Obtainable Coin Types (In your area)

[Westernlegend1]

Mike?s Big Find

Mike?s Big Find​

This is about my friend Mike back in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and his topping everyone right in front of our very eyes! The spot happened to be a house demo site with the yard shaved down. He had his Fisher 1225X. It was in an old part of town and located right on a corner of the block. The spot got hit heavy, being in such a good location. There were 4 folks who hunted it that I know of. A fella with a Garrett 2500, that older guy with the Whites, me with the Bounty Hunter and Mike. From what I know of the total old coins found there came to 17, I got 14 of them, but then this was because I was the early bird.
Now where the driveway had been, I had scanned the area and most of the other folks did so too. Mike came along with his Fisher and locked onto a signal and dug a 1876 Seated Quarter that was in pretty good shape. He did this right in front of us all. The quarter was the largest domination coin found at the site. Why the others, me included did not find it, I?ll never know. He must have gone over it from the right direction, and at the correct speed. It was a coin type find that Mike made before I ever got one.
Another time Mike and I were hunting a house demo site. I was hunting the shaved down part and I looked up and there was Mike hunting the grassy boulevard. I thought great I get this whole prime area to myself. Now I had gotten some silver there one of which was an 1880 Canadian 5 Cent Silver coin. So I did not tell him anything, I figured I?ll clean up while he wastes his time over there. The next thing I know Mike is looking at some coin in his hand. He calls me over to show me an 1853 Seated Dime, it was a beautiful coin, very little wear and shinny. He claimed it was 3 or 4 inches deep. It is hard to imagine that it had been so close to the surface during all those years folks call the Golden Age of Metal Detecting. The only thing that could of happened to make that find better was if I had dug it!

 

[RelicHound]

they are tearing up a street here in my town rite now. only problem is they are working at an incredible pace,they have dug down far enough that they have removed the original trolley tracks and now they have already layed gravel and sand and paved a large portion of it. even tho ive missed out on that section when they get it done they will be moving to the other side of the street,they have already began marking the sidewalks for tear up and ill be ready to hit that as soon as they bust it up.

 

[Westernlegend1]

they are tearing up a street here in my town rite now. only problem is they are working at an incredible pace,they have dug down far enough that they have removed the original trolley tracks and now they have already layed gravel and sand and paved a large portion of it. even tho ive missed out on that section when they get it done they will be moving to the other side of the street,they have already began marking the sidewalks for tear up and ill be ready to hit that as soon as they bust it up.

Better jump on that site fast. Round the clock hunting is what it sounds like to me. Keep us posted, your old coin total should jump some there. Dig all positive signals.

 

[Westernlegend1]

Loren?s Best Day of Hunting

Loren?s Best Day of Hunting​

Now I had taken Loren sidewalk tear-up hunting in Laurel, Montana. The town isn?t all that old maybe 1895 or so. Being a small town there isn?t much in the way of funding for projects such as putting sidewalks in or resurfacing the streets. In fact Montana has to have some of the worst roads I ever drove over. Well we had gone there a couple of times and we always drove past this dinner that had a dirt path along one side of the street. I figured it was just that a path. One day Loren went hunting by himself and decided to check out the dirt path. I later received a phone call from an excited Loren. It appears the dirt path was where a sidewalk had gotten torn up and apparently the funding ran out and the new walk was never poured. Previously he had gotten only about 4 or 5 keeper coins in an entire season. He told me that he dug about 14 keepers not counting wheat?s. He had mercury and barber dimes, barber quarters and Indian heads and a liberty nickel or two. I eventually went to his house and seen the coins for myself. He stated that in the one hunt he had dug more older coins than he has gotten in a whole year. So he was a pretty happy camper over the whole thing. Montana will have wheat?s under their sidewalks being the walks are not so old. While in LaCrosse, Wisconsin it was rare to ever find one under a torn-up walk.

 

[Westernlegend1]

Anyone got something they wish to add? Post a memory of an interesting hunt, or a find that sticks out, feel free to do so.

 

[Westernlegend1]

Beginner Metal Detector Questions

I might as well post about that first hunt, due to I see folks interested in getting into the hobby and buying their first metal detector. Many I see are interested about getting a low cost Bounty Hunter. When they inquire about if it is good or not, they are often told to get this or that other model. My take on this is if that is all you can afford to spend for whatever reason. Then you might as well accept the fact that the types of finds you will make will be like many of mine were. Many of my finds made with the Bounty Hunter were sold for a tidy sum. Enough extra money was made with that Bounty Hunter to have purchased any make, model or brand. To achieve this kind of success one only needs to dig where the old dirt is. I did upgrade to the White's MXT after about 2 seasons. But after moving to Montana and finding the dirt is different (minerization), I believe it is best to check with a dealer here at the site and include telling what kind of metal detecting you wish to do. Prospecting, beach/water hunting is different from land hunting and in different parts of the country different machines will do a better job than others.

