Irons ongoing MD finds thread

[WhyKnow]

Rodzm, try looking under the ski lift cables. I find stuff there, usually just whiskey flasks and ski poles. Occasionally a pot pipe.

[rodzm]

Went back out to the same field but found lots of bottle caps. I did hit a spot that was literally screaming at me with an ID of 90s...it turned out to be some sort of slab with possible high conductive metal. Thought it was silver but no luck. Didnt even find coins

[Argentum47]

Thanks for the tip. I just got the idea of looking for abandoned hotels here in Germany and i think i found the perfect spot. It used to be a popular resort with lots of tourist back then but its been abandoned for over 10 years. Its a creepy looking place in the Black Forest but I think it could definitely be a good spot.

People check it out and tell me what you think...looks like a great spot or should I skip it????

http://www.lostresorts.com/?p=717

I would def take a few trips to that place. Bound to be lots of stuff lost in the snow which is now in the earth.

It does look a bit spooky though, I wouldn't be going alone

[rodzm]

I would def take a few trips to that place. Bound to be lots of stuff lost in the snow which is now in the earth.

It does look a bit spooky though, I wouldn't be going alone

Ill be going with a retired veteran who's been MDing for like 30 years...but yeah the place does look creepy but also looks to be very promising and a huge area to go MDing. Check out all the pics from back then to give an idea of the size of the area. Notice on the satellite map the ramp towards the north and huge flat area to the south

[DodgebyDave]

Just don't dig up an artillery shell from 3 wars ago!

[Irons]

Silver coins # 9 and 10, silver rings, ear rings and tiny bits of Gold.

[budfox]

Good stick work my man, I'm almost there...

[Gcubed]

Yo Irons!

Will ya keep us informed of the GSR of your finds. That could be valuable data for future discussion. Maybe even email it to Teddy B.

[Irons]

Good stick work my man, I'm almost there...

Thanks! I dug so much freaking clad today I stopped digging up zinc pennies. They are 75 on the at pro.

I went to a small park in a nearby town with a mowed field next to it. I start on the field and my MD is going ballistic on coin signals.

Dimes, quarters, copper and zinc pennies un freaking real, mostly all from late 60's to the early 80's. I'm there about 10 minutes and an old boy comes walking up and says I bet you're busy!

I said yep, I'm begining to think somebodys messing with me. This place is carpeted with coins!
He told me this is where the carnival set up for around 25 years and nobody has ever bothered to take a MD to the place.

I asked if it was still township property and he said yep, and I run the township. I see you fill in your holes and put the grass back nicely so have at it.
Within 1/2 hour everybody who drove past waved at me. Then I found a 1964 Roosie!!

I'm going to have to break out the yellow plastic tent stakes and grid this field out, I just wandered around today nailing coins everywhere I went.

The tub of dirty clad..................

[andial]

I see you fill in your holes and put the grass back nicely

Good move, I would do the same.

[Gcubed]

Good move, I would do the same.

I've got an aversion to grassy holes. To each his own.

[Irons]

Good move, I would do the same.

Cutting neat plug flaps and replacing the dirt before stepping it all back into place is very important in parks.

Make a mess and you'll be kicked out in a hurry.

It gets tedious after a while so I mix up my park hunting with beach hunting.

You use a shovel or scoop on the beach and just push the sand back when you're done, fast and easy.

[Irons]

Manistee MI Beach 4/14/12

This 579 foot freighter turned too soon exiting the channel Saturday morning and got hung up on a sandbar, tearing up his props and taking on water.

Fun and excitment followed!!! Nice and windy that AM blew him almost but not quite onto the North pier.

Big ass tugboats were dispatched from Wisconsin and got him floating again Sunday morning.

We were there before the crowds.

[Irons]

.................................. ~ 1890 V Nickel!!!~


Yeah I know it's just an old nickel but this is fun as hell!!!

[AguA]

.................................. ~ 1890 V Nickel!!!~


Yeah I know it's just an old nickel but this is fun as hell!!!

