I think metal detecting is becoming a dying hobby ....

[fwcrawford]

Speaking about school yards. At the front entrance of two of them they had grass. I think it was the late '70's my first big fine was a '64 Kennedy half at 4-5 ". At a elementry school. The other was an Ike clad dollar found by scanning under bushes. It was just under the surface 1/2". Still have to this day!!

Just a few years ago, I found an Ike dollar at an elementary school and it was just laying on top of the ground….obviously a recent loss.
Sometimes it is just a matter of timing to make finds like this.
I doubt many of those are found now along with half dollars…not even clad half dollars, but it can still happen.

 

[Coin Rescue Inc]

Confession: My Field hunting really slowed down after I found several gold items on the Beaches.
Then a change to more rural areas where I hang out shrunk the opportunities for a quick park hunt.
I am running out of good locations

 

[Donna(NJ]

I never had a slew of old sites to detect so hit the public parks and the occasional derelict abode and in this area the silver coinage was easy pickings back in the 70s because it was shallow and most of the population growth came after that. Regardless , a few silver rings and 5 or 6 bucks was a normal day and I used to see about a $1000 for the year in clad. Summers are too hot except early and those days were short morning hunts but I could swing through the majority of the Winter. In the absence of an occasional spill , less than a buck is today's normal take and most rings are junk. In contrast , the need to dig more suspect targets out of boredom has actually led to more gold and at today's prices it takes only a dollop to add up fast. Media reports of fantastic stashes are the manufacturers salvation but the last decade of reality is undeniable for the detecting world.

One gold ring can get you a new detctor nowadays...but finding it is really tough !!!!
I use to say all machines were paid for in the past with the gold I found.
Today, it doesnt make sense to but a new machine, Think Im still paying for the last two, Deus 2 & Nox 900.
They will serve me well for a while, still some new technology rolls around.

HH
Donna

 

[Donna(NJ]

When I started detecting in 2006, parks and schoolyards were loaded with quarters.
My thoughts were at the older schools, once silver coin finds decreased, folks moved on or quit, then all the clad built up years afterwards.
My buddy digs quite a few zinc penny signals along with low numbers which could be a gold ring and he has found 9 class rings over the years, but in the 20 years I have been detecting with him, I think he has only found two class rings and I have only found one.
We both have found other gold rings, but not very often…..it takes much more patience when detecting inland.
Using the 800 a couple years ago, I dug all nickel signals that year and found 423 nickels and not one piece of gold.
Like you, I am concerned with Lyme disease along with other diseases you can catch from ticks, so I only venture into the woods when it is cold.
Have you ever thought of trying some rivers up your way that have alot of activity during the summer?
I decided to try one down my way a couple years ago and have done quite well there finding over 200 quarters and even an old 1700’s large cent.
It has gotten to the point that I look for areas where others have overlooked or figure nothing is there in public places and have done quite well at times.
While you are out scouting for places to detect, keep an eye out for gravel parking lots…..I found one down my way a few years ago and it was loaded with coins and mostly quarters surprisingly….some were just laying on top of the gravel, but not easy to see.

When i first started detcting back in Y2k !!! )))) Someone told me me, 'if you are not digging nickels, you are not finding gold !!!!' I didnt have a meter for many years until the Nox came out.
With good TID you can now pluck out the nickels vs pull tabs. Guess what, Still have found a gold ring inland on a nickle signal.
Im a beach hunter and I dont look at meters. We dig it all as diggin is easy.
I live at The Jersey Shore and not much river swimming as there are plenty of ocean beaches and bay beaches to hang out.
I use to live in Princeton and know of some creeks in the woods. Unfortunately I dont go hunting in the woods without a partner.
Unfortunately I was flying solo at the time. With them damn ticks everywhere, I wouldnt take the chance until its frosty time. By then,
we'll be in stormy weather...best beach hunting !!!!

Take the good with the bad,
With this heat, I'll stay in the air conditioning !!!!

Cheers,
Donna

 

[Donna(NJ]

I've never beach hunted because I live to far inland in western PA but I watch a few of the beach hunters on youtube and it looks like fun, I watch them a lot because they are after gold jewelry mostly and you get a clue on how that stuff hits and what the tid's are which seems to be along most of the scale, anyway hunting for gold instead of deep silver gives you a reason to dig a lot of targets you wouldn't normally dig and gives you a reason to get out and hunt in a hunted out park even though gold targets are few and far between in parks where I usually hunt, with gold at around $4000 an ounce a nice size ring would put some bucks in your pocket.

I recently acquired a Nox 900 with the 6" coil. Found a HS that is loaded with quarters. It almost feels like virging territory. I Know ther ehs to be some gold in this school yard.
Just got to wait til the grass dies. Digging in crabgrass is very tough.

Can wait til temps cool down.

HH
Donna

 

[Donna(NJ]

Just a few years ago, I found an Ike dollar at an elementary school and it was just laying on top of the ground….obviously a recent loss.
Sometimes it is just a matter of timing to make finds like this.
I doubt many of those are found now along with half dollars…not even clad half dollars, but it can still happen.

In the recent past, I was walking over to a garbe can to get rid of my trash. Not more than 5 feet away, I found 3 kenny 1/2 dollars !!! Never in all my years did I ever find more than one.
Like everything in life, Timing is everything !!!!

