Got out for a bit today at the park, got three more Indians. We won't talk about the fresh scar on the 1881, ok? The others are 1880 and 1892. The 1892 was coated in a black crust so I gave it a short peroxide bath and it cleaned up well with a rich chocolate color rather than green for a change. Other finds were the Huff token which barely peeped out from between a patch of iron. Seriously, it was a total gamble signal. but opened the hole with a deep plug, took some more dirt out and the token sang out nicely for the SunRay probe. Oh yeah, a wheat (1941), two zinc cents and a clad dime.

Stopped  at an old school for a short hunt yesterday morning. Picked up a few wheats a bunch of nickels and this nifty kids' aluminum baseball ring with an Athletics logo on it. I wondered about the elephant and found this explanation:

"After New York Giants' manager John McGraw told reporters that Philadelphia manufacturer Benjamin Shibe, who owned the controlling interest in the new team, had a "white elephant on his hands," Mack defiantly adopted the white elephant as the team mascot, and presented McGraw with a stuffed toy elephant at the start of the 1905 World Series. McGraw and Mack had known each other for years, and McGraw accepted it graciously. By 1909, the A's were wearing an elephant logo on their sweaters, and in 1918 it turned up on the regular uniform jersey for the first time. Over the years the elephant has appeared in several different colors. The A’s are still sometimes, though infrequently, referred to as the "Elephants" or "White Elephants". The elephant was retired as team mascot in 1963 by then-owner Charles O. Finley in favor of a Missouri mule."

Also a few of us detected the park after the COMDA meeting and after a couple wheats, I got two silver Roosevelt dimes in one hole.

I'm not a fan! I had just a short time to hunt before the darkness descended yesterday.I went to another old park in Columbus to see if I could scare up another Indian head for my treasure chest and it actually ended up being quite a good hunt. I was disgusted to find sloppy holes from another detectorist... and most of the time they tore up the grass, left dirt laying all over and the target was STILL THERE! At least a half dozen times all I had to do was bend down and pick up the target off the surface.  

At least I didn't have to worry about that knucklehead finding any of the targets I was after. My first good hit was a 1925 wheat, and then a super nice 1923 Mercury dime. A few more wheats and cleaning up after knucklehead, I got a good silver signal and out pops a cute little antique sterling silver ring with a flower design. Next up was my Indian... crusty as all get out, but I was happy. Goal achieved.

The I got the most interesting find of the day, a little enamel pin with CAC and a fish on it. A good guess and little research upon getting home and it is a pin from the Columbus Anglers' Club dating to before 1917. In 1917 the organization changed their name to Central Ohio Anglers' and Hunters' Club.

I am definitely on a roll of sorts!  Heard it was supposed to rain today, so rearranged my plans a bit and got out at the park for about 45 minutes. First good signal on the E-Trac was a shallow 11-48 in rocks and roots.  Worked at it and out popped a big green copper. Picked it up, looked and and thought, that's not a large cent...and quickly recognized it as a Bank of Canada halfpenny token dated 1854. 

That kept me going and then out came a wheat cent, some trash and then an 07-34 that I thought could be an Indian head cent. When I opened the hole, I saw something white that I thought was a piece of styrofoam cup. Instead it was a pretty cool sorority  pendant made from shell and possibly gold and enamel. On the back the name Wesley is engraved. 

Checked the time and I had time to make a few more passes and was rewarded with a 1935 buffalo nickel and not 5" away from it, a 1943 Mercury dime.

Had a short time to kill after work and before a meeting tonight, so I headed over to the park for a bit thinking optimistically maybe I could get an Indian head. I get there, walk to the spot I want to start, take 5 steps and the first target I dug was a deep 16-34 on the E-Trac. A nice 1874 Indian in dark black soil.  

At that point I should have just turned around and left as I spent the next hour in the dark only digging a few pieces of trash. Lots of signals, just not the deep ones I was seeking! 

Started my day in an old park and my first good signal was a wheat, then a super nice 1868 shield nickel.  Another wheat and a deeeeeeep 1934 dime also in great condition. Then the Indian head I was looking for, 1891. And the surprise coin of the day, a 1918 Canadian large cent!  Another wheatie and some clad rounded out the COLD morning.

