I've been in a silver slump the last few months, and I finally broke it last weekend. I found three silvers and that was the most I had found since Aug 12 of last year.
I'm primarily a yard hunter. Because of proximity and ease of permission, the most prevalent type of yards I detect are postwar 1950's ranch homes. There's not a lot of really old coins or relics in postwar homes, so my yardstick for measuring my success more often than not is the amount of silver found. And I love finding silver.
The thrill of finding wheaties (other than as a barometer for finding silver) wore off really fast after my first few months of detecting, but the thrill of finding silver never has. I can rationalize the joy I get from the act of metal detecting, but I can't rationalize the enjoyment I get from finding a silver dime worth two dollars or so because it isn't rational. In fact, it probably borders on addiction. But a sweet addiction it is...
Since I started detecting in the spring of 2008, my silver totals has been going up every year. 2008 - 9. 2009 - 33. 2010 - 95. 2011 - 159. Then this past year I dropped down to 122. Halfway through the year, on June 30, I was actually pretty close to being in line with 2011, at that point I had 75. But since then it's been slow. From 12/10 to 1/4 I found only one silver coin.
It's not the cold, in fact I love the cold and detecting in winter - to a point. You won't find me out detecting with my hand pick and a jug of hot water, that's where I draw the line. John-Edmonton I'm not. Fortunately, it's another milder than normal winter this year, the ground here hasn't been more than surface frozen at any point yet.
I have been finding a much higher ratio of wheaties to silver than usual lately, so I'm pretty sure my slump for the most part anyway is just random luck. Although this past Saturday I found zero wheaties to go along with the three silvers. I don't remember ever finding that many silvers in one hunt without a single wheatie, so maybe my random luck is changing...
Anyway here's my first three silvers from 2013, and hopefully the first of 159+ silvers for 2013.
My family and non-detecting friends tolerate my addiction, however they can't comprehend it. But I know a lot of my forum friends here do.
Whatever finds inspire your passion, I wish you many of them in 2013.
I'm primarily a yard hunter. Because of proximity and ease of permission, the most prevalent type of yards I detect are postwar 1950's ranch homes. There's not a lot of really old coins or relics in postwar homes, so my yardstick for measuring my success more often than not is the amount of silver found. And I love finding silver.
The thrill of finding wheaties (other than as a barometer for finding silver) wore off really fast after my first few months of detecting, but the thrill of finding silver never has. I can rationalize the joy I get from the act of metal detecting, but I can't rationalize the enjoyment I get from finding a silver dime worth two dollars or so because it isn't rational. In fact, it probably borders on addiction. But a sweet addiction it is...
Since I started detecting in the spring of 2008, my silver totals has been going up every year. 2008 - 9. 2009 - 33. 2010 - 95. 2011 - 159. Then this past year I dropped down to 122. Halfway through the year, on June 30, I was actually pretty close to being in line with 2011, at that point I had 75. But since then it's been slow. From 12/10 to 1/4 I found only one silver coin.
It's not the cold, in fact I love the cold and detecting in winter - to a point. You won't find me out detecting with my hand pick and a jug of hot water, that's where I draw the line. John-Edmonton I'm not. Fortunately, it's another milder than normal winter this year, the ground here hasn't been more than surface frozen at any point yet.
I have been finding a much higher ratio of wheaties to silver than usual lately, so I'm pretty sure my slump for the most part anyway is just random luck. Although this past Saturday I found zero wheaties to go along with the three silvers. I don't remember ever finding that many silvers in one hunt without a single wheatie, so maybe my random luck is changing...
Anyway here's my first three silvers from 2013, and hopefully the first of 159+ silvers for 2013.
My family and non-detecting friends tolerate my addiction, however they can't comprehend it. But I know a lot of my forum friends here do.
Whatever finds inspire your passion, I wish you many of them in 2013.
-------After all these years, I still get a thrill out of recovering silver---in fact I really enjoy recovering wheaties also as they are becoming less & less frequent as time goes by as far as finds goes.----It's the challenge thing also, ya know!------Keep up the good work in 2013, you're doing great. 
----------Del