That's pretty cool with the Roman numeral on the back. I've only seen one like that in person when I was a kid. My dad got it back in change. Don't know whatever happened to it though. I'll have to look around.

[Irons]

That's pretty cool with the Roman numeral on the back. I've only seen one like that in person when I was a kid. My dad got it back in change. Don't know whatever happened to it though. I'll have to look around.

Thanks! If you can't tell I love finding old coins. ~

It just blows my mind the person who lost it over 100 years ago was probably standing right where I found it.

What did the small town I live in look like to them?

[smooth]

Thanks! If you can't tell I love finding old coins. ~

It just blows my mind the person who lost it over 100 years ago was probably standing right where I found it.

What did the small town I live in look like to them?

could have been his lunch money

[Irons]

could have been his lunch money

Possibly, was he young or old? Did he live a long happy life or was he killed in a farm accident or a war?

Move away and never come back or live and die here? Was he in that park fishing?

If he was he was catching Grayling where we now catch trout. Grayling were long gone way before my parents were born.

[jogslvr]

Irons, have you added up your take yet so far? Seems you are doing quite well.

Are you near any old military installations? I live near one that dates back to pre WW1. Back in the day of WW2, the main highway leading to the base was lined with bars and whore houses which have long since been torn down. I own the last one standing. Old bars are outstanding MD hunting territory if you can put up with the beer can residue. If you haven't already, you might want to visit your local library for archival info on such structures long since demolished.

That being said, stay off the military property. In my lifetime, two metal detector guys and two brass salvagers have been blown to smithereens on the military reservation land near my location. In some cases, live projectiles (mortar rounds in particular) failed to detonate on impact. In other case, huge caches of HE were simply buried.
What the dear departed failed to realize is that not all round land in the designated impact zone. Many times drunken and idiot troopers got their azimuths turned around by 180 degrees. One old farmer in the 60's lost his barn and several milk cows to three 155mm rounds. Yep, azimuth FUBAR. He sued the shlt out of them and lived out his life in relative style. :-)

[hammerhead]

Great thread Irons.
Really gets me going. My wife picked me up a used Whites Silver Eagle last year and I have yet to get out there and even test drive it. The last time I read this thread, I pulled it out of the garage and it is still sitting right beside me in my living room. Can I have permission to not go back and put the second coat of paint on the kitchen and instead go out and take a 5 minute walk to the beach so I can play with my toy? I promise I will go back to do the painting tonite. PLEASE?

[Irons]

Irons, have you added up your take yet so far? Seems you are doing quite well.

Are you near any old military installations? I live near one that dates back to pre WW1. Back in the day of WW2, the main highway leading to the base was lined with bars and whore houses which have long since been torn down. I own the last one standing. Old bars are outstanding MD hunting territory if you can put up with the beer can residue. If you haven't already, you might want to visit your local library for archival info on such structures long since demolished.

That being said, stay off the military property. In my lifetime, two metal detector guys and two brass salvagers have been blown to smithereens on the military reservation land near my location. In some cases, live projectiles (mortar rounds in particular) failed to detonate on impact. In other case, huge caches of HE were simply buried.
What the dear departed failed to realize is that not all round land in the designated impact zone. Many times drunken and idiot troopers got their azimuths turned around by 180 degrees. One old farmer in the 60's lost his barn and several milk cows to three 155mm rounds. Yep, azimuth FUBAR. He sued the shlt out of them and lived out his life in relative style. :-)

Thanks jogslvr, no I haven't done much of a tally. I have found 10 90% silver coins and 2.4 grams of gold jewelry but beyond that I have no idea.

I just dump the clad in a large plastic vitamin bottle, it's almost full and over 10 pounds easily. The silver jewelry is just going into a pile on a paper plate. I'm going to have to organize that soon.

I have read a rock or shell casing tumbler is the way to go to clean up corroded clad in 4 pound lots so I'll be getting one of those in the fall. I plan on doing a total clad tally at the one year mark so in the begining of January.

