Poppin' a Barber Half at the wrong time!!!

[bigealive]

On Sunday afternoon, I was out and about, as always looking for a good place to hunt. I like to cruise the countryside and find a farmhouse to hunt and that is what I did. Went to the door and asked permission. The farmer said "I always wanted to get into detecting but never got around to it so Go Right Ahead" I grabbed the machine, fired it up and with the farmer at my side set off.
We didn't make it ten feet and ding " good signal, 6-8 inches, coin size target, and reading 50 cents. I, kindof, laughed and told the farmer "It doesn't always tell the truth", I explained as I started digging,"but can't pass up the chance of it being a coin." Dug the plug, popped the plug, pin pointed it, and dug another 3-4 inches and out pops a Barber Half from 1910 (mintage 418,551)
Well at this point I thought "ooooohhhhh ssshhhhiiii....." I took a quick peek at it and handed it to the farmer hoping I was playing it cool and started swinging again. About 30 seconds later, he gets my attention and hands me the coin and says "I will tell you what, the coin is yours to keep but that is enough here". I smiled and asked him if he was serious. "Ya you should leave!"
The farmer wasn't being rude but that was that he had seen enough. Enough to get his own detector or that was what he told me as he walked with me to my truck. I guess the moral of this story is that when you have company don't dig the really good signals until they get bored with it and leave. I am really happy to have the Half but it leaves me wondering how many more coins were in this farm house/yard. Maybe, he won't get a detector and I can out live him?
Good Hunting Everyone, Todd H.

 

[Wolfdog]

Sad deal,good advice to.

 

[dahut]

Next time let him use your back up detector, telling him 'finders keepers' as you hand it to him.
You might make a friend that way, and he might find something good, too.

Regardless, nice coin. Stop by in a month and talk to the guy... and take that backup.

 

[rbegue1]

Very Nice Dime

 

[garthbfan]

Nice find Big Shame to get booted

 

[rbegue1]

Nice Family, I hope you get them out there to ta dig some holes-GL

 

[cwilk]

Great coin! Maybe you can strike a deal with him by offering to teach him the finer points of detecting for another shot at his yard or part of his yard. At least you had a productive two minutes!

Chris

 

[Oakman404]

Awesome half!

 

[ojm bc]

n/t

 

[Uncle Willy]

You walked away from a bonanza. Never dig nothing good in front of the owner or show it to them unless you have a prior, signed agreement as to who gets what. This has happened often. Some time ago a guy done that, got booted off the place, and a few days later he drove by the place and the owner, his wife, and his kids were all out on the property swinging detectors. Rule number one - never ever enter into a hunt such as this without a signed agreement. Greed is a powerful emotion. It rules the world.

Bill

 

[DJR]

Man that coin looks to be in extremely good shape too!

What a find.

I hope you can make it back to that site. I would have given him my contact information and offer to help him learn his detectoer if he got one.

Congrats

Don

 

[ron_c]

Another thing you can do when someone is watching you is put it in AM and just dig junk. Usually they get bored and leave after several minutes. Then go back to the spots than gave a good signal and check it out. I don't know how many times I have ask someone to MD their yard only for them to tell me, "Go ahead but everything I find is THEIRS". They probably have visions of silver and gold all over their yard.

 

[ron_c]

The above post, I forgot to say this is when the owner tells you to go ahead and no strings attached. Show what you have found at the end of the hunt.

 

[khouse]

I told one guy on a forum that I always turn my back to the house when I dig. I mean you know they are watching! He called me a crook! Even if you pocket a tab the homeowner simply thinks it's a gold ring with a big stone in it. He also didn't like that I had a special pocket for the better stuff. I throw my clad and trash in the pouch. Then I have my pocket for other finds.

 

[bigealive]

Hey Guys, In my experiences, this farm community is pretty laid back. I have been turned away three times that I can remember and for that I usually show the owner most of what I found. Except when I found the 2 gold coins and any 1800's rarities. (Silvers, 2 center, any halves, and the 3 cent) Most of them haven't batted a eye. Heck most don't even think the Indian Pennies are neat. But I appreciate the words of wisdom and I am going to take them to heart. No more chancing it. I don't think he is going to let me back in his yard no matter if I help him work his detector(if he buys one) and the last thing I am going to do is let him use my backup (a 1350) He wound have me working beside him the whole time trying to understand it(An old farmer in his mid to late 60's is not going to understand 10 buttons and what they all do. Thanks for all the replies and the info. you gave. Todd H.

 

[khouse]

Not me. I ask the owner before I start if they have lost anything of value they would like to have back. They usually say they have lost nothing. Or a pot of gold. LOL. If they want to see what I found they will see clad and junk.

 

[Onus]

Hey! I'm an old ex-farmer in my mid sixties and have several detectors! But I have to admit, sometimes it seems like I don't know how to work them with al the junk I find! Onus

 

[bigealive]

Onus no pun intended!!!!!! My father is 64 and farmed his whole life (retired 10 years ago) and he can still get up and down a flight of steps as fast as a jack rabbit. Maybe not as graceful but just as fast. Todd

 

[rbegue1]

I hunt in a wheelchair. Keeps me from going in the deep woods where I use to go but still all good- It is my passion

 

[bigealive]

I do not believe that I could get homeowners to sign a pre-nup with them before I hunt their yards. That just sounds like trouble even getting to hunt if you think you need it in writing to hunt safely. I believe they would really throw up a flag if you were seriously trying to do that.