Would you drive 6000 miles to find a penny?

[Mason Jarr]

Well, I will....if its a large cent! And that's exactly what I'm planning to do. I'm leaving SW Idaho on April 15th and heading cross country on my quest to find a large cent. My route will take me through Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Delware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana. Heck I might even cross the border and go into Canada.

Now the trip isn't solely for the purpose of metal detecting (but that's the primary reason). I'll also be visiting some friends along the way and the other objective is to visit the last 9 states I haven't been to. I got to travel quite a bit during my 30 year military career, but never got into the New England region. I realized last year that time is slipping on and if I'm gonna accomplish my goal of visiting all 50 states I need to get on it.

I've lined up some great guys in Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, New York and Vermont to meet and do some hunts with. I'm hoping the outcome will be a large cent of some variety (we just don't have many opportunities for those out here in Idaho). If any other members would be willing to help me out as I come through your state, please PM me and we'll try to work out the details. I'm planning to be on the road for 6 weeks, but can extend that to 7 if need be. I refuse to come home if I haven't found a large cent and have some prospects for other places to hunt.

I'll be indebted to anyone who is willing to help me out and if you ever make it out to Idaho, I could try to help you find some gold in return.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[mudpuppy]

Excellent Adventure!

You get up into Maine, and you might just relocate...lots of beaver to be trapped, and some Viking gold awaits...of course, make sure you walk a dock and buy a lobstah fresh...
And yes, I'd drive 6000 miles for a penny, if it was a 1943 copper wheat, or a 1959 wheat....(look 'em up!)

You are taking a great risk with a post like this...it might start a gumball rally of sorts...imagine a group of detectorists racing each other across country?
Mud

 

[Steve O]

Mike, hopefully by the time you get here on the east coast, the snow will have melted. We're thick in it this winter. I'd say you have a pretty good chance of finding that large cent, especially in the New England area..... my bet is, you will, good luck!

 

[Mason Jarr]

Thanks, Steve. I'm hoping I won't be too early, but I need to be back in Idaho by June 10th to get ready for a backpacking trip. I know large cents aren't plentiful, but I also know my odds will increase by being in older parts of the country. Most of the towns out here weren't founded until IH cents were in circulation.

 

[Pastor bob]

Mason,
when you come through Eastern Nebraska if you need a break and want to hunt look me up. Right now I would drive 6000 miles to dig a pull tab.
Pastor Bob

 

[Mason Jarr]

Thank you, Pastor Bob. I'll be coming across on highway 136. I'm trying to stay off the major routes and hit some of the smaller towns. You're in/near Omaha? I'm planning on spending the night in Fairbury, so if you know anything about that area...Fairbury, Beatrice, Tecumseh, Auburn...I'd love to get together for a hunt. It's more fun when you can meet some fellow detectorists and do a hunt together...at least to me it is.

 

[JimmyCT]

Mud could sniff out a rodent 1000 miles away and he will always be prepared with a snare lol. In all seriousness, your trip sounds like a dream and I hope you find that large cent...maybe even a chain cent! I wish you the best of luck on your "field trip" - Jim

Excellent Adventure!

You get up into Maine, and you might just relocate...lots of beaver to be trapped, and some Viking gold awaits...of course, make sure you walk a dock and buy a lobstah fresh...
And yes, I'd drive 6000 miles for a penny, if it was a 1943 copper wheat, or a 1959 wheat....(look 'em up!)

You are taking a great risk with a post like this...it might start a gumball rally of sorts...imagine a group of detectorists racing each other across country?
Mud

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Best of luck to you on your quest.as far as the southern and mid atlantic states im a little concerned that your timing may be a little on the late side as it realates to field planting and natural vegetation .planted fields would be off limits and wild unkept areas might have vegetation a foot tall by then.ive always found march and february to be the best times of year for farm field and unkept areas especially with this years heavy snow amount normally heavy vegetation areas should be pretty flat until spring bloom.now we just gotta wait for this 20+ inches of snow to melt.good luck.hope to see pics of your sucessful hunts.

 

[Steve O]

Earthlypoyluck, that chain cent is on my list. I have bags of large cents but never pulled out a chain cent. Sure would be nice if they came out in that good of shape, as the picture. Miss Liberty has some wild looking hair and the coin is kind of simple and primitive looking...... Beautiful coin.

