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Not all old coins are deepies

P

PULLTABBY

New member
Here is my take on deep coins.
I'm starting to believe that the area has a lot to do with coin depth. Let me explain......
I'm guessing that if you drop a coin at a park thats heavely traveled or used often then the coin has a better chance of getting mashed down into the ground over time. Grass cutters, Heavy machines and just the constant pounding from park goers. The coins I find at these type areas are far more into the ground than ones found in your typical back or front yard.
Park finds seem to range from clads being any wheres from 0 to 8"down and I have found barbers and indians at 12"+.
These coins photoed here where found in a yard all at the same depth of approx 3" deep.
Even the clads seemed to stop there.
Is this where the frozen ground,thawing ground leaves'em ???
Less traveled area and less machinery to get'em deep.
Just my thoughts on how and why some times you DON'T find'em soo deep all the time.
I think my son Derek is hooked after finding a HALF DIME 1853 and his second Merc a 37-d.
The others are 41-s walking half...Token "GREEN RIVER WHISKEY"... A FEW WHEATS... a 1901 Can Dime...43 quarter and a 43-s Nickel and about .75C clads
Can't wait to do the side and back yard.
 
Pull - I agree. I found an 1850 Large Cent under a tree next to an old house (1820) that was no more than one inch deep. It was not being held up by roots. I also found an IH about two" under the same tree.

AK in KY
 
The three oldest finds that I have fit into the shallow category as well. A Reale, a large cent and an 1832 token - interestingly enough all were found at a depth of 3" or less. They were located on old pathways in currently infrequently travelled woodlands - perhaps it was the hardpacking of these old pathways which kept them from sinking vs. a tilled filled or a composted woodland itself but whatever the reason I was glad to be the first to pass a detector over them.
 
The three oldest finds that I have fit into the shallow category as well. A Reale, a large cent and an 1832 token - interestingly enough all were found at a depth of 3" or less. They were located on old pathways in currently infrequently travelled woodlands - perhaps it was the hardpacking of these old pathways which kept them from sinking vs. a tilled filled or a composted woodland itself but whatever the reason I was glad to be the first to pass a detector over them.
 
Coins don't sink into the ground, they get covered by decaying plant material that turns to dirt. And dirt builds up quicker in some areas than in others. Forested areas- lots of shade produce topsoil at a much slower rate than grassy areas. Think of the deep black dirt of the prairies compared to the much shallower dirt found in cut over forested areas.

There are other localized factors. I've found coins to be much shallower next to tall buildings, think that is also the shade factor. On hillsides I will dig almost all signals, often find older coins shallow, believe that is due to erosion. Also under pine trees- think that is shade plus the fallen needles tend to inhibit grass growth.

And in sand, which I think I see in your photo, coins can often be shallow. Up at our lake place the soil is very sandy and I've found many an indian head an inch or two deep (and in really pretty shape thanks to the good drainage). I was wondering why this was when I talked to a friend of mine (found an 1877 CC quarter in his back yard) He said they dump black dirt on their lawn once every couple of years and it is soon gone. It seems that in this sandy soil that any dirt that is not held by the grass's root structure will get washed down through the sand.
 
Chris, Where do you get the Idea that the only reason that coins get deep in the ground is decaying plant material on top? How can you back that statement up? I
 
Garrett Freedom II with the stock coil and boy do I wish it went 12+" deep :yikes:
He is 12 yrs old andjust getting the hang of it.
I'm using the XS (not in any pix)......
 
Todd - I agree with your theory. But, how do you explain a large cent at one inch and three feet away a Dime is 3"? Maybe if I knew the answer to that question I could find older things.

AK in KY
 
Todd,

I'll stand by my statement, most of the time this is true. Of course on beaches with wave action that stirs up the sand this would not hold true, also in deserts where sand is blowing and shifting. And kids and squirrels might bury some.

And yes there are localized forces that can move coins up or down like frost heaves, erosion, tree roots, plows, ditch witches, Willie Nelson, and others.

But in the great majority of cases soil does not behave like a liquid and coins are buried by decaying material.

How is this for proof. Do you often notice when digging copper (You don't see this effect with silver coins, notice how silver often remains incased in dirt?) coins that there will be grass particles encased in the soil touching the coin? If you can find the impression that the coin left in the dirt this is often the case. The copper in the coin acts as a preservative (copper is the main preseritive in the new treated lumber) that keeps the immediately surrounding organic material from rotting and turning to dirt. This is true for coins that are buried several inches down. Obviously the organic material is much less dense then the coin but they still get buried as a unit.

Chris
 
Though I have not found the nice old coins in my area you have shown, I have found a pattern for shallow old coins in my area of the country. I have found anywhere the water drains off and creates a visible "depression" or visible wash out in the area, check it out closely. As it has paid off in spades for me. Another fact... OLD Coins with in a four foot circumference of a large old tree base will be shallow, as in four inches or less. Probably because, in my opinion, the tree sucks up all moisture and water around its base, and little vegetation grows above to add depth to a coin... Go figure and Happy Hunting....
 
Ok Chris this is what you wrote



How is this for proof. Do you often notice when digging copper (You don't see this effect with silver coins, notice how silver often remains incased in dirt?) coins that there will be grass particles encased in the soil touching the coin? If you can find the impression that the coin left in the dirt this is often the case. The copper in the coin acts as a preservative (copper is the main preseritive in the new treated lumber) that keeps the immediately surrounding organic material from rotting and turning to dirt. This is true for coins that are buried several inches down. Obviously the organic material is much less dense then the coin but they still get buried as a unit.




WHERES THE PROOF HERE??????



This is an uncontrolled experiment and good observation which can be used to support your theory
and a good theory at that. But Chris, this is not proof of anything. Proof is supported by fact, facts are repeatable. Every single time someone has smacked me in the mouth for speaking my mind, pain has been involved. And due to this I believe the next time I get smacked in the mouth for the same reason pain will be involved again, this is a fact.

I
 
This is a very complex issue that defies a simple explanation and as far as I know none of us has a PHD in this stuff so it
 
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