I went out Saturday with Dave (SRC1) to a college campus in the area (Morgantown, WV). Dave just bought his Etrac (his first Minelab) and was his second time out with the new machine and I just bought a new SE Pro this winter and is my 4 time out or so; but I did have an Explorer II before.
We had been there last year at the campus (see previous posts last year-I found a total of 2 seated dimes and more) at the dorm area; which are old homes converted to dorms. This time we wanted to go to the main building which was built in the early 1800's. The campus was founded in 1790 or so.
We stopped briefly at one of the homes we did last year to finish before heading to main campus. I saw a security lady walking and I stopped her to tell her we were just getting ready to come by and ask permission to search behind their office at the Main and do some metal detecting if ok with her. Explained we will not damage any ground. She said by all means go ahead.
So off we went to this area. It was 2 city blocks of "grass" to search. I started off and went down the hill toward the far sidewalk and dug up a few new pennies. Got a interesting signal I did not recognize right away but being such an old campus I wanted to dig any positive signals (iron mask set at 22). I dug down about 6 inches and up came a quarter size coin but was copper looking. I thought was a large penny (which is on my goal list this year). Yelled at Dave and started over to brag...I was cleaning of the coin and I saw Half Cent on the coin. My mouth must have dropped inches!!! I turned the coin over and saw the date 1809; my oldest American coin and my first half cent!!! So still o large penny.
SO back down the hill to keep going. I got a nice silver signal and found a 1930 Mercury. Was finding wheats and a lot of clad. Got another twang but depth was only a few inches so thought a clad dime or quarter. Well did my plug and up came a silver ring. I moved toward another area which was in the direction of a church on the campus which says founded 1793. Got a nice Indian Head reading and the dug up my first Indian for the day. I got a reading now that I thought could be silver, but just below the line and if it was shallow would have thought a Memorial cent; was reading about 6 or 7 inches. So dug the plug and coin still in the hole. Dug deeper and a large copper disc showed up. Was bigger and heavier than the half cent; could it be that large penny.....Yes it was a 1849 large cent!!!
Well a lady came by that was a grounds keeper and asked Dave what was we doing. He said metal detecting. She said quit and Dave said we have permission from security. She replied she was going there right now and have us kicked out. We we kept going waiting to see what may happen.. No one showed up for half an hour, the security lady was coming by on a smoke break. I went up to her and she asked how was it going. I said great were were finding some coins and I showed her the large penny. I said some lady came by. She said yes she came in complaining and she told her she gave us permission and she does not own the property and for her to leave. So I "greased the wheels" some more and talked a while. I asked about the church and she said the pastor preaches here and no one is there today and we can go there if we wanted to today.
So we took a bee line over there. Actually I think there was fill dirt maybe as we did not find much by the church, I did manage a 1919 Wheat though.
So we headed back across the road to the spot we were. I got a funny nickel reading again and I was hoping for more half cents..LOL Well dug down and I popped up a nickel, but looked funny. Turned over and there was an Indian Head stuck to the nickel. I looked at the nickel and saw it was a V nickel. Turned over and saw the penny was an Indian Head. After taking home and cleaning found out the V nickel was a 1889 and the Indian Head was 1871!!!! My first Indian Head dated in the 1870's.
Looked around the spot got another nice reading and dug in and up came another Indian Head; noticed it was thicker than normal and thought yea a fatty!! After cleaning found out it was 1859!!!!! Another first; the first Indian Head made.
Side note for Dave; he found 32 coins all modern and 1 wheat. He was just learning the Etrac but was catching on as the day wore on.
My total for the day was:
5 Quarters (clad)
2 Mercury Dimes 1930 1945
5 Clad dimes
1889 V nickel
1934 Buffalo nickel
2 Jefferson Nickels 1941 1946
1 1849 Large cent
3 Indian Heads 1859 1871 1887
8 Wheats 1914 1919 1920 1936 1941 1942 1957d 1958d
14 Memorials
1 Half cent 1809
A token
I attached a picture of the token-says good for 5 and has the letters__INO. BRG. CO on the front and just F. T. on the back.
I took some pictures but not of the Indians or nickel as they are not cleaned well and I am not a good picture taker of these coins.
