As some of you may have read last week, I came across a very interesting find in a trashy pumpkin patch - a 1759 eight reales cut in half (as was the custom in those days)....
Well, I have been trying to get out again before the sub freezing temperature finishes off the land detecting season here in NY. I went out on Saturday, after we had about 3 days of 20 degree nights, and discovered the ground was rock hard - so detecting was out. I was upset that there would be no detecting that day but since I had already made the drive I spent a few hours driving around the area and scoping out some new plowed fields - marking comments on a "photo map" I created by taping together prints of the area I got off of google earth.
There were quite a few promising new sites, nicely plowed flat with a sparse cover of winter grass - a perfect detecting and digging environment. Now we needed the weather to cooperate. On Sunday the temps shot up into the mid 40's but we got drenched with about an inch of rain. Overnight temps never got down to freezing and today's temps were expected to hit the mid 40's again.
I made the trip out to the fields again this morning knowing that the ground would be thawed out. Little did I realize that the fields were going to be a total muddy mess. There was no way I was NOT going to detect today, so I put on the coveralls, laced up the waterproof boots, grabbed the shovel and said what the heck - it's a gorgeous December day. Quickly I notice that the area was real clean of both trash and good signals - I thought maybe this field has been hunted out over the years and I was about ready to leave and try another spot but, because it would have meant changing out of the soaking muddy boots I decided to give it some time and see if there was anything to be found. About 15 minutes into the hunt I get a nice solid dime signal and bam, a '52 Rosie - well I know this field isn't hunted out so now I start my usual grid pattern, literally going up and down the rows - not wanting to miss anything that was there. I was hitting colonial era buttons here and there as the day worn on but there were no other coins or good relics to be had other than a few musket balls and square nails. I was about to pack it in and call it a day and decided I would grid just 2 more rows (p.s. the distance front to back on each row was about 1000')...
Well I take a step, make a swing and get a very solid high tone - look at the screen and see a 12/48 and knew we were talking business now. I start my pinpoint routine and literally see a large round item sitting right on top of the dirt. I pick it up and instantly knew what I had (after doing all of my research last week on that cut eight reales) I had found another eight reales coin - a 1796 Carolus IIII - only this one was a full coin with a small hole punched through it near the top. I believe it was common practice at the time to do this and wear the coins on a chain, or sew them into clothing for safekeeping...below is a picture - all I did was wash it with hot soapy water and ultrasonic clean it...I'm going to try and get out again tomorrow - looks like tomorrow and Wednesday will be it for NY detecting this season...HH and Happy Holiday's to everyone. You guys have taught me well and that ETRAC is one sweet machine.
Well, I have been trying to get out again before the sub freezing temperature finishes off the land detecting season here in NY. I went out on Saturday, after we had about 3 days of 20 degree nights, and discovered the ground was rock hard - so detecting was out. I was upset that there would be no detecting that day but since I had already made the drive I spent a few hours driving around the area and scoping out some new plowed fields - marking comments on a "photo map" I created by taping together prints of the area I got off of google earth.
There were quite a few promising new sites, nicely plowed flat with a sparse cover of winter grass - a perfect detecting and digging environment. Now we needed the weather to cooperate. On Sunday the temps shot up into the mid 40's but we got drenched with about an inch of rain. Overnight temps never got down to freezing and today's temps were expected to hit the mid 40's again.
I made the trip out to the fields again this morning knowing that the ground would be thawed out. Little did I realize that the fields were going to be a total muddy mess. There was no way I was NOT going to detect today, so I put on the coveralls, laced up the waterproof boots, grabbed the shovel and said what the heck - it's a gorgeous December day. Quickly I notice that the area was real clean of both trash and good signals - I thought maybe this field has been hunted out over the years and I was about ready to leave and try another spot but, because it would have meant changing out of the soaking muddy boots I decided to give it some time and see if there was anything to be found. About 15 minutes into the hunt I get a nice solid dime signal and bam, a '52 Rosie - well I know this field isn't hunted out so now I start my usual grid pattern, literally going up and down the rows - not wanting to miss anything that was there. I was hitting colonial era buttons here and there as the day worn on but there were no other coins or good relics to be had other than a few musket balls and square nails. I was about to pack it in and call it a day and decided I would grid just 2 more rows (p.s. the distance front to back on each row was about 1000')...
Well I take a step, make a swing and get a very solid high tone - look at the screen and see a 12/48 and knew we were talking business now. I start my pinpoint routine and literally see a large round item sitting right on top of the dirt. I pick it up and instantly knew what I had (after doing all of my research last week on that cut eight reales) I had found another eight reales coin - a 1796 Carolus IIII - only this one was a full coin with a small hole punched through it near the top. I believe it was common practice at the time to do this and wear the coins on a chain, or sew them into clothing for safekeeping...below is a picture - all I did was wash it with hot soapy water and ultrasonic clean it...I'm going to try and get out again tomorrow - looks like tomorrow and Wednesday will be it for NY detecting this season...HH and Happy Holiday's to everyone. You guys have taught me well and that ETRAC is one sweet machine.
you are the man !!!!!
