I detected a home in an historical neighborhood with the agreement I keep what I find, but show them.
Ended up with a mercury dime, a wheat, a war nickel, 2 buffaloes, and a few odds and ends. Coins were common/average. Search was two visits and confounded by landscaping and EMI and iron. I was interested in one more visit, as I'd discovered I could find targets in the section with the heaviest interference near the end of the day - and there were several that were promising.
The owners asked if they could purchase the finds, but refused to be specific about which finds or make an offer. And they went from saying they were asking neighbors to let me detect to saying that if I cooperated that they would ask a neighbor.
They even suggested that most of the neighbors would be interested and I could write a book with a grant and they would facilitate the grant process. A mutual acquaintance (grant writer) whose yard I'd hunted made exactly the same suggestion.
At this point, I'd worked two days, researched and cleaned the odds and ends, and a realistic value of all the finds was oh - $6.
I dropped off some odds and ends (including a shotgun shell from the 1880's and a button from some overalls made in 1900 - local brand - hard to come by), the 1919 wheat cent, and I gave them a detailed description of the items.
They wrote back still wanting to know if they could purchase the rest and mentioned wanting the coins (at the end of their note they also said and other finds).
I let them know I'd be willing to trade up on the coins and that they had little numismatic or bullion value. I also suggested that if I had a place nearby to search, I could spend my time more productively by searching their property when there was less interference.
They didn't respond. When I heard from someone who lives across the street (an acquaintance for a decade who had seen me detecting there and gave me permission) - I wrote and let them know I'd be in the neighborhood and asked if they still wanted me to return to search. They'd previously requested I continue.
No response.
And then my acquaintance informed me of a change of heart and not to come over to detect. I've never had anyone back out.
In fact, I've never had anyone want to buy finds, or go to these lengths for a few common finds.
So - no introductions, and a mutual friend who was originally excited backs out.
Any advice?
This is so uncomfortable.
Ended up with a mercury dime, a wheat, a war nickel, 2 buffaloes, and a few odds and ends. Coins were common/average. Search was two visits and confounded by landscaping and EMI and iron. I was interested in one more visit, as I'd discovered I could find targets in the section with the heaviest interference near the end of the day - and there were several that were promising.
The owners asked if they could purchase the finds, but refused to be specific about which finds or make an offer. And they went from saying they were asking neighbors to let me detect to saying that if I cooperated that they would ask a neighbor.
They even suggested that most of the neighbors would be interested and I could write a book with a grant and they would facilitate the grant process. A mutual acquaintance (grant writer) whose yard I'd hunted made exactly the same suggestion.
At this point, I'd worked two days, researched and cleaned the odds and ends, and a realistic value of all the finds was oh - $6.
I dropped off some odds and ends (including a shotgun shell from the 1880's and a button from some overalls made in 1900 - local brand - hard to come by), the 1919 wheat cent, and I gave them a detailed description of the items.
They wrote back still wanting to know if they could purchase the rest and mentioned wanting the coins (at the end of their note they also said and other finds).
I let them know I'd be willing to trade up on the coins and that they had little numismatic or bullion value. I also suggested that if I had a place nearby to search, I could spend my time more productively by searching their property when there was less interference.
They didn't respond. When I heard from someone who lives across the street (an acquaintance for a decade who had seen me detecting there and gave me permission) - I wrote and let them know I'd be in the neighborhood and asked if they still wanted me to return to search. They'd previously requested I continue.
No response.
And then my acquaintance informed me of a change of heart and not to come over to detect. I've never had anyone back out.
In fact, I've never had anyone want to buy finds, or go to these lengths for a few common finds.
So - no introductions, and a mutual friend who was originally excited backs out.
Any advice?
This is so uncomfortable.