Took a break for lunch and came back and I thought I was in a completely different place. Nothin, nada, and zip. Swing, swing, swing... around 4:00 I finally get a nice 12-45 and it's a well worn 1926-D Mercury dime. Finally!

Went out early this morning and met up with Suzanne at the park. We were hoping our luck from the previous day would continue, but we were skunked bad! I did find a pretty cool hand forged iron hook thing, a brass part and two patent items. One a keyhole shaped doohickey dated 1881 and a Sampson Brass Plug with 1898 patent dates.

Then on our way out, I noticed a large section of brush had been cleared! Sweet! Started hitting the area and wheats were just on the surface. Picked up the 1944 Mercury dime and the more wheats and a 1954 dime laying right on top of a rock! Not long after, the 1941 wheat laying on top of a rock! Fighting the stubble was a bear though and it was definitely not easy hunting, but well worth it! Got a quarter signal, bent down to take a look and the butt end of an arrowhead was staring back at me... cool. The quarter was just clad though. Also found a silver plated religious medallion here as well.

Later I met up with Dave at a school we have hunted before. Pretty soon after starting he got a really cool find, and I had two wheats. Then I picked up a super nice 1917 Buffalo nickel, a few other modern nickels, a 1944-P War nickel and a 1949 nickel. The surprise target was a 1901 Indian head cent! Then another friend came who wanted to hunt some clad in the front of the school, so I went thataway and Dave headed out. Clad hunting went pretty well, I got a wheat cent and even found a Sacajawea dollar coin.

Today was the day. After 20 years of detecting. It's ugly, but dangit, it's my goal coin for this year and it's all mine. Those of you who know me well know how badly I wanted a seated coin this year and how great this day is for me.

Suzanne was out detecting at the park earlier in the day and found silver, so later when I had some time to get away in the afternoon, we met up. She picked the spot and right off the bat she got a (very nice) coin that had been on her wish list. I grumbled, as I often do and kept hunting. I then got a XX-42 signal on the E-Trac and thought I had a wheat cent. I opened the hole and had a thin chalky grey disc.  I called Suzanne over and said, "I think it's seated!" I could see the reeded edge, so I knew it was a coin, and most likely a silver dime. I started gently dabbing at it with spit to get some detail and Suzanne ran to the car to get a water bottle. By the time she got back I could see the head of Liberty. A seated coin! Finally! It is an 187X, so doesn't even have a clear date on it, but I'm pleased as punch to have found it. We joked that since we had both found things we were wanting it was time to leave, you know how that goes when you seem to find all the good stuff early on in the hunt and then little else the rest of time. Signals were few and far between.

But the goodness of today's three coin hunt didn't end. We kept detecting and I picked up a 1951-D wheat cent, and then wandered over to an area near where Suzanne had been hunting. I got a nice 12-46/47 signal and opened the hole and the probe sang that nice high pitched tone. I figured silver dime or quarter, maybe. Nope. A really superb 1848 large cent! Seated, large cent... what a day!

Got out for a bit yesterday and today. Gorgeous weather and there's too much work and not enough daylight! Yesterday I picked up the golf ball charm, silver "Prep" crescent and 1911 and 1940-S wheats. Today was nickel day (not on purpose, that's just how it happened!)... three buffalos - dateless, 1927 and 1936 and a 1944 war nickel, a 1947 Jefferson, one wheat and just a few clad including two modern nickels.

Went to a park that has been very nice to me lately with two or more silver every time I've gone. Funny because it's a park Suzanne, Dave, Anthony, Allen and others have all hunted. I guess the place just likes me. There I got the 1964 quarter, and that sucker was deep. Every bit of 12" down, maybe more. it was a narrow but good signal and ID'ed right on. I almost gave up on the hole! It was in an area that there had been some grading done. Not long after that I got the 1934 Mercury dime. A few wheats and I'd call that a good day out.

