Old Coins From The Park - The Homecoming

CyberSage

Moderator
With their brilliant yellow leaves, the thick stands of quakie stood in stark contrast to the spruce and pine. In the shadows the Rocky Mountains, Autumn was revealing itself again in spectacular fashion. As we climbed in elevation a vast landscape of fall colors stretching out for miles unfolded before us. If you ever get a chance to drive the mountain passes of Colorado this time of year you will surely be in for a treat.

FallRockies.jpg


My Wife and I were on our way to Western Colorado to spend a few days visiting with family. Among the planned activities for the trip was a Friday night Homecoming football game. I was looking forward to this in hopes of touching base with a few old friends from the high school I graduated from almost 30 years ago. I had also brought along my detecting gear, and had planned to get out to a few hours of detecting in some of the old parks in the town of Grand Junction, Colorado. I was born and raised in this town, and despite not living there for the last 15 years, it's a place that my Wife and I still refer to as home.
My first morning out found me in a new park that I had not hunted on previous trips. I had thought a lot about this park because it had an old school located off one corner of the park. My past experience has taught me that when these two features cross paths it always makes for a great metal detecting hunt. Just 30 minutes into the hunt the fun started...

The Homecoming.wmv

The Mercury Dime was the third 1917 Dime of the year. So close! The Indian was in poor shape, but a welcome find. The unknown coin ended up being another Wheat.

MercDig-3.jpg


Just looking at the area could not have given any clues that this grassed school ground was once the edge of an old park. Using google earth and estimating the old road and sidewalks locations was key in getting to where the coins were.

Merc2Site.jpg


Make sure and check out Randy's Article on Google map overlays...

Metal Detecting and Google Earth Image Overlay
http://www.americandetectorist.com/earthgoogtutor.shtml

I ended up with 9 Wheat Pennies. They are always an enjoyable find.

WheaDig.jpg


Another nice little Mercury Dime is my reward for digging all the Wheats. lol

Merc2Dig.jpg


The Standing Liberty Quarter has eluded me in all my years of detecting. I knew I had Silver when I started digging, but had no idea this awaited me at the bottom of the hole.

Standing.jpg


Here is a picture of the take for the trip. I am still smiling about the Quarter. :grin:

Group-8.jpg


I headed back to the car on the second day, and as customary for me, I spread out the days take on my digging cloth. I leaned up against the car and looked down at the old coins. I played back the excitement of the hunt in my head and gazed out at what was left of the tired old park, and the modern day school grounds that encroached upon it. I thought of the homecoming football game a few nights before.The tradition of homecoming is to simply remember those who came before and welcome them back. I can't help but wonder if when we dig an old coin or relic from the ground, and then make it our own treasure, if we are in some small way paying homage to those folks who came before us. Uncovering the years of earth, and bringing our find to the surface, holding it up to see the light of day once again. I picked up the old quarter from my cloth, and looked back at the empty park. The weight of coin was not just from the precious metal it was made of, but from the history it carried with it. I smiled, and thought to myself... welcome home.

Keep Swing'in
Jack
 
Thank you for sharing great story. Congratulations on the SLQ recovery. It certainly is one of the big thrills to find a first. Enjoying the beauty of the country and thinking of the past history and the people can't be beat. When I dig an older coin or an unusual object, I can't help but stop and think about how that object was left behind and by whom. Thank you for reminding me metal detecting is so much more than digging coins or objects. Happy hunting.
 
Awesome Jack !! I always enjoy seeing your hunt posts .I think this one should get this years Oscar for best picture . thumbsup01 :cool: Congrats on your first Standing Liberty , she's a beauty !! :perfect10:

:groovy:
 
What a great story Jack. Excellant video and documentation of a fantastic hunt. Sure did sound like you were having fun finding that silver. What beautiful country out there. My wife and I did a trip out west back a few years ago and it ranked as one of the best trips we have ever taken. Hope to return someday.

Thanks for sharing.
 
Great post Jack! Beautiful pictures of the Colorado country side :daydream:
And even more beautiful is old silver coming to light :yes: :drool:
You were defiantly treated to some sweet sites over the weekend! :yes:
Congrats on the nice oldies! :grin:
 
Just WOW buddy! This reminded me of when I first came across one of your posts way back when...you have not lost your touch!! |:cheering:
 
Great find. Excellent video. Educational and exciting. I`m living vicariously!!!!! One of these days my hole will have a silver lining.
 
Awesome post Jack! <: I loved it.

I sure miss the Rocky Mountains. :drool: Definitely one of the most beautiful things I have been lucky enough to experience.

First, a big congratulations on some fine hunting. I'm very happy you added a SLQ to your collection. They are certainly a tough coin to find.
Add some Mercs and an IH and who wouldn't do the happy dance. :dontknow:

Gotta ask... how come the level area of the park caught your attention as a place to focus? You have a great skill set on reading the ground and would love to hear your thoughts.

Great video and pictures. thumbsup01 Definitely motivates me to bring the camera along tomorrow.

Thanks Jack.
 
Oh how I miss Colorado... you lucky dog :) Are you sure that first pic isn't a postcard? lol

Congrats on all of your finds Jack :clapping: I love the pic of the SLQ, detector and Colorado blue sky! And of course your story of the hunt...
 
Atta boy buddy!!! Glad to see you knock one off the wish list! I get more excited finding a standing than I do a barber... That's a sweet hunt and great post buddy!
 
jkress link=topic=7207.msg83575#msg83575 date=1317354255 said:
Gotta ask... how come the level area of the park caught your attention as a place to focus?

Joe,
I have to be honest here. This last summer I escaped for a few hours of detecting at the end of the day at a local park just a few blocks away. While I was detecting an old lady walked up and told me I wouldn't find anything where I was looking. I stopped and visited with her, and learned she was 80 years old and had grown up in a house next to the park. She said it was all weeds and brush where I was hunting. At that point she pointed to a hillside and said do you see that flat spot . lol She then told me about a structure that used to be there, and how her and her freinds would play there non-stop. She walked up the hill with me, and was there when I pulled Silver from the ground. So... I look for flat spots in the parks now. Not very scientific, but a lesson learned. Her name was Ann She was a wonderful old lady, and I was lucky to meet her.

Thank you all for the kind words. I have not posted in awhile, and this truly was a nice welcome home.

Jack
 

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