that layer of blue/black sand and not much further. If there are older coins, they might have impregnated the gravelly layer over the years. I still think the beach has alot of potential. I also went out today after work for an hour at a local waterhole, and detected two 5 cent pieces and a bit of copper wire in this horrible smelly black slimey clay, on the creek edge. The coins gave a deeper than normal, and irregular tone, but I dug it anyway, and found these two coins. I haven't had much of a chance to get out otherwise, as sometimes I don't finish work till 4 or 5pm. (Dealing with tourists is exhausting!) I'm wrecked, and really hanging out for a good day's detecting!! Hoping to take a week off after the holidays, and head back down the peninsula way. Have a detecting friend coming up tommorrow to see us. We're all hoping to get out on the goldfields together at some stage to do some serious detecting!
Cheers Angela

 

[Ken (Australia)]

Hi Angela and John.
Your doing better than me John, I haven't found any pre decimal so far this year. Have been detecting in one of the local primary schools and have about $30 in $1 and $2 coins. The school is at least turn of the century so there should be some older stuff there but most of the play area has been sealed. I have had some deeper signals in the grassed area but the ground is like concrete with the extremely dry weather and I will have to wait to go over it again in winter. Have just gained permission to have a look at another old school so hopefully will do better there.
Cheers Ken.

 

[Angela (Australia)]

Hi Ken,
Have you tried detecting where the school canteen is located? Often coins fall between the floor boards or whatever, and kids often drop their money in the struggle to 'line up' (as I used to for salt and vinegar chip rolls!). Also try the edges of the footpaths. I found a few coins like this in a school yard. If the ground around the playground equipment is covered in tan bark, try here. You probably know all this anyway!
Cheers Angela

 

[Ken (Australia)]

Thanks Angela, I've tried those places and thats where the decimal came from. I'm just not having any luck with the older stuff. I've a fair few older ruins and a couple of inn sites lined up but just have to wait till the grass dies off a bit.
Ken.

 

[John (Australia)]

Hi Angela and Ken, Angela the badge doesn't have a date but I am guessing it would date around the early 60's. It is pressed aluminium by the look of it, and last year at the same site I found a cast metal Legacy Day pin in poor condition and a cast metal Anzac Day pin also in poor condition. The buckle like object is made of thin brass, under 10x magnification there are minute traces of the silver or gold coloured dip it was originally covered with. Due to the light build of it I tend to think it was sewn onto a dress or ladies hat as decoration rather then being functional. The house site was a former forestry workers house and it was cleared long ago only the fruit trees remain now.The visit on Jan 1st was just to see if there was anything to find and I will be going back to spend more time there soon along with a detecting mate, hopefully we find something of interest. I might have the front running with pre decimal but you both have more in decimal value than I have. Ken the deep signals may not be as deep as the display shows if they are threepence's, they are tricky little buggers to find at times and the well worn ones can hide in a millimeter thick covering of dirt. I will post a pic of last years threepence's soon.
John

 

[Ken (Australia)]

John, I know what you mean with the 3d, specially the real old thin ones. The coins I'm having trouble with are still signalling in the centre of the hole I've dug but I'm down 10" or so and can't go any further as the ground is like concrete. I don't think the school people would appreciate me attacking with a pick. I'm hoping for a wet winter and I'll go back. I'm going to see a mate tomorrow who lives about 200 klms away, he has also recently bought a Quattro and we're going to have a look in his local showground for a couple of hours.
Ken.

 

[Angela (Australia)]

Hi John and Ken,
I dug a threepence about two months ago, and it was shallower than what the screen indicated. (which indicated it was 6 inches deep). When I dug the hole, about three inches deep, and moved the soil to one side, I swiped the hole, no sound. Thought it was strange. Checked the dirt off to the side and there it was, reading a +9. It was dated in the 60's so explains the reduced silver content. But it was shallower than I thought. And a bit blackish in colour once I cleaned it.
Cheers Angela