My friends constantly remind me of a time back in the 1980’s where it was possible to head over to an old park after work, metal detect for a couple of hours, and come home with a dozen or so silver coins. Unfortunately, those days are long gone. There are still plenty of old coins to be found however, we just need to work a little harder.
Generally speaking, you’ll want to focus on finding places to metal detect where people used to gather in numbers. You may already have a few places in mind, but you’re going to need to do some research in order to find places to metal detect that are most likely to yield old coins. I plan on providing you with some great advice on how to research potential locations to metal detect in future blog posts. For now however, you should study old maps and tour guide books, local history books, and use Google Earth to help you find places to metal detect.
The following is a list of the types of places where you are most likely to find old coins with your metal detector.
Old campgrounds and picnic sites
People flocked to campgrounds and picnic sites during simpler times. There wasn’t a lot to do, money was tight, and transportation was a challenge, especially in rural communities. Camping and picnicking were activities that allowed for people to socialize which is why metal detecting at old campgrounds and picnic sites will definitely increase your odds of finding an old coin.
Cellar holes
I’ve had fairly good luck finding old coins near cellar holes with my metal detector. The problem with cellar holes is that these sites are littered with iron which has the potential to mask desirable targets such as coins. You’ll want to be certain to use a metal detector with excellent target separation, such as the Minelab Equinox, or XP Deus / ORX when metal detecting a cellar hole site.
Ski areas
There are plenty of abandoned ski areas out there that operated during the silver coin years. Imagine someone taking a tumble on the slopes and having all of their change spill out of their pocket. I have done extremely well at metal detecting at old ski areas, but be forewarned; hiking up and down ski slopes while swinging a metal detector is quite the workout!
Battlefields
If you’re fortunate enough to live near a Civil War or Revolutionary War battlefield or encampment, you should definitely consider searching that area with your metal detector for old coins and relics. Just be sure that you can legally metal detect the location as many of these sites have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Scenic vistas
If a beautiful location attracts people today, it probably did just the same 100 years ago. Similar to campgrounds and picnic sites, scenic vistas offered people the opportunity to gather and socialize for little to no cost. A word of advice, be sure to metal detect the roads and trails leading up to a scenic overlook. I have actually found more coins on trails than just about anywhere else. It seems as if (at least in my area) that trails weren’t heavily hunted as detectorists were eager to get to their destination and have seemingly left the trails alone.
Outdoor recreation areas
Oftentimes, an outdoor recreation area exists because land was donated to a state or town. In many cases, the land belonged to a wealthy family and was used for any number of activities that would have attracted many (wealthy) people to the former property. In my area for example, there are land trusts that were once the sites of mansions in the 1850’s and were donated for public use by the 1920’s. Imagine all of the coins that might have been dropped throughout the years!
Water
Simply put; water is everything! Most of the coins that I have found metal detecting were located nearby or on the way to a waterbody such as a lake or stream. This is because people used water for drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry, irrigation, logging, fishing, swimming, etc… If you’re looking for old coins, metal detecting near water will just about guarantee that you find one. But why stick to just the shore? Metal detectors such as the Garrett AT Max and the Minelab Equinox are waterproof. A couple of summers ago a friend of mine and I found 150 wheat pennies in a local lake in one morning!
Open woods
Think back to the days before air conditioning. The only way to beat the heat was to get out of the sun and into the shade. Open hardwood and pine forests without a lot of brushy undergrowth were an ideal place for people to retreat to. Be sure to work your coil as close as possible to trees, especially older ones as this is where people would have sat in the shade.
Parks
It is absolutely still possible to find old coins in a park with a metal detector. In fact, machines such as the Minelab Equinox are breathing new life into old parks because of their ability to “separate the cash from the trash” much better than older machines were capable of. The key to metal detecting at old parks is patience. Go slow and listen for that coin signal that’s mixed in with the trash. I found my very first Barber dime in a park that was allegedly cleaned out by other metal detectorists.
These are just a few examples of places that you might try metal detecting at in order to find old coins. You might also try places such as farms, old fairgrounds, drive in movie theaters, curb strips and medians, outdoor entertainment venues, and private properties providing that you’ve obtained permission. The trick is to locate places where people used to congregate, hope that someone dropped something, and then find what they dropped!