Finally got out again :detecting:

[Bill Ladd]

I have been doing mostly bottle digging lately, and so far it's been all rain here in New England for weeks and they are saying rain for this weekend too....
But, in between raindrops I was able to revisit a Colonial cellar hole site that was great to us in the past, but we kinda figured was pretty much hunted out. But, I had it on my list to try this year as it never had an F75 or T2 ridden over it yet. Plus, I hooked up with a guy who said that the land was being developed & was all different so I figured I better get up there before it's all under black top. This is the real definition of saving history, and the site goes back to the 1600's
Some of the foundations have already fallen to "progress", but here's a nice one being hunted by my buddy Damon.....
[attachment 130877 Norms09.jpg]
So much for the place being "hunted out", as we both ended up getting coins.....the rain soaked soil was probably nice & conductive, and returning to sites with new detectors & or coils always seems to produce more goodies. What I thought was just another flat button because of it's size, ended up being the oldest coin the site has ever produced, a 1690's French "Liard" (about nickle sized). I also ended up with a worn piece of Spanish Silver....also quite old though a 1717-1720's 1 Reale. At first I was upset it was so worn, until Damon reminded me how many Colonists' hands it had passed through.......
[attachment 130878 Normslaird.jpg]
Hunting hard and digging most every "iffy" signal also netted us several Colonial to 1830's buttons.....What's great about this site is that it was abandoned around 1850. So, everything you find is old. These are some of the buttons I turned up with a combo of the T2 & F75.....
[attachment 130879 NormsButtons.jpg]
A smattering of interesting relics also were recovered. Damon got a nice shoe buckle, and I got these items. A knee buckle frame, a possible harness decoration, and what looks like a jewelry picture frame type piece....
[attachment 130880 NormsRelics.jpg]
Damon matched me on coins on the way back to the car hunting the old trail we walk in on. He got a nice 1836 1 Reale and an 1830's Seated half dime amid a bunch of modern bullet casings. I'll have to get a picture of them. We have enough material already for a W&E Treasures article, and we are planning on going back there again, & if anything else surfaces I'll make another post......
HH,
Bill

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

n/t

 

[thompy]

nice finds Bill, glad you are getting them out before its paved over, which machine did you use?

 

[mikewaz]

Nice going Bill!
Glad you were able to get out and grab some keepers. I'm getting sick of the rain myself because I haven't dug in dry ground at all this year.
Mike

 

[Elton]

Quote...[size=medium]These are some of the buttons I turned up with a combo of the T2 & F75.....[/size]

Would you mind stating which detector performed better on that particular site??? T2, or F75

Thank you for another great Post..........Looking forward to seeing the complete story in "A magazine"...........

 

[poorman]

Bill; You never cease to amaze me. I got to tell you every time I see your name on a new post, that is the one I rush right to and read. Reading your posts are like picking up a National Geographic Magazine, and visiting the candy store all rolled into one. You do great posts. Keep up the great work, we do appreciate it.

 

[woodwizard]

great finds-too bad you can't send some of that rain here-am in east tx-not a drop almost two mos now-ground is so hard you need some major digging tool to get thru it

 

[Glen in Maine]

Where in New England approx did you hunt... I am just curious since I live in Maine. HH

 

[John(Tx)]

Lots of nice finds. You guys are doing good with the rain, don't complain, you could be like us here on the Texas Gulf Coast, we have been very dry and today makes the 3rd day in a row with 100+ temps, makes it very miserable to even be outside. The lakes in the hill country around Austin are starting to dry up with small islands showing up, might be a good place to hunt if I could get over there, don't want to travel the 3 1/2 hours in this hot weather to get there....come on Fall....Good hunting to you guys and keep the pics coming. John

 

[jim tn]

Great saves, Bill. I would rather they be in my hands, but better your's then, then under the black top. LOL Good job. HH jim tn

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Bill great finds, don't mind that the Real is a bit worn, it's just more "seasoned" then some of the other coins you find

I also like the 1690's French "Liard" , great finds

Shame their going to develop the area, you'd think with this economic mess we're in, it would slow them down

One question for you - on the F75 what do you consider an "iffy" signal that you would dig in a situation such as this hunt ?

I'm still trying to maximize the depth on my F70 by learning any tricks I can to eek out extra depth using high sens settings, low disc, and SL (same as JE on F75) settings.

Keep the cool finds coming,
Brian

 

[jmaryt]

its a real thrill to find this stuff!..makes ya really wonder what the people were like so long ago,and it almost transports you back to that period in our country's history full of wonder and awe about what life was really like!..it IS what the hobby is really all about!..terrific finds!..bill!

(h.h!)
j.t.

 

[Bill Ladd]

I have family in NH. & MA. & RI......so that's where I do most of my hunting. But, having a toddler now I have not been able to travel up your way much any longer.......
HH,
Bill

 

[Bill Ladd]

I like the T2 better in all the nails around the foundation (with disc set at 21). The F75 came in after to hunt the more open woods afterwards......
HH,
Bill

 

[Bill Ladd]

That term I use alot, but the best way I can describe what I meant by that statement in the post was either a very jumpy number signal, a signal that may not be a loud repeatable tone from every direction, or even a combination of the 2......
Often times my "iffy" targets turned out to be a piece of iron, but the few that end up being a deep 1700's button or something give you the incentive to keep digging most everything. I try to keep the mindset that if a deep iron spike comes out of the hole, rather than get mad, at least I'm cleaning the area out & perhaps even unmasking something. I have unmasked several coins that way over the years. One of my rarest colonial coins was under a large iron hinge that other detectorists had left there. Once I pulled it out, the coin was loud & clear.......
HH,
Bill

 

[ziphius]

Very nice digs Bill, congrats! Did you notice any differences between the T2 and F75 at this site, in terms of performance?

Jim

 

[JRSherman]

Wonderful recoveries Bill! I just watched one of your videos on cone top can hunting, which was amazingly informative!

As far as the iron digging goes, my buddy always laughed at me digging iron, until I pulled up the earliest coin between the two of us, a 1710-1726 Philip the Fifth cut reale! He stll leaves it to me though, which I have no problem with! Congrats!

 

[RTG]

This brings up a question I've been meaning to ask. It's a rookie question I'm sure, but you mention how the coin was masked by the iron hinge. I have the F70 and it seems I read something about how it has the ability to "see through" other objects.(maybe it was just the F75, I don't remember) I assumed it meant it should be able to see past something like the iron hinge, perhaps with the "notch" feature? Would anyone be able to clarify that please?
Thanks, Randy

 

[Low-Boy/LCPM]

Iffy for my F75 is a broken tone or a diry tone. One that hits soft but the VDI may give it a number you would dig. I find a lot of nickels that are older that way some dating back to the 1800s will be real iffy. If you are relic hunting you have to dig alot to see what you are up against some sights are just trashed and others have a lot of stuff hidden in the ground.