Hi Gang! Some advice needed.

[cwilk]

I have been reading this forum over the past few days and have read most of the posts back to July. You guys have been busy. I seriously started in the hobby about three months ago. Found a bunch of cool stuff. Over 300 bucks in clad, 4 gold rings (two with diamonds), about 25 sterling pieces of jewelry, 8 silver coins including a 1964 Kennedy Half and 5 standing libs, tokens, locks, keys, sinkers, lures, medals, pins, toy cars, golf balls and on and on.

I was recently asked to not metal detect on the high school property by the pricipal. In fact when he approached me he thought I was a student and was very condescending. I offered apologies and left but as I turned my back to him he made a comment like I was older and should have known better. I turned to face him and informed him that I was not one of his students and that he couldn't speak to me like that, and that if he wanted to discuss the matter to please do it to my face. I apologized again and he spoke to my back again. It almost got ugly but I smiled and said that I immediately stopped when he asked me to, that I had obtained permission from his maintenance staff to metal detect, that I was not leaving any trace of my digging, and furthermore there was construction going on and I had asked the forman if I could detect on the edge of his workzone where they had scraped a layer of sod off. I then left without further comment from him. I later found out that they were going to post the high school off limits to anybody who was not on official school business. I don't understand how they can do this. The community uses the facility for many event and sports leagues. That said. I have obtained permission from each of the other 4 schools in the district to metal detect as long as I respect the property and don't do it while school is in session. I found a lot of great items at the high school. What would you do?

My second question is about ballfields. I got permission to detect at our local sports complex but was asked to stay off the fields which I readily agreed to. They said there were spinkler systems which made sense to me. Do you guys actually detect on the playing surfaces of ballfields?

Final question I have set my detector to discrimnate out modern pennies. I still find one every once in a while but usually with another coin. Am I missing anything besides a pile of corroded zinc?

Other that that I can't believe how similar we all are. I do not bring my trash items home to photograph as some of you seem to, but maybe I'll start!

To the guy who goes around to banks looking for silver half dollars. I have two banks and several conveience stores who set pre 64 (pre 69 halves) aside for me and they actually thank me for taking them off their hands. Last year this local Indian or Pakitani conveniece store owner had a box full of Franklin Halves who didn't think they were American. I put together almost a whole set of them and had a roll left over. Saturday I went to the bank before detecting and was handed 9 40 percenters and one 1964 half. I was on cloud nine before I started. In fact fom that particular bank, I have received over 5 rolls of 40 percenters since January 1. Then off to the park where I found $6.10 in clad. A 6 gram silver ring and a 3gram 14k gold ring with a very nice little diamond of about 3mm. Very white and clean though. It was one of the best days I had in a long time. My motto has become "ABW" anything but work. If people want to hand me money I'll take it all day long. I'll save the story about this antique store in town where they sell Morgan dollars for 8 bucks a piece regardless of year or condition. I can't imagine what they pay for them. Probably peanuts.

Too much information for my first post. I use a Garrett 250 which I love. I will probably upgrade next spring if that new model I have read about here comes out.

Chris

I also would like to hear what you guys do with your gold and silver. Is there a better way to liquidate it other than my local coin guy or on ebay?

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

G'day Chris. Welcome to the forum.
It sounds like you are on fire! You're doing a terrific job there.
As far as hunting in schools go, you need to check your local laws, however, if you ask the person in charge of the place that you want to hunt, then you will never have a problem. In most situations, you don't need to ask if you can hunt on public ground, but that is subject to your local laws. They do vary from place to place. Here in Australia, if I hunted on School grounds without the School Principals permission (and it can't be the gardeners permission, as he doesn't have the authority to give it) and I find a coin, I can be charged with, break, enter and steel!
As far as hunting around playing fields goes; I generally only hunt the side lines and in the corner of where the netting is on a soccer field. The only 2 reasons that I would hunt on the actual playing surface, is if I know that that field has other activities on it other than the sport that it was set up for. The other reason is, if it has littlies playing on it, they quite often play across the field, which then means that those 10 yard lines quite often become sidelines!
Good luck (not that you seem to need it) and keep posting. Posting adds a new dimension to the hobby and something that you can get satisfaction out of, particularly if you can offer some help to somebody who might need it.
Mick Evans.

 

[cwilk]

Mick thanks for the thoughtful response. Just a little more about the high school incident. It was always my understanding that the principal is responsible for the student body and the school board is responsible for the building and administration. It takes a vote from the school board to do anything, at least where I live. As I said though, when I was asked to leave I immediately apologized and left until he kept, imo, belittling me. After 25 years I found myself being sent to the principals office, yet again. At least figuratively. Too bad. Tons of great items in the gound there. BTW, the school (on 50 plus acres) is across the street from the town park and they routinely park cars on the lawn during big events. Would have been nice of the principal to thank me for picking up a big bag of garbage everytime I went there.

