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Ill Digger
10-25-2015, 01:42 AM
After years of talking about going to the New England area and detecting the stars finally aligned! So last Friday after work I set out for the Connecticut /Massachusetts area to meet up with a few American Detectorist forum members to try my hand at some of this New England cellar hole hunting. I stopped in Ohio for lunch on Saturday and right across the street from the tavern was the town square....Perfect! So I had the pulled pork BBQ and a couple cocktails, paid my bill and was swinging in no time.
Nothing too much to talk about just a few wheaties.http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_150634_zpszgzhfhdt.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_150634_zpszgzhfhdt.jpg.html)

Then back on the road. I stopped for the night in New York state. In the morning, Sunday, I found a HUGE city park in town.
4 hours and only 2 wheats! Boooring! :lol:http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_150641_zpsopumb3l7.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_150641_zpsopumb3l7.jpg.html)

Woke up in the morning to find my truck covered in snow!
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00366_zpshx7duoza_edit_1445720344841_zpslt6bpri r.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00366_zpshx7duoza_edit_1445720344841_zpslt6bpri r.jpg.html)
On the road again....next stop Hartford Connecticut!
Got a room for the night with plans to meet up with Dan (Del) at 7am the next morning for some cellar hole hunting!:drool:
This was parked in the hotel parking lot! :shocked01:
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00360_zpsmus55hut.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00360_zpsmus55hut.jpg.html)
Monday morning I meet up with Dan at a McDonald's. Shook hands, said our hellos, and I loaded my gear in his Jeep and off we went to my first cellar hole hunt!
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00380_zps862tfdkg.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00380_zps862tfdkg.jpg.html)
Dan found a sweet little half dime while we were there! :envious:
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00377_zpskqo0qde6.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00377_zpskqo0qde6.jpg.html)
My first colonial find was this sweet complete tombac!
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00378_zpsgnny87y7.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00378_zpsgnny87y7.jpg.html)
No coins for me. We hunted for 4 or 5 hrs. till Dan had to leave. It was a great first hunt! So I shot Drew (OxShoeDrew) a text, and almost like clockwork we met up at one of Drews cellar hole sites right as he got off work. Drew and I hunted till it was pitch black outside! Drew snagged two LCs, yet still no coins for me. But I didn't come out empty handed either. Amongst other things my favorite find was this 2 piece cuff button!
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145826-1_zpsmyuxcmow.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145826-1_zpsmyuxcmow.jpg.html)No one is quite sure what it's from though. :dontknow:

Tuesday morning I drove up to Massachusetts to meet up with Al (Aloldstuff).
Al took me to a field he has permission for that's produced some nice old finds for him. There I plucked another small tombac button, a lead bail seal, and a couple of pieces of lead shot. Then Al treated me to lunch and a new field! He calls it his "seated field". Well no seated for either of us, but as the sun was getting low in the horizon I got a consistent squeaker signal. I dug down a foot+ to find a AAA battery sized piece of iron!:bangshead01: So I stuck the pinpointer down in the hole and it was still screaming, checked it with the in line probe and the sweet sound of a 12-44/45 filled my ears! A inch below the iron I pulled out a big copper coin!!!:happydance02:
It was deep!! Around 14 inches or so....
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00382_zpsqrcoipi2.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00382_zpsqrcoipi2.jpg.html)
Me and my first New England coppa! :thumbsup01:
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/CAM00383_zpsqtioyuig.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/CAM00383_zpsqtioyuig.jpg.html)
I can't really get any detail off of it but.... we all know what it is,:lol:
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144705_zps6yyzbeso.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144705_zps6yyzbeso.jpg.html)
The other side.
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144705_zps6yyzbeso.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144705_zps6yyzbeso.jpg.html)
That night Al and his wife insisted on taking me out to dinner. So I graciously accepted (after Al said they were taking me out regardless :lol: even though I said he didn't have to do that) And a steak dinner at that!! :thumbsup01: Thanks again Al! You guys didn't have to do that. :notworthy:

