coin depth

[topknocker]

if a coin were dropped around the turn of the century, say around 1910. how for down would the coin be about now? does it depend on the type of soil and the amount of traffic on it? does it also depend on how much rain has been recorded on it also? me and my son are going to hunt some home sites that were built around 1910. i wonder if we can really do any good. all we have is an ace 250 and a gti 1500. care and extreme respect for the personal property of others is at the top of my priority list.

 

[BigCatDaddy]

Too many variables to even guess where they might be now. I've found turn-of-the-century coins at 2" and 1970's coins 10 feet away at 7" in undisturbed soil. They seem to "float" around underground, I'm thinkin' because of weather conditions. Rain, freeze, heat, more rain ......
If there was a formula, we'd all be digging the deep ones only and leavin' the shallow ones. You also have to consider in yards, the addition of topsoil, removal of topsoil, re-sodding, type of soil....it just goes on and on. If it beeps, CAREFULLY probe or dig it up, doing the least amount of damage possible. If you want to be invited back, practice your probing and if you have to dig, practice digging nice, neat plugs before you venture into someone else's lawn. Good Luck, you've got plenty of firepower with those two machines!!

 

[John 'n' W.Va]

Today I got a 1927 wheat at 4" in sand in an old orange grove. It was near an 1884 house.
I was in a town yesterday MDing. I was digging wheat's in the lawn between the side walk and the road at 4" to 6+" with the sniper. I have gotten wheat's in that town from 1910.
I think the silver must go deeper.
I have only found one of them in that town.

 

[Uncle Willy]

In answer to your question - it's a crapshoot. I have found coins from the 1700's at two inches and clad coins at 8-10 inches in the same area. There is no way to tell.

Bill

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

It was worn worse from acid rain than a buried coin!

There are many many factors, too numerous to list that can have an effect on coin depth. YOu can get a better idea by researching the home to see what has gone on there over the last 100 years.

One factor is sedimentation. As leaves and wood and grass decompose it adds topsoil.

Another factor is erosion, from water or wind. This can add or wash away soil.

Still another factor is man-made effect. Tilling, adding of top soil, land clearing, etc.

Traffic can have an impact. Walking on soft ground can force coins deeper. Cars on dirt roads can push coins shallower toward the sides, or deeper.

I think you get the idea!

 

[KCK]

Coin depth is a funny thing. It all depends on the type of soil conditions and rate of compaction in a given area. The factors are many but that's the basics of coin depth. It's all different!

But treasure is where treasure is found. We found a 1500.00 ring at 2".
Any detector could have found that. A 1400.00 ring we found for a man that was buried for 4 years in his back yard. It was 3 inches deep and had roots growing through it!

The wife found a 1865 two cwnt piece at two inches in a heavily laden iron area, I'll never understand that one!

But treasure is were treasure is found! That's the good part!



KCK/Ohio

 

[John D.]

I remember reading in a Archeology magazine years ago about depth of objects. It was something like this, if a item is left COMPLETELY undisturbed on top of the ground, wind,rain,falling leaves etc. will cover an object approximately 1/16" per year.
However as we all know,in our crowded society hardly anything is left undisturbed. Like someone else said "it is a real crap shoot."

 

[swingman]

So much goes into how far/fast a coin sinks into the soil...it's hard to predict:
Soil-type (e.g., hardness, density, porosity), foot or other traffic, amount of moisture, frost/freezes?, worm action (or not), rocks present?, roots present?, other impedances?, soil movement/mixing (human-caused or otherwise), amount of time, size/density of coin, coin orientation.
I have found 180 year-old large coppers on the surface, and 2 y/o pennies 5 inches down. Go figure...but an interesting topic.

 

[Uncle Willy]

That's why I always advise potential detector buyers to not be obsessed soley with depth in their purchase of a detector as it means absolutely nothing - just sales hype and bragging material. If your machine will detect to a depth of just six inches one will find 99% of all dropped coins.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Many years ago I found a coin from the 1700's at two inches and clad in the same area at eight inches plus. The myth that all old or valuable coins are buried halfway to China is just that - a myth.

Bill

 

[John 'n' W.Va]

I have found them all mixed up also. In Sanford Fl.I can find some shallow wheat, but most of the wheat is at 6"+. That sniper will find them. They won't sound off on every swing and the pp is vague. I can tell it is a wheat.