We probably only searched 10% of the grass there so we will be going back!!!!
Sorry for the quality of pictures.
We had been there last year at the campus (see previous posts last year-I found a total of 2 seated dimes and more) at the dorm area; which are old homes converted to dorms. This time we wanted to go to the main building which was built in the early 1800's. The campus was founded in 1790 or so.
We stopped briefly at one of the homes we did last year to finish before heading to main campus. I saw a security lady walking and I stopped her to tell her we were just getting ready to come by and ask permission to search behind their office at the Main and do some metal detecting if ok with her. Explained we will not damage any ground. She said by all means go ahead.
So off we went to this area. It was 2 city blocks of "grass" to search. I started off and went down the hill toward the far sidewalk and dug up a few new pennies. Got a interesting signal I did not recognize right away but being such an old campus I wanted to dig any positive signals (iron mask set at 22). I dug down about 6 inches and up came a quarter size coin but was copper looking. I thought was a large penny (which is on my goal list this year). Yelled at Dave and started over to brag...I was cleaning of the coin and I saw Half Cent on the coin. My mouth must have dropped inches!!! I turned the coin over and saw the date 1809; my oldest American coin and my first half cent!!! So still o large penny.
SO back down the hill to keep going. I got a nice silver signal and found a 1930 Mercury. Was finding wheats and a lot of clad. Got another twang but depth was only a few inches so thought a clad dime or quarter. Well did my plug and up came a silver ring. I moved toward another area which was in the direction of a church on the campus which says founded 1793. Got a nice Indian Head reading and the dug up my first Indian for the day. I got a reading now that I thought could be silver, but just below the line and if it was shallow would have thought a Memorial cent; was reading about 6 or 7 inches. So dug the plug and coin still in the hole. Dug deeper and a large copper disc showed up. Was bigger and heavier than the half cent; could it be that large penny.....Yes it was a 1849 large cent!!!
Well a lady came by that was a grounds keeper and asked Dave what was we doing. He said metal detecting. She said quit and Dave said we have permission from security. She replied she was going there right now and have us kicked out. We we kept going waiting to see what may happen.. No one showed up for half an hour, the security lady was coming by on a smoke break. I went up to her and she asked how was it going. I said great were were finding some coins and I showed her the large penny. I said some lady came by. She said yes she came in complaining and she told her she gave us permission and she does not own the property and for her to leave. So I "greased the wheels" some more and talked a while. I asked about the church and she said the pastor preaches here and no one is there today and we can go there if we wanted to today.
So we took a bee line over there. Actually I think there was fill dirt maybe as we did not find much by the church, I did manage a 1919 Wheat though.
So we headed back across the road to the spot we were. I got a funny nickel reading again and I was hoping for more half cents..LOL Well dug down and I popped up a nickel, but looked funny. Turned over and there was an Indian Head stuck to the nickel. I looked at the nickel and saw it was a V nickel. Turned over and saw the penny was an Indian Head. After taking home and cleaning found out the V nickel was a 1889 and the Indian Head was 1871!!!! My first Indian Head dated in the 1870's.
Looked around the spot got another nice reading and dug in and up came another Indian Head; noticed it was thicker than normal and thought yea a fatty!! After cleaning found out it was 1859!!!!! Another first; the first Indian Head made.
Side note for Dave; he found 32 coins all modern and 1 wheat. He was just learning the Etrac but was catching on as the day wore on.
My total for the day was:
5 Quarters (clad)
2 Mercury Dimes 1930 1945
5 Clad dimes
1889 V nickel
1934 Buffalo nickel
2 Jefferson Nickels 1941 1946
1 1849 Large cent
3 Indian Heads 1859 1871 1887
8 Wheats 1914 1919 1920 1936 1941 1942 1957d 1958d
14 Memorials
1 Half cent 1809
A token
I attached a picture of the token-says good for 5 and has the letters__INO. BRG. CO on the front and just F. T. on the back.
I took some pictures but not of the Indians or nickel as they are not cleaned well and I am not a good picture taker of these coins.
We probably only searched 10% of the grass there so we will be going back!!!!
Sorry for the quality of pictures.