Wednesday and my last day of detecting with the guys from New England before having to head back to Illinois.
Dan said he was going to give TrooperBri (Brian) a invite and MangoAve (James) said he'd be happy to join us. OxShoeDrew (Drew) was ULTRA kind of enough to let us go back to his new found honey hole, the same place he and I hunted the night before, cellar hole.Thanks Drew! :notworthy:
So at 7am the 4 of us met up a Micky D's, had our little meet and greet, and off we went!
We got there around 8ish and the East Coasters started showing this Midwest boy how it's done! :shocked04: Buttons, relics and the calls of "COPPER!!" started flying!!!:shocked01: Dan called me over to listen to a target and then proceed to dig up the most beautiful colonial shoe buckle!! :drool:
It was getting towards the end of the day and Dan calls me over to a area that all of us had walked through at least five times and says "I don't know how this signal was missed? This might be the last really good target of the day and your trip." So I ran my detector over it. It was a little jumpy, bouncing between 39 and 42 Co. on the ETrac. :drool: But mainly a 41Co. Dan says "Dig it up. It's yours." I told him I couldn't do that, and he insisted that I did. So I dropped down to my knees and proceeded to dig a BIG plug! Right under the surface was a root about 5 or 6 inches around! So I dug down next to the root and around the seven inch mark, right under the root, the pinpointer was locked on and saying it's right here! I carefully pried out a big green disk.... another large cent!!!! :yahoo: I was shaking like a leaf!
Here's the moment.
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/20151021_162059_zpskwhrnmd4.jpeg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/20151021_162059_zpskwhrnmd4.jpeg.html)
After a light dusting it was found out to be a KG II!!! We thought it said 1739.
But...
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144619-1_zpsd6uvaxhj.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144619-1_zpsd6uvaxhj.jpg.html)
It's a 1731 KG II! ! !
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145525-1_zpsdslzr9ut.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145525-1_zpsdslzr9ut.jpg.html)

The obverse.
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144634_zpsq9ts4xsv.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144634_zpsq9ts4xsv.jpg.html)

After that I found another small flat button and not too much else. And we started to make our way towards the road.
Here's the last minutes of my 2015 New England trip.
(Left to right)
TrooperBri (Brian) - Del (Dan) - MangoAve (James ) - Ill Digger (Me)
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00388_zpsskiv1wvx.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00388_zpsskiv1wvx.jpg.html)

I can't thank all forum members enough for everything they did for me this week!!! :notworthy:Thanks to Dan, Al, Drew, Brian, and Jim!!!:notworthy: It was nice to meet and hunt with each and everyone of ya!

Thanks for lookin' & HH :grin:

Here's some more pictures.....


http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145752_zpsffhzxz4v_edit_1445718449058_zps gflzanhm.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145752_zpsffhzxz4v_edit_1445718449058_zps gflzanhm.jpg.html)


http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145736_zpshvvwtchv_edit_1445718345375_zps mbfsh2zu.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145736_zpshvvwtchv_edit_1445718345375_zps mbfsh2zu.jpg.html)


http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144541_zpsmfavcu9e_edit_1445730532517_zps t4ratnxo.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_144541_zpsmfavcu9e_edit_1445730532517_zps t4ratnxo.jpg.html)


These two bail seals have markings stamped into them.
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145859_zpscrxvtwkn.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145859_zpscrxvtwkn.jpg.html)

Three hundred plus years worth of trash.
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145037_zpszike6wid.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/New%20England%20Trip%202015/20151024_145037_zpszike6wid.jpg.html)

http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00386_zps2yoieryv.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00386_zps2yoieryv.jpg.html)

http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00385_zpsmqx7qx6q.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00385_zpsmqx7qx6q.jpg.html)
http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00379_zps63s4dede.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00379_zps63s4dede.jpg.html)

http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00375_zpst82fpmut.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00375_zpst82fpmut.jpg.html)

http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx310/IllDigger/2015/CAM00381_zpsa6tlwtuq.jpg (http://s766.photobucket.com/user/IllDigger/media/2015/CAM00381_zpsa6tlwtuq.jpg.html)
Digger_O'Dell
10-25-2015, 02:43 AM
Wow, talk about living the dream! It's so great that you were able to get out with this great bunch of guys and have a blast detecting it the East where there are so many colonial era goodies to be found that we just don't have access to here in the Midwest. Also nice to see so many pics! Congrats on that KG, guess you will have to update your oldest find! :congrats:
del
10-25-2015, 07:20 AM
great pictures !!! you definitely got the best buttons , never seen such decorated and ornate tombacs Tim :loveit: and its great to see such a clear date on a copper "too bad MangoAve " ;) I absolutely love the military themed two piece button depicting the "bugle like" horn , powder horn and sword with scabbard:smitten:.

Tim , it was really great to see and meet you in person sir and I hope we can get together again and :detecting:soon , your always welcomed out this way.