The abandoned bar and neighborhood by you would be a fantastic hunting ground, one would need a machine with better than average target seperation because of all the iron and nails but I would be game to work the area after I'm done with my 800 other places I need to hit!

I'm mainly in this for the gold and silver jewelry, the 90% and old coins. I don't really go looking for modern clad but I sure find it everywhere I go.

Being where I am in NW Michigan I'm surrounded with resort areas, lake Michigan beaches along with smaller lake beaches.
I have literally dozens I have listed as old and still busy to this day, most have never seen a metal detector.

For an example one big reservoir near me has over 18 miles of public shoreline, approx. 40% of it busy beaches who's use dates back to the 1930's. So far I have hit 3 of the beaches on that pond.

I have permission to hit several old homesteads and schoolhouses and have gone over a few but the results ain't what I thought they would be. Rural folks were generally poor and thier kids even poorer! A silver coin back in the 1940's wasn't something most people could afford to lose in them days. They are around but if you find one Merc dime per 4 homesteads you are doing good.

Every area is different of course but in my AO I am much better off finding areas where folks kicked back and relaxed.

The best advice on finding places to hunt I ever got is you have to put your mind in the time before air conditioning and teevee.

Old parks are great for this, the biggest trees offered shade and folks spread blankets and actually used picnic baskets. They also gathered on river and creek banks for the few degrees of breeze, coolness and swimming. Breeze was a commodity in the old days.
Water is always good to hunt by even if its all grown over now. Folks took off a layer or two of clothes to swim, great way to lose a coin or two!

On old homesteads the porches were on the East side of the house to take advantage of afternoon shade. Bedrooms too.

Once you decide on an area to hunt your work has just begun IMO, to find something you first have to wave your coil over it so breaking an area down to most likely spots saves time.

[Mr. Shiny]

... ... bars and whore houses which have long since been torn down. I own the last one standing.

The last tavern or the last 'Massage Parlor'?

[DodgebyDave]

Great thread Irons.
Really gets me going. My wife picked me up a used Whites Silver Eagle last year and I have yet to get out there and even test drive it. The last time I read this thread, I pulled it out of the garage and it is still sitting right beside me in my living room. Can I have permission to not go back and put the second coat of paint on the kitchen and instead go out and take a 5 minute walk to the beach so I can play with my toy? I promise I will go back to do the painting tonite. PLEASE?

Lie and say you (something) and that (something else) must (something) or (something bad). Use words like "Stetsle Hydraulic Activator" and "Exodynamics" in addition to "Engines and Grease".

She will then see the importance in your absence and you will be sent to your room. Then you sneak out the window and go play.

Proper Planning and etc!

[jogslvr]

The last tavern or the last 'Massage Parlor'?

The last roadhouse I guess I would call. I've turned it into a steakhouse (with beer) 22 years ago. It opened in 1940 under the name of "Bill Beard's Beer Joint", really. I can remember many such joints still standing from when I was a kid but all have been demolished but mine. Many of them still had stables out back if you catch my drift. We were interviewed a few months back by some state historical society types and may be added to the register when their investigation is complete.

I admit I stirred the historical pot a few years back when the state Dept of Transportation was threatening to take most of my land and buildings by imminent domain for BS highway work.

Yep, Irons. Doesn't sound you will ever run out of hunting ground in you AO.

[WhyKnow]

Great thread. Very little opportunity for MDing around here. I use one to find stuff I'VE lost sometimes.
Jog, that is quite a slogan for your historical building, LOL.

[TheMadHatter]

"Can't beat my meat"? Awesome!!!

[jogslvr]

"Can't beat my meat"? Awesome!!!

You wouldn't believe how many t-shirts that slogan has sold for us. Because we are located just across the highway from one of the major army staging sites for deployment, our t-shirts are all over the world.

[hammerhead]

Lie and say you (something) and that (something else) must (something) or (something bad). Use words like "Stetsle Hydraulic Activator" and "Exodynamics" in addition to "Engines and Grease".

She will then see the importance in your absence and you will be sent to your room. Then you sneak out the window and go play.

