Latest Metal Detecting Trip
Hello everyone, happy new year!. It has been quite a while since I was last out metal detecting, so I thought I would get out and have a look around. I had my eye on a new site so I thought I'd get down there and give it a go.
The site has changed since I was last there in the 1980's, not so much the layout, but the security. I think the sites been heavily used by off road motorbikes (scramblers), and now there are a few obstacles in the way to deter the bike riders from going there, disturbing the animals and destroying the land. It's understandable. I wouldn't want people wrecking my land either.
On my way to the site - Under the Motorway
Rocks to prevent people getting their motorbikes over to the fields
Luckily for me there was a way through other then climbing the rocks with all my gear. That puddle is deeper and wider then it looks. Thanks for the wet foot.
There were other obstacles too, in the form of big metal gurders, placed tightly together so only the thickness of an average sized person could get through to the other side. Thankfully I'm a slim guy otherwise it would of been very tough getting through.
A moat and fence are also now in force..This one was a bit of a pain in the *ss to get over.
Once I finally reached this site and got set up it was clear that there was way more junk then I thought there would be. I was finding bottle tops, bits of foil, shotgun shells, pulltabs, you name it. It's shocking, I never expected this site in the middle of nowhere to be so trashy. Saying that, I only stuck to one wooded area as the whole site is huge. So another part of this site might be really good. I'll get over to a different part of the site some day soon.
Part Of The Site
I did manage to find a bullet shell not very deep down. It has no markings at all.
Almost in the same hole as the bullet shell I found a shotgun shell
I didn't need the metal detector for this find
Ever had the feeling your being watched..
Check out the size of the horns on this fella!
Almost everthing I found was junk, but I did find a coin! It turned out to be a 1937 Three Pence. It gave off a good signal and was only about 4 inches deep. When I found this coin the only thing I could make out on it was the date. This date is quite special for this coin because if I were to find a Three Pence dated 1937 with Prince Edward on the face - This very rare coin in "uncirculated" condition is worth £30,000GBP. So I figured finding one in reasonable condition would still be worth a fair amount of money. Like I said I couldn't see the face so I wasn't sure if this was an Edward or a George. A George is worth nothing in comparison.
Three Pence Find
Sadly, it wasn't to be, on getting it home and cleaning it up I could see "GeorgIV", So it was just a George. And in a way I'm glad it was a George because after trying to clean the coin up it just totally went bold on the face. Absolutely corroded. I think this is because it's made of Nickel and copper. If it would of been a 1937 Edward Three Pence I would of been completely gutted. If you enlarge the picture below by clicking on it you can just see the "GeorgIV" at the bottom left hand side.
1937 George Three Pence Front Corroded Beyond Recognition
1937 George Three Pence Back
Next time I go to this site I'll venture somewhere on the other side of the gate. This really is a huge site that will take many many weeks or months of hours to fully search. As far as the eye can see in the picture below is the size of the site, and then you have behind me too, which is huge also. Bit by bit I Suppose.
I would really like to know what some of you people use to clean up your old coins? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
Until the next time..