Finally. When I went to the head of maintenance with my story he told me the guy is a jerk and that I should merely limit my detecting to Sundays when nobody would see me. I told him I wouldn't be back but was thinking about going to a school board meeting and asking permission. The downside is they might say no and then technically the other schools would be off limits too.

Really finally. The day I got booted I found what is now my favorite spot for coin shooting so there is the silver lining. I am on may way there now, where I expect to find at least 100 claad coins and if I'm lucky a ring or two!

Chris

 

[John 'n' W.Va]

There are many variables. The general consensus is the principle is responsible for everything at the school. Most important the safety of the students. You will be under great scrutiny when you enter the property. You need the confidence of the principle. I would not antagonize the principle. Don't try to go over the principle's authority. You really are a guest and need to act like one when you come into any principle's domain.
In day's past we could enter any school's property. Time's have changed. Some school's I have MDed had fences and barbed wire around them. No one outside of school business was allowed on the property. I got the confidence of the principle and the maintenance. I was allowed to MD it on a Saturday. As the police patrolled the area, the maintenance people told the police I had permission to MD. With out the blessings I would have been arrested for trespassing.

By the way, great start. You have a good mind for MDing.

 

[cwilk]

Thanks for the nice compliment John! I waited until school was out before I started MDing there. Today was my last day except for possibly a few Sundays. Give the kids a chance to reseed the earth. Lots of parks on my list anyway.

I did not intend to start anything with the pricipal. When he waited until I turned my back to him to sort of insult me I corrected him. Twice. I don't plan on going over his head nor do I intend to return. Funny thing is that he lives in another town and was fired from (or so I hear) that high school. Another nice, though bent, 10k gold ring this morning at the site that I found immediately after being dismissed from the high school and at least 100 clad coins.

I have the prinipals permission there and I have offered my services to find lost valuables or assist with a MD club if any students wish to learn. I always have my old detector in my truck and when kids ask for a turn I always give it to them with a short set instructions. They usually dig too big of a hole but I help them patch up their damage. A couple of days ago at the park I had at least 15 kids following me around. I always go up and introduce myself to the parents first. I live in a pretty small town but last thing I want is a cop questioning my intentions. You touched on this point and it is sad that this is what we have to worry about.

I don't know about the trespassing thing. I will say this. Every school that I MD at is enjoyed by the community. Whether it is kids playing at the playground, a pickup baseball game on the field, men practicing their chipping, teenagers doing model rocketry, families picnicing, kite flyers, dog walkers, or little old me metal detecting are we all breaking the law? As I also said they intend to post no trespassing signs at the high school which has the community asking why.

I really appreciate your point of view. I promise you that I will be a worthy ambassador to the hobby.

Chris

 

[Uncle Willy]

I don't understand the Gestapo mentality back there. Guess that's why I left over 50 years ago. Out here in the Wild West we have no such restrictions. Anyplace public is open to the public. The public even owns the ocean beaches out here. Only private schools require permission and you can hunt many of them with no hassle.

I would check with the school district or Board of Education about getting a permit of some kind. I think the school official was just trying to exercise his $1.98 worth of authority. Your taxes help finance that joint and pay his salary. It's not a private club for members only.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah the ball players tear up the field far worse than any guy with a tector, unless you're using a scoop shovel to dig with.

Bill

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

I'm glad there was a silver lining there for you. There seem to be some laws that are universal, and some that are not. If your local laws permit you to hunt on school grounds, which seems to be common in the US, then I wouldn't be giving somebody the opportunity to say no, because then you're a shot duck.
Just a thought.
Mick Evans.

 

[Leslie(nova scotia)]

From the land of the Bluenose.....have only been asked to leave a school ground once in 34 years. My rule of thumb is that never confront..always other places to go. Of course being in the USA I'm sure you have different rules about school grounds. Bottom line is just move on and dig elsewheres.

Playing fields are great areas to do best finds seem to be along the sidelines and behind the soccer goals.

Run a n old Garrett so can't help you on the discrimination question.....happy hunting.

 

[pizzacoil]

n/t

 

[John 'n' W.Va]

I just want to reiterate, go on the side of caution. Schools are state and county run, not federal government. Every state and county has different laws. What is true for one area is not true for another. Where I lived in Fl. the schools where fenced in with barbwire and had no trespassing signs. The school board would not go over the principle's head.