Dan
10X
10-25-2015, 07:29 AM
Great post Ill Digger. Loved the story and photos. Sounds like everyone made some nice finds, and had a good time. :congrats:
RIdirtdigger
10-25-2015, 10:11 AM
I'm glad you found some great colonial stuff on your New England trip. Congrats on the great finds and meeting some great people.
OxShoeDrew
10-25-2015, 04:08 PM
It was great meeting you Tim and I'm glad you went home happy.:clapping:
Dan nailed that button... I thought that sword was a fishing poll :lol:
We'll have to do it again soon!
Trooper Bri
10-25-2015, 07:16 PM
Glad to meet and detect with you Tim! You picked a great week in New England to visit. Congrats on the finds! Those two tombac buttons with the designs are very interesting. That 1'st pic in the woods you posted of that cellar hole is awesome.

I lost track. Who do I have to PayPal a dollar to? :lol:
Full Metal Digger
10-25-2015, 07:17 PM
Great story, pics, and finds Timmay! I'm really happy you were able to make this trip AND it got you into the 1700's club! Just thinking about the life led and adversities faced by the person who lost that coin is humbling. Hacking your existence out of the wilderness while fighting Indians and mother nature. Mind boggling. Best wishes and HH, Dave.
Cheap Thrills
10-25-2015, 09:54 PM
What a great bunch of guys you all are . That hunt was somewhat of a historic event in itself .There's nothing like building some lifelong memories while sharing good times with friends .
MangoAve
10-26-2015, 08:52 AM
You just took part of the 9 away to make it look like a 1!!! Jk.. Maybe Dan's eyes are the real culprit. That is a nice coin tho. You took a while getting it out of the hole. Just sayin... lol. Maybe in comparison to how much trash I dug. OH, Those cans weren't digs. They were surface finds just covered with leaves. But man, does it make piss you off when you go along and can only hear iron, then all the sudden bam. Nice signal..and then you find its a disappointing can dropped by a hunter.
It was good to get out with you. I love those tombac buttons. Very unique. Glad to see you had a good time.
Ill Digger
10-26-2015, 08:29 PM
Wow, talk about living the dream! It's so great that you were able to get out with this great bunch of guys and have a blast detecting it the East where there are so many colonial era goodies to be found that we just don't have access to here in the Midwest. Also nice to see so many pics! Congrats on that KG, guess you will have to update your oldest find! :congrats::lol: It has been a dream of mine for about five years now. :yes: I'm just glad everything worked out. Next time hopefully I'll have some company on the trip out and back.:crossfingers:


great pictures !!! you definitely got the best buttons , never seen such decorated and ornate tombacs Tim :loveit: and its great to see such a clear date on a copper "too bad MangoAve " ;) I absolutely love the military themed two piece button depicting the "bugle like" horn , powder horn and sword with scabbard:smitten:.

Tim , it was really great to see and meet you in person sir and I hope we can get together again and :detecting:soon , your always welcomed out this way.

Dan Dan, I really can't put into words how much I appreciate all that you did for me!!! :notworthy: (And all you offered)
I also can't believe I found some things that you guys don't see too often. (The buttons)
And speaking of buttons.... do you think that cuff button, with the military theme, is a civilian button?
:thinkingabout:Or maybe it's a ultra rare, colonial, secret service button. :dontknow: :rofl:
It was great to see you dig that half dime and the buckle!!! Both of which are items that are on my bucket list.
Thanks again my friend! I hope to do it again soon!!


Great post Ill Digger. Loved the story and photos. Sounds like everyone made some nice finds, and had a good time. :congrats:Thanks 10X!
I took lots of pictures. And I still have some I need to share.
It was a great time, with some great people, finding some really cool, old stuff!!:thumbsup01:


I'm glad you found some great colonial stuff on your New England trip. Congrats on the great finds and meeting some great people. Thanks RId!!
Man! You guys out east have the potential for the oldest finds!!! :envious:


It was great meeting you Tim and I'm glad you went home happy.:clapping:
Dan nailed that button... I thought that sword was a fishing poll :lol:
We'll have to do it again soon! I hope we do, do it again sometime soon!! That was a blast!!
A big thanks to you too Drew!!! If you hadn't been so generous with your site, things may have turned out different.
You never know :dontknow: HH!!
Ill Digger
10-26-2015, 09:15 PM
Glad to meet and detect with you Tim! You picked a great week in New England to visit. Congrats on the finds! Those two tombac buttons with the designs are very interesting. That 1'st pic in the woods you posted of that cellar hole is awesome.

