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Why would anyone use even a dull poker , probe to extract a coin from the ground and risk damage to a nice coin?

:Left4Dead

New member
I think I know the answer already. Its been in the ground for ?? Who knows how long its already damaged? I just can not understand why anyone would want to damage decent money, if it comes up as a zinc penny it could be and IH. That happened to me.
 
I think it is more of a case of probing being a very low-impact retrieval method. In parks it is probably the best way to go about it if you can help it. Do I probe? Not very often...takes some practice. In the end I think I'd rather see very little evidence left of a target retrieved at the risk of putting a "ding" on the coin ..
 
Like Dave said, low impact" The probe I have always used is brass 1/4" diameter, 6" long with a brass knob. If you practice with it, you can probe around the target to determine size and feel if it is round or not! this works well in light soil not gravel! The brass robe does very little damage (if any !) To the coin. once you locate a coin you can work around it with the probe to create a hole and "pop"
the coin out!. I also have a flat blade screwdriver that I soldered a flat piece of brass tubing to. It works good to "pop" the coin out also. this works down to 5" or so. if your in an area where plugs won't hurt anything, cut the plug! a pinpointer is a big help to locate the coin in the hole or plug, I hate to admit this, I do carry forceps to retrieve coins sometimes.:blush:
 
Probing, (coin popping) to do it right is an art! it takes LOTS of practice.
Yes, you can damage a coin but I can retrive an Indian Penny at 5" in a $20.000 Chem-Lawn yard and leave no trace of any kind that I was there!!! (other than some fresh foot steps in the grass) and if I have the idea that this is a prime area I can do it without damaging the coin.

When you get good at coin popping you don't hardly ever have to dig 2" to 3" (surface) money.

Mark
 
It has a lot to do as where your hunting. If I'm hunting a house built in 1895 I'll usually make a plug on most all signals. If it's a park or newer piece of property I'll "pop" it if my pinpointer beeps on it. In a farm field I'll use a long handled shovel. Either way waiting until a rain helps no matter how you recover your targets.
 
khouse said:
It has a lot to do as where your hunting. If I'm hunting a house built in 1895 I'll usually make a plug on most all signals. If it's a park or newer piece of property I'll "pop" it if my pinpointer beeps on it. In a farm field I'll use a long handled shovel. Either way waiting until a rain helps no matter how you recover your targets.
Nice reply. Location means a lot. I wish newbies would think of that. Captain Kidd did not bury a treasure chest at any school, so why take a shovel?
 
That is true. No long handled shovels in public places! Even when I "pop" a target I'll put my back to any on lookers. This includes homeowners and people in any park or other public places. I'll post a picture of my new popper I made 2 months ago. It's really working better than my screwdriver ever did.
 
I try my best never to use a probe to pluck coins with. As stated, it is an art ,,, an art that I have not mastered, either. Plus , like the O.P stated, the brass probe CAN damage a nice coin ! .
I made a nice probe out of a small file handle & the brass rod from inside a toilet tank. Filed & sanded the sharper edges to avoid as much damage as possible.

I almost always use a short-handle spade & & dig a 3 sided " flap plug, keeping most all roots intact. Fold it back, & step on it when finished. After a rain, you cannot tell it,,, or carry a large soda bottle of water with a little fertilizer mix with you to wet it after you finish
 
The folks on this forum have a lot of knowledge and tips:clapping: As stated before, the type of ground dictates the style of retrieval you will perform!
I have used a probe for many years (mostly in soft ground or clay)
pin pointing is the key to target removal, we all try to cut a plug as small as we can in order to lessen the "foot print" we leave ! the key here is not to damage the target, Cutting a plug or a slit or probing still comes down pin pointing the target. try what ever method "works" for you. HH....C-Dog
 
I have been using a screwdriver for years. But I needed a little wider tool for deeper popping. So I was at O'Reilly's parts store about 3 months ago getting some parts. Then right in front of me was my coin popper - a gasket scraper. It was under 8 bucks, hardened steel with a lifetime warranty - BINGO! The handle is very nice and the shank overall is 6 inches. The blade is 1 inch square. The shank is super strong being 3/8 inch square. All I did was round the end over and sharpen it with a grinder. Why sharpen it you say. Well before I pop I make a slit to help bring the target to the surface. But I use the probe to exactly locate the target for popping. Note that I have ground the probe down except for the end. This way your only pushing the very end in the ground with no drag on the shaft. It basically falls in the ground. Then once I find the target I slit the ground then push the popper under the target. Then you pull the probe out and use the handle as a fulcrum to help pry the goodie to the surface. All of this is done if my electronic pinpointer hits the target first. Otherwise I'll make a plug. But once you get good there is no mess and it's quick. Have a look.
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I had not thought about a gasket scraper but that is exactly what I have been wishing I had. I pop a lot of coins and this should be a very handy tool. Thanks for posting the pictures Kenny.

Jerry
 
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