Thanks. No silver, the ones that look like silver are just well-kept clad with that "wash" look that comes from the bark chips. The only jewelry is junk, nothing good.
As far as the gates being locked, I'm sure that this wasn't the first time that they were open. It was just the first time I was THERE and they were open. There are other beepers in this town, I just don't know what the method to their madness is. Some places are so barren that you can't find a nail, others like this place remain virgin for years at a time. Judging from past experience, I'd say this haul came from about 4 years of nobody bothering to run a detector over the place. Some of the coins were 4-5" deep (nice sandy soil under the bark chips, easy digging) and some of course were right on top. I've hit a high school nearby that was the same way, I was averaging about 85 coins per hour out of that place for a while.
Like I said, strike when the iron is hot. I carry my machine, digging tools, pouches and spare stuff with me in my truck, so I'm ready to go in about 30 seconds. It pays off when an opportunity like this comes along. And I didn't come close to cleaning the place out today, I just got tired after 3 hours. I'll check it in a few days, if it's open I'll hit it again. If not, well it doesn't look like anyone else is in a hurry to clean it out.
Steve
WtG superb hunting
Thanks for sharing!
Happy Hunting!