 

[Westernlegend1]

This post deals with what it takes to find old coins when it comes to the question of location. Location to me is a spot where many people lived over a long period of time. This causes the concentration of dropped coins and relics to be heavier. The end result is there is more to find.
Two example locations I will use are Billings, Montana and my old hometown of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
Billings was founded in 1882 by the RR for a place for their workers. So the population was very small.
LaCrosse on the other hand had a population in the thousands even back in the 1800's. The following is some generic history of LaCrosse:
The first white settlement at La Crosse came in 1841. That year, a New York native named Nathan Myrick had moved to the village at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin to work in the fur trade. However, once in Wisconsin, Myrick found that many fur traders were already well-entrenched in Prairie du Chien, and that there were no openings for him to become involved there. As a result, Myrick decided to establish a trading post upriver at the then still unsettled site of Prairie La Crosse. In 1841 Myrick built a temporary trading post on Barron Island, which lies just west of La Crosse's present downtown. In 1842 Myrick relocated the post to the mainland prairie, partnering with H.J.B Miller to run the outfit. [1] [2]

The spot Myrick chose to build his trading post proved ideal for settlement. It was near the junction of the Black, La Crosse, and Mississippi Rivers. In addition, the post was built at one of the very few points along the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River where a broad plain ideal for development exist between the river's bank and the tall bluffs that line the river valley. As such, a small village grew around Myrick's trading post through the 1840s.

A small Mormon community settled at La Crosse in 1844, and built several dozen cabins a few miles south of Myrick's post. Although these settlers relocated away from the Midwest after just a year, the land they occupied near La Crosse continues to bear the name Mormon Coulee. [2]

On June 23, Father James Lloyd Breck of the Episcopal Church said the first Christian liturgy (Episcopilian liturgy) on top of Grandad Bluff. [3]

More permanent development took place closer to Myrick's trading post, where stores, a hotel, and a post office were constructed during the 1840s. Under the direction of Timothy Burns, lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, surveyor William Hood platted the village in 1851. This opened it up for further settlement, which was achieved rapidly thanks to promotion of the city in eastern newspapers. By 1855, La Crosse had grown in population to nearly two thousand residents, leading to its incorporation in 1856. The city grew even more rapidly after 1858 with the completion of the Milwaukee & La Crosse Railroad, the second railroad connecting Milwaukee to the Mississippi River.

 

[Westernlegend1]

So as I can see there was a big difference in activity in the two locations. I figure I have done well hunting Billings by getting some coins from the 1890's.
Now as for LaCrosse the oldest U.S. coin I have recovered is dated 1843, while in a previous post Mike has recovered an 1845 Large Cent this year. I am sure their have been others that have dug older coins that I am not aware of at this time.

 

[Westernlegend1]

Once you have done some basic research on your hometown, just find where the first buildings were located at. Was it a crossroads, a river landing or where the Rail Roads are located at? This is the best spot for finding those "Obtainable Coin Types" that you seek. Remember they are often times deep in the ground, after all many years have pasted.

 

[Westernlegend1]

LaCrosse Population Records

Here is what I was looking for:
Population Records



On March 14, 1856 the village of La Crosse became a city with a population of 745 people.
Were the two coins dated 1843 and 1845 found by Mike and I dropped by one of those first 745 residents?



La Crosse Population, 1855-1905
Year Total Population
1855 3904
1860 12186
1865 14834
1870 20297
1875 23945
1880 27073
1885 34791
1890 38801
1900 42997
1905 42850
Now with all these folks to drop coins and other collectibles is it any wonder that good finds are so easy to recover? Just think back then many were not included in the cenus records, that means their were even more people to lose things. Also not counted are the people who were passing thru in the migration West. The city was a known crossing point on the Mississippi River for destinations such as Minnesota and the newly opened lands in the Dakotas.

 

[Westernlegend1]

Minnesota Metal Detecting Find!

Today?s Minnesota News​

Rather old happenings, but worthy of posting. I had called my friend Bruce in Minnesota. He told me a good one, two members of his metal detecting club based in Rochester, Minnesota. Went to a place called Old Fontinac, it is located between Lake City and Red Wing, Minnesota right on the Mississippi River. They had permission to detect an old Residence originally built by a Civil War General named Garrard. The house was built in 1855; the story is he paid the workers 50 cents a day for their labor. They were told it was hunted in the past, most recently 2 years ago. They ended up getting an XF condition 1854 Seated Half dollar. Speculation is that it was dropped by one of the workers that helped build the house. The coin was only 3 ? inches deep, most likely suspended near the top due to its rather large size. Also found was an 1851 large cent. Just another good example of hunting where things happened in the past.

 

[Westernlegend1]

More From Bruce

Bruce also told me that this year was not as good of one when it comes to demo/tear-ups. He did travel to LaCrosse and spotted a small section of walk that was torn-up near a car dealership. He took the time to detect it and was rewarded with an 1881 Indian Head that was in great shape. He also hunted Myrick park and recovered just under the surface an old alumium token from Dubuque, Iowa. It was not in the greatest of shape, but read good for $1 on return of beer keg. He thinks that it was dug and then lost to have been so close to the surface.
Weather/ground report for my trip to Wisconsin is according to him looking good. The ground should still be diggable, so I better come up with something when I get there.