Proper Planning and etc!

Too late. Already went back to work. No work, no pay. Will try to remember that excuse though. Can only imagine the look on someones face when u say that. Thanks. Maybe tomorrow. I say that alot.

For me it will be the first time searching and have pulled manual off the web. Will let you guys know if I get anything. Lot of history in these here parts. Want to find old settlements. Where is the best place to look? Town halls, libraries? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

[Irons]

It was a gold plated and piles of clad kind of weekend!

Bummer they ain't solid gold but what the heck, when you get a solid 51 hit on the AT Pro and you see gold sticking out of the sand you just flipped over the rush is fantastic to say the least!

[CiscoKid]

You spend any more time with that metal detector, you just might have to marry it.

[Irons]

You spend any more time with that metal detector, you just might have to marry it.

Why ruin a wonderful relationship?

[Hystckndle]

I always have thought Irons was married to a metal detector.
And considering his fetishes, a good one.
Now it seems there is some reverse competition.

[hammerhead]

Finally got the "PERMISSION" I needed to get my new form of prospecting going. It is form of a back injury, but I can't sit still being the shark that i am and it really is better for me to move around than to sit still. Hell, It hurts to sit here and type this. Ended up on the floor this last Wednsday in extreme pain and called the good old doctor only to not be able to see him until today. I am no stranger to pain and even went to work that day, cause like I said, No work, No pay. Well, I ended up on the floor again this morning. Luckily I already had the appointment. Got a diaognosis, (yeah, I'm a wreck but we both already knew that. You should see the back x-ray), a couple of exersices and a script for Vicodin. Now I have read the MD manual online, have a carrying bag, small gardening shovel, a can of soda, a candy bar, a couple of pain pills and I am out the door and heading for the beach.
Maybe I can make a days wages or maybe, just maybe, have fun and appreciate what I am doing.
Will report back with any successes or failures.

[Irons]

Finally got the "PERMISSION" I needed to get my new form of prospecting going. It is form of a back injury, but I can't sit still being the shark that i am and it really is better for me to move around than to sit still. Hell, It hurts to sit here and type this. Ended up on the floor this last Wednsday in extreme pain and called the good old doctor only to not be able to see him until today. I am no stranger to pain and even went to work that day, cause like I said, No work, No pay. Well, I ended up on the floor again this morning. Luckily I already had the appointment. Got a diaognosis, (yeah, I'm a wreck but we both already knew that. You should see the back x-ray), a couple of exersices and a script for Vicodin. Now I have read the MD manual online, have a carrying bag, small gardening shovel, a can of soda, a candy bar, a couple of pain pills and I am out the door and heading for the beach.
Maybe I can make a days wages or maybe, just maybe, have fun and appreciate what I am doing.
Will report back with any successes or failures.

Good luck and enjoy the fresh air and exercise, I sure do!

[TheMadHatter]

Good luck and enjoy the fresh air and exercise, I sure do!

Where you finding "fresh air" Irons? I got air tainted with 5 inches of Slush here in Rochester, ny

[Irons]

I always have thought Irons was married to a metal detector.
And considering his fetishes, a good one.
Now it seems there is some reverse competition.

I don't have any fetishes you ding-bat! Ooooo, look over there!!! ~

[Tbonz]

I don't have any fetishes you ding-bat! Ooooo, look over there!!! ~

Nice paint job, did you do those yourself?

[Gcubed]

Nice paint job, did you do those yourself?

Chit, He snatched her toe rings and ran away!!!

[Irons]

Chit, He snatched her toe rings and ran away!!!

What can I say, there were GOLD!

[hammerhead]

Hi Irons,
Can't thank you enough for this thread and giving me the motivation to finally get out and use my detector. I am quite certain that without this thread, it would still be sitting in my garage. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I didn't hurt so frigging much, but that kept my pace slow for scanning. Was only able to search a small part. Will go back some other time.
No great snags, a few wtfs. I'm surprised at how many beer cans are 3 inches under ground. Forgot what the display said, but I figured I would look at anything. Did find 2 pennies. Not enough to pay the mortgage.
Next stop, the shack I am renovating. Built in 1825, the present owner found an Indian head penny in the flooring. We will see what else is around there in the dirt.
I guess we can both thank our "wife units" for this.
Happy hunting.