I lost track. Who do I have to PayPal a dollar to? :lol: Thanks Bri!!!
You got that right! The weather was absolutely perfect! The fall colors were just picturesque! :daydream:
P.S. Keep your buck. Consider it payment for the lesson you layed down. :lol:


Great story, pics, and finds Timmay! I'm really happy you were able to make this trip AND it got you into the 1700's club! Just thinking about the life led and adversities faced by the person who lost that coin is humbling. Hacking your existence out of the wilderness while fighting Indians and mother nature. Mind boggling. Best wishes and HH, Dave.I couldn't have said it any better Dave. After the first hour or so it started sinking in with me. Stepping off the boat and heading out into the wilderness to start a new life, and like you said, fight off Indians, mother nature and, on and on.



What a great bunch of guys you all are . That hunt was somewhat of a historic event in itself .There's nothing like building some lifelong memories while sharing good times with friends .
It was! I've been hoping to get a chance to go out east and hunt (A) some colonial cellar holesl, and (B) with some forum members.


You just took part of the 9 away to make it look like a 1!!! Jk.. Maybe Dan's eyes are the real culprit. That is a nice coin tho. You took a while getting it out of the hole. Just sayin... lol. Maybe in comparison to how much trash I dug. OH, Those cans weren't digs. They were surface finds just covered with leaves. But man, does it make piss you off when you go along and can only hear iron, then all the sudden bam. Nice signal..and then you find its a disappointing can dropped by a hunter.
It was good to get out with you. I love those tombac buttons. Very unique. Glad to see you had a good time.
Thanks Jim!
Glad you were able to sneak out of work Wednesday and come with us! It was good to hunt with you too.
Hopefully we'll get a chance to do it again sometime!

P.S. PM me you address, I'll send you your hat back so you don't have to buy another one. Plus we've got a entire trunk full of stocking caps and gloves.
MangoAve
10-27-2015, 07:23 AM
Thanks Jim!
Glad you were able to sneak out of work Wednesday and come with us! It was good to hunt with you too.
Hopefully we'll get a chance to do it again sometime!

P.S. PM me you address, I'll send you your hat back so you don't have to buy another one. Plus we've got a entire trunk full of stocking caps and gloves.

Haha. I'm sure its been quoted before as "A bad day detecting is better than a day at the office." stemming from fishing.
I don't really work an office job but some of the crap I do is beyond my job code. BUT, it wasn't a bad day detecting either. It was really good.

Lol. Ok. I did order a new one already, but I knew just a washing and you could have worn it np. You are gonna have to send me your paypal so I can reimburse what it cost to ship it back to me. Guessing it'll be $2.50. I wasn't aware you had an abundance, tho. Now, I just will have more than one.
Lodge Scent
10-27-2015, 11:18 AM
That's the way to do it ! Glad you had a great trip :congrats:
The Rebel
10-27-2015, 11:30 AM
Amazing finds & awesome friends!
kpmoose
10-27-2015, 08:13 PM
Congrats Tim. Those are some great finds I'm sure you will cherish for quite a while. Sounds like you had some great hospitality from a great bunch of guys. Kudos to all involved in making Tim's trip a memorable one. :thumbsup01:
aloldstuff
10-29-2015, 05:21 AM
Hey Tim, sorry for the delay in responding. It was great meeting with you and being able to do some detecting. So glad that you got yourself a KG, I know that made the trip worthwhile. As Dan said, your more than welcome out this way anytime. Great post and pictures. Please PM or text me your address, I have something to mail to you.
angellionel
11-01-2015, 07:32 PM
Man, Tim, I am sorry to have missed the opportunity to meet you while you were out here. I would have loved to have had a chat with you. Your enthusiasm and love for this hobby is very catching!

Glad to know that you enjoyed your time here. You were in the company of some great folks and fellow detectorists who also treated you very well while in our part of the country. You guys no doubt had a fun and fantastic time detecting together!

Very nice and sharp photos by the way. And what excellent finds you made! That KG copper is sweet! No doubt it will be a trip you will remember for some time to come. Hopefully you will be able to make it down our way again in the not too distant future. My work schedule should be much more predictable and manageable by then. It would be a real pleasure and treat to detect with you.

Congratulations on your finds! Wishing you very many successful future hunts!
Bell-Two
11-06-2015, 09:02 AM
Great post and I am pleased you had such a wonderful time with the guys, that is what it is all about!
HEAVYMETALNUT
11-08-2015, 01:02 AM
awesome to hunt with those guys! wish me & todd could have made it up to hunt with you all.glad you enjoyed yourself!