Sunday I met up with Suzanne and we searched a park and an old school that we've also all hit before. I got the 1942 Mercury dime from the park and the 1943-P War nickel and costume ring from the school. The schoolyard was jam packed with clad and zincs and it was hard to squeeze the oldies out from inbetween. I also picked up a few wheats here and there.

Friday after work I stopped over at heavily hunted Goodale Park. We've had a few group outings here and I think everyone knows how hard it is to hunt and find good old targets. I remember one COMDA hunt there where Dan doggedly hunted the whole time to get one silver dime out of the place, and it was the only silver of the day. Anyhow, I must have just been in the right spot Friday. 

I was walking a line and picked up the 1937 Mercury dime. At that point, my day is made. Silver from Goodale, what a treat! I walk another 100 feet or so and get  another silver dime sounding hit. I dig the hole... 1943 Mercury dime.  I send a text to tease Suzanne and  let her know I've got two silver dimes and I close up the hole. I get up, rescan the hole and get a 12-38 on the E-Trac... I'm thinking, ok, there's a wheat in there. Open 'er back up and nope... 1940 Mercury dime! Obviously I've hit the one strip of grass in this place that everyone with a detector has just walked over.

So,
I keep running passes through this area and pick up some more wheats, a 1949 nickel, 1940 Canadian cent, a nifty looking medallion with an M on it and near the end a nice 1901 Indian... a bit crusty, but with great detail. This kinda day makes up for all the other days I've left this park empty handed.

Went to a little corner of an old school that has some nice original dirt. I've dug a few nicer things here, and I thought I'd visit it again this year. Slim pickin's, but managed a 1909 wheat (first year) and two 1958-D wheats (last year) two 60s nickels and a wheat in one hole, a few other wheats and a WWII era military button.

Went out to an old park Dave, Anthony, Suzanne and Allen B. have all hunted before. I decided the dry soil would yield some old nickels. I'd barely gone 20 feet from the car and my first hit was a dateless buffalo nickel. Woo hoo! A great start. I saw Dave down at the other end of the park. I decided to keep at the area I was in. I was digging some clad and dug what I thought was a junk ring from about 7" deep and a 07-32 signal on the E-Trac. It was a broken ring, but broke even more once I had it out of the hole. I tossed it in my pouch. I then got another nice nickel hit and it was a 1902 V nickel.  Picked up a few wheats and beavertails and then got a nice 1919 Mercury dime.

I walked over to talk to Dave to see how he was doing and pulled out the ring. He said. "I think that's gold" and I was like, I'm not sure, it broke apart pretty easily." Those were the best finds for the day. I forgot all about the ring until I saw Suzanne on Friday and I mentioned it and she asked to see it, so I pulled it out of the trunk. Looked at it a bit more closely and spit on it a bit and thought, well, maybe it really is gold. I then took it in to work and actually washed it off and found the 14K mark.

The last couple weeks of September's finds accumulated in the trunk, so the other pictures cover that timeframe.

Got out in the beautiful weather for a couple hours after work yesterday and was rather surprised with a nice handful of stuff. The first park I stopped at gave up some wheats and three silver dimes: 1939, 1945 and 1954. Then on the way home there is a small area at a school that has been good to me many times in the past so I stopped there to see what a quick search might turn up. I got the 1935 wheat and four old nickels, three of them buffalo - all with dates! 1920, 1924, 1935. I can't remember the last time (if ever) I might have found three buffalo nickels in one hunt. All gave nice signals on the E-Trac, I knew each one was going to be a nickel before I dug it. I think this dry soil is making the difference in these signals popping out.

By far my best day at Schiller Park and a Central Ohio Metal Detecting Association hunt/meeting to boot. Typically I have to spend the better part of a day here to just turn up one old coin. However, the dry ground replicated the conditions I had at Goodale Park last year when I also found a handful of Indians, so I really feel that the dry soil conditions played a part. Dave found an Indian, and then a few minutes later I had one and then they kept coming. I was really surprised to see the first 1865 come out of the ground with lots of detail, and then after the 1901 another 1865, also with a good amount of detail. So, total of five Indian heads, three wheats, and old brass buckle and some clad.