 

[Mason Jarr]

Best of luck to you on your quest.as far as the southern and mid atlantic states im a little concerned that your timing may be a little on the late side as it realates to field planting and natural vegetation .planted fields would be off limits and wild unkept areas might have vegetation a foot tall by then.ive always found march and february to be the best times of year for farm field and unkept areas especially with this years heavy snow amount normally heavy vegetation areas should be pretty flat until spring bloom.now we just gotta wait for this 20+ inches of snow to melt.good luck.hope to see pics of your sucessful hunts.

It's a dilemma I've put considerable thought to.....if I go too early the ground might still be frozen and some places will still have snow; if I go too late fields will be planted, vegetation will be longer, snakes will be out, etc. On such a long trip I know it's going to be impossible to time every location for the absolute best time to be there. From what I hear and read, the large cents do tend to come more from fields where old homesteads once were and now are used for agriculture. Its hard to locate those kinds of places, especially when you live almost on the west coast. That's why I've been trying to seek some other detectorists who live in those places and wouldn't mind letting me hunt with them for a few hours or a half day. I've got 5 people lined up now, so its a great start. If that's all I end up with, I'll at least have 5 new friends.

It's too bad I'm not going through Pennsylvania (I've been there several times when I was a skeet shooter on the USAF team). From what I remember it would be an ideal location and I wouldn't hesitate to ask for your help, bootyhound!! Haha. Your assessment is 100% correct on my timing, but as I explained above I'm trying to pick a good time for all the locations plus be back in Idaho for some other commitments. If I don't come home with a large cent it'll be a disappointment, but it'll still be a fun trip.

 

[Billium]

Good luck on your adventure Mike! If I were you I would journal your trip noting the towns, locations and finds at each place. Then you can give it to me for future reference . Just kidding on the let me have it part, but it would be a great record of your trip. Keep us posted.....

 

[JimmyCT]

Bags of large cents? Wow you have some prime hunting areas! I have only found two in my whole detecting career. Like you, I would love to find a chain cent. That is definitely on my bucket list. HH - Jim

Earthlypoyluck, that chain cent is on my list. I have bags of large cents but never pulled out a chain cent. Sure would be nice if they came out in that good of shape, as the picture. Miss Liberty has some wild looking hair and the coin is kind of simple and primitive looking...... Beautiful coin.

 

[Steve O]

Yea Jim, I'm about 30 miles from Philadelphia.....lots of old stone homes and farm fields.

 

[JimmyCT]

You are definitely in a good hunting area. I don't feel so proud of the two I found anymore lol

Yea Jim, I'm about 30 miles from Philadelphia.....lots of old stone homes and farm fields.

 

[papalittle]

I would love to find a large cent here in South Central Nebraska (42 miles west of Fairbury) but do not think there are any here as I have not heard of anyone finding one anyways.

 

[Mason Jarr]

That's a borderline area, Papalittle. From my research most of the towns in that area were founded in the 1850s-1870s. That's definitely small cent timeframe, but somebody might've dropped ONE large cent there. I'll probably have to count on you to find it, because I'm just passing through and will be lucky to spend half a day there.

I would love to find a large cent here in South Central Nebraska (42 miles west of Fairbury) but do not think there are any here as I have not heard of anyone finding one anyways.

 

[Steve O]

Large cents were made from 1793 to 1857, that's over 6 decades plus they were still circulated and in use after 1857. If people were there, they lost them. Of course, the more and longer they were there, your chances would be better.

Earthlypotluck, many hundreds if not thousands of hours to get those. Not sure where you hunt but maybe my odds are much better.....don't forget the luck of swinging over them too.

 

[Steve O]

Mike, check out this site...may help in your travels http://www.intellicast.com/Travel/Weather/Snow/Cover.aspx

 

[Mason Jarr]

Thanks, Steve. Lots of snow in the north east! Hopefully, it'll be melted when I get there. It could turn into a sight seeing trip...which is already a big part of my mission.

Mike

 

[Mason Jarr]

I'm finalizing my trip plans and will be headed east on April 14th. I've lined up several guys to hunt with and I'm excited about meeting some new people and hunting some new places. I'd be honored to hear from anyone in CT, RI, MA or NH. Lots of places along that route and I'm not familiar with any of it. Seems a little daunting to cold roll it, but I will if I have to.

Mike