Metal Detecting Adventures Ep. 6 - Trash to Treasure!
Digging Through the Trash
While metal detecting the back yard of my 1892 farmhouse I came across an area that was like a minefield of various beeps and ear screeching tones. After digging a few of these signals, I found that the dirt was pitch black and contained pieces of tin foil, broken glass, and other odds and ends. What I realized was that I was digging through someone's burnt trash.
Most of us in the States forget that years ago there wasn't an option to have a loud, wake you up at the ass crack of dawn, garbage truck to haul off your trash. Back then you had a couple options for "trash service", find a large pit somewhere to dump it, or burn and bury it.
Apparently, the previous stewards of my home decided on the latter option. But really, what treasure hunter worth their salt would be deterred by someone's old trashpile .... I can't be the only detectorist that secretly thinks they're Indiana Jones right?! Right?! (Author seeking some validation here)
So I saddled up, put on my trusty Harbor Freight, .99 cent, Gloves of Protection +1, and dove headfirst into the trash.
After hours and hours of digging out tin foil, glass, old chicken bones, and God knows what else I found some really interesting treasures.
A 1951 Silver Half-Dollar
I really like the burn mark on Benjamin Franklin's face! It adds character and story to the find.
An Intricate Silver Spoon and Buckle
Two Wheat Pennies - 1913 and 1911 or 1914
And A Creepy Head
It later occurred to me that putting the burnt decapitated head of a creepy doll inside my house was probably not my best idea....
I hope you enjoyed Ep. 6 of my Metel Detecting Adventures. Please give me an Upvote if you'd like to see more of this series. And keep digging those holes!
Nerd-Minion
Nice coin :) try looking up on old maps or history books about where there were battles, or old settlements , old roads, paths , trails and so on. Don't give up friend. Check out my finds on my blog if you haven't already my newest article https://steemit.com/history/@supernovaone/metal-detecting-silver-coin-find-1668-treasure-hunting
. And one more piece of advice from me, detect around big old trees people would stash there belongings there before entering a town or village not wanting to be robbed, and sometimes they never made it back to collect :)
Peace.
Thanks @supernovaone for the tips! I appreciate any help I can get on this adventure. I will definately check out more of your articles.
Cool finds ! I found a trash pit or fire pit at an older house i rented a few years back with 8oz Coors, Budweiser cans and shell famous faces and places tokens . No real treasure. Thanks for sharing .
I hear a lot of people finding those Shell tokens. I haven't yet, but they are on my bucket list. Thanks for the sharing, and keeping up with my blog!
Yeah, They look great coming out of the ground . I thought it was a silver at 1st ha ha
Amazing story so nice reading...
Thank You!
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nice half! any luck getting the rust off?
I'm pretty sure it was burn residue, but I didn't try to clean it off. I kind of like that it has character.
oh ok yeah it could be burn residue, ive had similar where a silver coins been against a rusty nail and its stained the coin. and yes i agree its nice to keep them as found to help remember the story of where it came from :) i kind of copied your title 'metal detecting adventures' for my recent post i hope you dont mind i just thought it was good and eye catching.