[hammerhead]

Where you finding "fresh air" Irons? I got air tainted with 5 inches of Slush here in Rochester, ny

Glad it hasn't made it our way. We haven't gotten much since the October storm. Would hate to own a ski area this year. Last year I made alot of money off Mother Nature. cha ching. I like that sound.

[rodzm]

So today I will finally go to the abandoned hotel in the Black Forest. Hopefully Ill find some cool stuff. Ill report tonight how it all goes. Hopefully we wont get run off the abandoned property

[Unca Walt]

May I ask the pro's here:

Is a Garret Ace 250 any good? <-- I would like to use it on the beach in South Floriduh. I can get a new one for $125 from somebody.

I just dunno if there is any way for this thing to differentiate twixt PM and iron...

[Irons]

.................................................. ....... ~ GOLD #4 ~

Because I don't count earring backs and tiny bits of broken jewelry. Rotted out looking sapphire maybe? I dunno.

The ring was in around 3 1/2 feet of water and under about 7 inches of sand.

I figured the ring was junk when I was in the water because of the stone, but its stamped 10k, must be white gold.

After looking at it closer with the detail it might be very old, it's possible at the lake I was MD'ing. The beach dates back to 1932.
More stuff in the next post!

[Irons]

So I finally put my big boy pants on and went MD'ing in the water. I'm a guy, we hate new sh*t.

Got the hang of it after a while, you have to get a routine for basketing your target and stick to it even if you can see the bottom because most times you can't.
I'm happy to report the AT Pro is fricken' waterproof!! ~

Sure they say its waterproof but I don't believe it until I see it. ~

There is less trash and more treasure offshore, probably because the treasure is too fricken hard to get to!

So I did a small slice of beach and nailed some clad, some junk and silver and gold.

Looks like I'm gonna be wet all summer.

[Irons]

May I ask the pro's here:

Is a Garret Ace 250 any good? <-- I would like to use it on the beach in South Floriduh. I can get a new one for $125 from somebody.

I just dunno if there is any way for this thing to differentiate twixt PM and iron...

The Ace 250 is the #1 selling MD in the world Unca, they are a great machine for the price.

Now for the letdown, no MD at any price can tell you you have gold under the coil. Notta one.

What they do tell you is the conductivity of the metal under the coil. Silver and modern clad ring in in the detectors highest range, iron in the lowest.

Gold jewelry is an alloy and it comes in anywhere from foil and nickel to pop tops and pull tabs. Finding gold is a royal bi*ch!!

Spending hours and hours learning what your machine is patiently trying to tell you is how you get good at this game.

Check out some youtube vids about the Ace 250, it is a great machine to see if you are going to like this hobby.

If you love it or are flat out obsessed like me you will move up to an even better stick.

[Irons]

Jewelry store #2 had an answer for me on the small gold ring I found! He said it's a childs gold ring circa the 1930's!

The blue stone isn't rotted out it's actually glass and the wear is from somebody wearing it for a long time.

He said it is worth more as an antique than the approx. gram of gold so don't scrap it.

I told him I have no intention of melting it. This is great!!!

Close ups:

[cpthnsolo]

.................................................. ....... ~ GOLD #4 ~

WOW Irons it looks like you've done well of late! I'll definitely have to revisit this thread since there are many more pages now than there were a few months ago.

Congrats again Sir!

[Irons]

Thanks Capt! I needed a fun active hobby and this is great.
It really appeals to the detail oriented nit picking old machinist in me.

Pirate treasure, Indiana Jones and old coin collecting all rolled into one.

[Chester-Copperpot]

Cool thread, makes me want to take up the hobby. I think way north at Mackinaw island would be pretty lucrative. Saying that it's probably been well searched.