I'm just now getting back into TH'ing after a 20-year hiatus, bought my first detector a little over a week ago (Fisher 1236-x2).
It's really become an obsession in no time - I live in the oil region of western PA, so there's a lot of history, ghost towns, etc. I've already gotten tons of great info from online maps, local libraries, even a local historian who's written several books about the region (I happened to knock on her door to ask permission to detect on her property!). My best find yet by far was the very first beep I dug, from my own side-yard: a 1916 PA driver's license pin. I thought it was just a toy belt-buckle or something, until I brought it in and got it under the faucet. Pretty cool. I'll post a pic as soon as I get my new digital camera.
Still trying to find my first silver - I've found plenty of wheaties/clads. My house was built in 1901 by the local railroad, so there's plenty of iron junk. My mother's farm is quite old, in fact it's on an 1865 map I found of the area. The map also shows on her property a church, and half of the "ghost village" Hill City. I've hit her yard once for a few hours, and found plenty of interesting junk, but I just know it's where I'll find my first silver
Anyhow, thanks for letting me share my new hobby, looking forward to posting some good pics!
It's really become an obsession in no time - I live in the oil region of western PA, so there's a lot of history, ghost towns, etc. I've already gotten tons of great info from online maps, local libraries, even a local historian who's written several books about the region (I happened to knock on her door to ask permission to detect on her property!). My best find yet by far was the very first beep I dug, from my own side-yard: a 1916 PA driver's license pin. I thought it was just a toy belt-buckle or something, until I brought it in and got it under the faucet. Pretty cool. I'll post a pic as soon as I get my new digital camera.
Still trying to find my first silver - I've found plenty of wheaties/clads. My house was built in 1901 by the local railroad, so there's plenty of iron junk. My mother's farm is quite old, in fact it's on an 1865 map I found of the area. The map also shows on her property a church, and half of the "ghost village" Hill City. I've hit her yard once for a few hours, and found plenty of interesting junk, but I just know it's where I'll find my first silver
Anyhow, thanks for letting me share my new hobby, looking forward to posting some good pics!
. It sounds like you are making Fantastic Finds,
You have some excellent sites picked out. Go slow and isolate each target to see if it is a good one. Iron masking is a killer on farms. The old stuff is there, you just have to figure out how to be smarter than the iron!!! Good luck and keep us posted.