Metal Detecting Finds...

[TJ]

My wife bested me again today, finding a 1900-S Dime with full Liberty (worth around $25?) and my best was a 1915-S Cent (worth maybe $8?). Her detector cost one-third as much as my high-end one, yet last week (IH cent) and this, she comes home with the bacon.

[TJ]

Oh and upon further cleaning-examination, she also found a War Nickel today also.

[Wihlborg]

Tell her to keep up the good work!

 

John

[sanmary]

Does she understand that all coin finds belong to you???

[JamminJ]

Very nice of you to leave all the good finds for the wife!

 

-JamminJ

[toyonakataro]

Cool finds

Is metal detecting popular hobby(?) in U.S?

[Android]

I got a White XLT metal detector for Christmas. I went for the first time the other day and found a bunch of aluminum foil, a couple of old tractor parts and a corroded 1959 penny! I think I have a lot to learn about the hobby of metal detecting. It's is a lot harder work than I thought it would be.

[TJ]

I got a White XLT metal detector for Christmas. I went for the first time the other day and found a bunch of aluminum foil, a couple of old tractor parts and a corroded 1959 penny! I think I have a lot to learn about the hobby of metal detecting. It's is a lot harder work than I thought it would be.

The XLT is the preferred detector of my hardcore metal detecting friends, but there is a STEEP learning curve on it from what I gather. Programmable, etc. If you need to know more I can PM you a website that discusses it amongst a jillion other MD topics, including finds of the day.

[dakra]

I've gone a few times but not as often as I would like. I have found some common coins 1974->2002 and the last time I went I found a well worn 1912 Lincoln (if memory serves me correctly)

 

What I will most likely do when I get a chance is try to research some places in my area to see if there are any places of historical significance and see if I can detect there.

 

-Dave

[CarlWohlforth]

I've been interested in metal detecting. I just never followed up on it because I didn't think I would find any coins around here. I figured there was probably lost rings on the beach at Santa Cruz and that would all.

 

Are there lots of good places to go in or near San Jose? Can you find gold in the rivers coming out of the Sierras with a MD?

[TJ]

I've been interested in metal detecting. I just never followed up on it because I didn't think I would find any coins around here. I figured there was probably lost rings on the beach at Santa Cruz and that would all.

 

Are there lots of good places to go in or near San Jose? Can you find gold in the rivers coming out of the Sierras with a MD?

Carl, the BEST finds in San Jose are at bldg. demolitions in or near our old downtown. But that usually requires getting thru a construction fence. My wife and I go to Alum Rock Park, if for nothing else the nature walk. It's, as you know, a very old park and has been hunted to death but we still find the ocassional treasure. She found a key date 1896-S dime there a few months back, worth around $300.

 

On another subject, how do people lose so many rings at the beach? There is a Calif. Metal Detecting forum on the internet (based in San Jose, Santa Cruz) and members are constanly finding valuable rings on the beach. I don't know about you, but it's a bit of a pull just to get a ring off my finger, are people wearing them very loosely???

[CarlWohlforth]

Thanks for the tips. I may just spring for a detector. I live right next to Alum Rock Park and walk there everyday.

 

My house is considered very old for California, though east coasters would laugh and think it is not old at all. My house is 70 years old. This neighborhood was started around the turn of the century when the mineral springs in Alum Rock were world famous. People used to like that smelly mineral water. I think I would only find old nails in my yard.

 

I've lost some weight since last summer. My ring is much looser now, I'm thinking of having it made smaller. I could see losing it. Perhaps people are taking off their rings before wading in the waves?

[TJ]

Carl, perhaps we can meet you in Alum Rock Park one of these weekends and show you metal detecting. (It sure thrilled Braddick, Gmarguli, Shiroh, and Claw a couple summers ago down in Irvine. ) If your house is 70 years plus old you're sure to have a Merc or two, some Wheats, at least.

My first month metal detecting: I dig up an 1899 Barber HALF at Alum Rock!

[CarlWohlforth]

Wow, that would be excellent! I'd love to meet you in Alum Rock Park one of these weekends. I'd be happy to do that anytime as long as I had a day or two notice and my wife didn't have other plans for us. PM me if you get some free time.

 

Now you've got me thinking that Mercs and Wheaties are lurking under my flowers somewhere.... Seriously when digging for my garden I've found nails, bottles, cans and other junk.

[TJ]

Wow, that would be excellent! I'd love to meet you in Alum Rock Park one of these weekends. I'd be happy to do that anytime as long as I had a day or two notice and my wife didn't have other plans for us. PM me if you get some free time.

 

Now you've got me thinking that Mercs and Wheaties are lurking under my flowers somewhere.... Seriously when digging for my garden I've found nails, bottles, cans and other junk.

OK. Usually we decide no sooner than the day before (weather permitting) to go to Alum Rock. I'll try to PM you the next time we go (for sure within the next 5 or 6 days). THEN, since you're close to Alum Rock we can check your yard, have my wife dig up a Wheatie and you'll be hooked. (Detectors nowadays are programmed to ignore nails and junk, if you so desire.)

[CarlWohlforth]

Cool! If your wife digs up a wheatie in my yard I'd be hooked for sure! It is especially encouraging to learn that the detectors ignore junk. I'll supply some snacks. The clay ground should be easier to dig now that we have had a bunch of rain.

 

[TJ]

Cool! If your wife digs up a wheatie in my yard I'd be hooked for sure! It is especially encouraging to learn that the detectors ignore junk. I'll supply some snacks. The clay ground should be easier to dig now that we have had a bunch of rain.

Yup, this time of year, digging is easy. We'll be in touch. In the meantime. Here's the local Norcal Metaldetecting sight. Interesting reading and finds.

San Jose and environs metal detecting

[spy88]

Carl, I would like to add to Carls advice about a discriminator model metal detector. They are nice in that you do not spend (waste) time digging up a nail or a pulltab, but all the same, I would suggest you opt for turning the discriminator function off every so often when out searching. Why? Because I had one back before the disciminators were invented. Cruising an old school ground, I got a reading. Dug it up only to find a wad of aluminum foil. But in the foil, some kid had wrapped up a bottle cap and in the bottle cap was two mercs! Beautifully preserved.

 

Now, I'm not sure if I would have found them had I been using a discriminator model, but it goes to show that the POSSIBILITY of overlooking this hit (as they are called) might have happened with a discriminator model. People wrap all kinds of things in foil to protect them when out and about (beach, park, etc.) and then promptly lose them, or forget them.

 

I would just suggest using the discriminator function in an area and if no hits, then try the same area without the function on (if you can turn it off).

 

And believe me, you will have a lot of fun even if you don't find anything!

David