 

[Westernlegend1]

Spliting the Effort

Well folks reading this thread on finding stuff, old coins and relics and other goodies might say that is all fine and dandy, but we live out in the West where things ain't so old. What do we got to look forward to? So for you my friends I will be posting some Western Legends True Tales of Treasure. It will be full of inspiring success stories, also included will be stuff that has never been found yet that they say is still out there somewhere.

 

[splitaces]

United States Administration of the Ryukyu

My goal has been to find an American Coin from each year between 1945 - 1972. I have a long ways to go. I would appreciate any advice for old hot spots that are not currently on a base.

cheers

 

[Westernlegend1]

Are you planning on only hunting one Island of Japan?

 

[Westernlegend1]

Seeing as how the United States took over this island in 1945 and it currently serves as a base, the finding of the coin years you seek should not pose as big a challenge as it looks. It sounds like you are not able to hunt on the base from your post. If that is the case, check the areas that are popular with the troops that are off base. I can imagine troops far from home and bored explored this whole island, the places they go today I am sure are where they went to relax in 1945. I do remember there was a fellow on TNET about 2-3 years ago who posted from there. His main hunting was war relics and such. I am sure he found U.S. coins too. He never posted if he did or not, but he was into WW II. Good luck on the search.

 

[Westernlegend1]

It is interesting to see someone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is reading this.

 

[6000 Di Pro]

Hi there- I'm new to this forum today and was reading back through this thread and was reading the comment about westernlegends1 VDI reading lower on older coins? On my White's 6000 Di Pro the silver coins will always read 2+ # higher on the meter then a clad type coin will. I can usually tell if i have a silver coin before i dig it. Seems as though the higher content of silver gives the higher reading.

This summer there was a "push" done by a bulldozer to build a berm at the edge of the river to keep it from tearing up the turf on the baseball field.(this is a playground and old fair grounds area) well i was right behind the dozer operator(a guy i knew) detecting. When all was said in done after they hauled in probably 40 loads of dirt and recovered the berm with the soil they plowed up= I ended up with 21 wheaties, 4 indian heads, 1 buffalo head, and the Silver=1 barber Qtr, 1 Standing Qtr, 1 Washington Qtr, 2 barber Dimes, 3 Mercury Dimes, 2 Roosevelt's and about 40 other newer clad/copper/zinc coins....This is after the original topsoil area was hammer to death with a detector. Coins just seem to work deeper even with the frost action.

The dozer took of the top 12" and piled up the loam so that it could be re-spreaded back over the berm and be re-seeded. Even though the top 12" was removed a couple of the coins were still down close to 4" deep.

I hit another good find this summer=Heard about this theft that occured and the guys burried a can of coins in a pile of dirt. Well i haven't found the can but did find 1 indian head and about 30' away found this old clip top type pocket Satchel and in the hole was 1 barber Qtr, 1 Barber Dime, 3 Mercury's, and a V nickel all in 1 hole- The newest coin in the bunch was a '20 merc..Thinking this area must have been a picnic area back in the early 1900's??

About 3 weeks ago i found my 2nd. colonial coin ever it was a 1787 Auctori Pliebis Token in G. Cond.. The first colonial i found was back in 1983 which was a 1747 Georgivs and the sad part about that one is i gave it to my older brother to bring home and he couldn't read the date like i could(his eyes were worse then mine) and he tryed cleaning the date and took it right off. My brother found a Half dime at the same spot i got the Token at. Oldest finds so far this year for each of us...

I went out quick last night for a 1/2 hr and the ground was frozen on the top 1" so it's almost time to hang it up. Higher elevations around here have gotten a couple of inches of snow the other day.
Keep it swinging,
Kevin

 

[Westernlegend1]

Welcome to GoMetalDetecting
Thanks for the good post telling what you found and mention of coins still in the ground after 12 inches or so was shaved off. The V.D.I. numbers do read about two higher on a silver dime when compared to a clad dime. I noticed you were posting a reply but I had only a few minutes of work left for the shift and now am repling here at home. I'm glad to see you made your first post also today, keep them coming!
This post is important I feel because those who have not tried detecting these types of sites can see that others are having great success doing so.

 

[Westernlegend1]

Hecklers and Scoffers

Scoffers and Hecklers​

I am sure if one has not been given some flack while metal detecting in time it will happen. But on occasion the metal detectorists has won the round. Here is the first of two true ones that happened to my friend Bruce when he was out metal detecting, and they are good coin find stories to boot, perfect material to add to this thread!
Story 1. He told me this about 2 years back and I just remember it and it is worthy of posting. He was in LaCrosse, Wisconsin metal detecting a sidewalk strip tear-up in the area of 7th and King Street. There is a Perkins restaurant right next to the walk. As he was detecting a family was looking out the window snickering at him. He ignored them the best he could, but they were being obnoxious. Right in front of them he gets a good signal and bends down and digs his target. He holds the coin next to the window and their jaws drop when they see a nice seated coin! After this they spend the rest of their meal watching to see what he finds next. A triumph over the heckler is a memory to be savored.