 

[sprchng]

School yards here are now off limits and behind fencing that would look at home around medium security prisons. No money for education but they have millions for fancy fencing and $1000 gates with self closers and metal mascot images. Millions of dollars of public grass fields and playground equipment no longer available to the people who paid for it. I have no idea where the kids and all that used to play on these sites goes today. All brought about by the same people who claim we are losing our democracy when we dont have one to begin with. The educators need to be schooled on the meaning of "public".

 

[fwcrawford]

In the recent past, I was walking over to a garbe can to get rid of my trash. Not more than 5 feet away, I found 3 kenny 1/2 dollars !!! Never in all my years did I ever find more than one.
Like everything in life, Timing is everything !!!!

That is amazing!
I found a Kennedy half a few years ago just laying on top of the ground near a snack stand at a high school football field!
That place was polluted with quarters when I first went there and the amazing thing was that a guy told me he found had lots of quarters there also just a few years earlier.
There should be a few dollar coins there also…
From your description, I would say no one has detected around that high school for many years….hope you get the coil over some class rings there!

 

[fwcrawford]

School yards here are now off limits and behind fencing that would look at home around medium security prisons. No money for education but they have millions for fancy fencing and $1000 gates with self closers and metal mascot images. Millions of dollars of public grass fields and playground equipment no longer available to the people who paid for it. I have no idea where the kids and all that used to play on these sites goes today. All brought about by the same people who claim we are losing our democracy when we dont have one to begin with. The educators need to be schooled on the meaning of "public".

Most if the schools in my area are not off limits or fenced in, but a high school about an hour away that I went to one day looked just like you described..heavily fence around, no trespassing signs and surveillance cameras all around it!
All I could do is drool while imagining what could be lying around the football field and under the bleachers.

 

[Donna(NJ]

That is amazing!
I found a Kennedy half a few years ago just laying on top of the ground near a snack stand at a high school football field!
That place was polluted with quarters when I first went there and the amazing thing was that a guy told me he found had lots of quarters there also just a few years earlier.
There should be a few dollar coins there also…
From your description, I would say no one has detected around that high school for many years….hope you get the coil over some class rings there!

I remember hunting the HS omce before but way back when. I found a good amount of quarters back then, But beach detecting was easier digging and there was always gold to be found.
Now that there's not much at the beach, its more fun digging at the HS. Only problem is too damm hot right now. Just stepping outside for a few minutes and Im drenched !!!

Bach to the AC !!!!

HH
Donna

 

[Donna(NJ]

School yards here are now off limits and behind fencing that would look at home around medium security prisons. No money for education but they have millions for fancy fencing and $1000 gates with self closers and metal mascot images. Millions of dollars of public grass fields and playground equipment no longer available to the people who paid for it. I have no idea where the kids and all that used to play on these sites goes today. All brought about by the same people who claim we are losing our democracy when we dont have one to begin with. The educators need to be schooled on the meaning of "public".

Spent the last few years in FL and saw all the schools fenced in. Just takes one crazy person to ruin for everyone. Thankfully I would hunt in the grass in Fl for all the tea in China.
Stepped in a fire ant nest one year and it was God awful. Too many bugs and other critters !!!!

I have a friend in NC, no hunting in schoolyards, either. Not sure if they are fenced in but definitely off limits. That really sucks because schools use to be my bread and butter !!!

I feel your pain.

HH
Donna

 

[fwcrawford]

I remember hunting the HS omce before but way back when. I found a good amount of quarters back then, But beach detecting was easier digging and there was always gold to be found.
Now that there's not much at the beach, its more fun digging at the HS. Only problem is too damm hot right now. Just stepping outside for a few minutes and Im drenched !!!

Bach to the AC !!!!

HH
Donna

I know what you mean about the heat….
I am not much for detecting when it is hot myself.
I usually resort to detecting in lakes and rivers once it starts getting hot.

 

[Diggin' B]

I am reading a lot of comments here that I thought were just my observations. Several of my local go to school spots are fenced in as of this year. I also have avoided the woods after getting tick embedded in my side for the second year in a row. I am running out of local locations and the price of gas hasn't helped any. I considered water hunting but I have a bad back from my military days and getting down to dig in water seems much harder.

 

[Diggin' B]

I used to work at a high school. I can tell you that most vending machines give dollar coins back for a $5 bill. These $1 coins range from the 70's to the more modern golden ones.

 

[Donna(NJ]

I am reading a lot of comments here that I thought were just my observations. Several of my local go to school spots are fenced in as of this year. I also have avoided the woods after getting tick embedded in my side for the second year in a row. I am running out of local locations and the price of gas hasn't helped any. I considered water hunting but I have a bad back from my military days and getting down to dig in water seems much harder.

Long handled scoop !!! and maybe a water skiiing belt to keep you buoyant !!! Much cooler than dirt diggin right now !!!

 

[Donna(NJ]

I used to work at a high school. I can tell you that most vending machines give dollar coins back for a $5 bill. These $1 coins range from the 70's to the more modern golden ones.

How lucky can you get !!! $1 coins !!!!! Like hunting in Canada with Loonies & Twoonies !!!!

HH
Donna(NJ

 

[fwcrawford]

I

How lucky can you get !!! $1 coins !!!!! Like hunting in Canada with Loonies & Twoonies !!!!

HH
Donna(NJ

I found a loonie a few years ago….they are big coins, but do not give high readings like a quarter from what I recall.