Tips & Tricks
121-135

121. I've gotten into many construction sites (& government's!) because I show up wearing a safety hat approved by OSHA. Thrift store bargains (less than $5).

122. I use old County Highway Maps that I order from the State Hightway Department. They show where the roads were prior to the 1940's Most States have these maps on mirco film and you can order them by County for just a few dollars. Well worth the money. These old maps show old country roads not now in use, plus these maps show where homes, business's and schools now long gone were located during that time.

123. Keep that trash! I found a site over 2 years ago which produced several car-related finds. i.e. Old ford gascap, 1970's pennzoil 20-20 oilcan lid, set of keys(skeleton keys, too). I kept these for some unknown reason. My wife later showed me a book about antique collecting. Almost all my finds were worth some cash! Not much, but enough to pay for batteries, soft drinks, gas, digging tools, hand soap, and a nice dinner for my wife.

124. I keep a tool box of things in the trunk of my car. Inside are : an extra digger, aspirin, root saw, knife, roll of duct tape, benedryl [ bites - stings ], band aids, bug spray and flashlight. This kit has saved more than one trip.

125. Learn to use your detector, if you have the space plant a test patch in your back yard, Bury some coins both clad and silver if you can, and also some trash, draw a map of where you buried each coin and or mark the location some how ie a golf tee. Bury the coins at different depths. Then go over your garden with your detector and note how each target sounds, what it reads on the meter etc. Do this over a period of time, a freshly buried coin will not read like a coin thats been buried for awhile, so go over your test patch on a regular basis

126. When I search a grassy area that's relatively soft I use a "bulb planter" tool to core a nice round plug of sod. The plug comes out the back end to be searched separately and can be returned to the hole neatly. It's like using a tool to cut a new hole in a golf green.

127. Here's a tip for getting an image from an INCUSE coin or token. If the design on your piece is incuse, or recessed, such as an Indian Head goldcoin, rubbings or pressings will not work, because there's no raised design. Strike a wooden match, and hold the item in the smoke, covering it's surface with soot. Carefully place a piece of clear Scotch tape over the piece, and rub it down really well. When you lift the tape, you will have a highly detailed negative image of your coin or toke. Place the tape on a piece of white paper, and it's ready to submit to an authentication service. It's kinda' like the method police use for lifting and preserving a fingerprint.

128. FILLING YOUR HOLES: I use an old anti-freeze jug with the front panel cut out for holding the dirt I remove from a hole. It holds more than a frisbee, and has a handle so it's easier to maneuver. Also, the dirt pours easily back into the hole because of the square corners at the bottom of the jug. Just remember to screw the cap on tight.

129. Have you ever recovered a coin that you just couldn't identify, because of it's condition? Here's a tip. Lay a small square of aluminum foil over the coin, and use a soft rubber eraser to press the foil down into the details on the coin. You'll be amazed at the amount of detail that can be revealed this way. If you can locate an old notary public seal at a flea-market or garage sale, remove the plates, and replace them with round rubber patches cut from an old inner tube. This way you can do both sides of a coin at once. You can send these foil pressings to a coin authenticating service, such a A.N.A.C.S, instead of sending the coin itself. Just be sure to ship them in a small box so they don't get crushed.

130. CACHE HUNTING: One series of caches was located by noting a small difference in fence posts. Many times old tin cans are nailed over the top of wooden fence posts to prevent splitting. One alert TH'er noticed in a certain fence row that a few cans were nailed in place, then the nails were sealed with tar. Beneath each can treated this way, a roll of bills was discovered! It pays to notice the small details!!

131. CACHE HUNTING: In addition to burying a cache outside, there are many good Inside areas to check. In the floor of barn stalls and chicken houses is a great place to look for caches, as the animals made a great warning system, alerting their owners to trespassers. Beneath the floorboards in a doorway was another popular hiding spot. Also check under and behind any stairways, especially those in basements and cellars. Caches were also marked/protected by piles of barbed wire inside barns or grain silos. Just a few spots to check that have been proven in the past!

132. When hunting around old home sites and such, make sure to look at the old trees in the area. Often someone burying a cache would use them as a marker. The giveaway will be a nail or spike in the underside of a large limb. A string and weight would be suspended from this point like a plumb-bob, indicating a point on the ground where the stash was buried. Even after MANY years this point would still be close, because of the slow growth of the tree limb. Also, by being under the limb and shielded from the rain, even an old rusty nail will survive for a LONG time.

133. SNOW A PROBLEM: Okay, you've researched your site, and narrowed your glory hole down to a few square yards of soil. But, before you have a chance to swing your coil, mother nature turns down the thermostat and freezes the ground SOLID! Try this tip. If there's no significant snow cover, stake out a few black plastic bags over the area(s) you want to hunt. After a few days of sunshine, even in freezing temperatures, the black plastic will absorb enough heat to thaw the ground, and you won't have to wait until spring to do your thing! Just make sure to stretch the plastic tight, so no cold wind can get under it.

134. DIGGING TOOLS: Tried them all potting shovels, buck knives, fancy coin extracting gadgets,ect....Nothing beats a SEARS CRAFTSMAN Heavy duty flat tip screwdriver! By the way I dont work for SEARS nor own stocks :) Seriously and if your serious at coin shooting get one! The shank is square and doesn't bend It's long enough for great leverage and has a nice grip for prying. The tip comes sharp so grind it smooth(to avoid scratching that nice face on the busted quarter you are standing over). Also it doubles as a defensive tool if you're alone in an unfamiliar area being approached by un-wanted guests and over anxious dogs and serves as a nice back scratcher for those hard to reach places!

135. Always keep a positive attitude, never let trash signals get you down. I hunted for two and a half years before I really got the hang of listening to the detector talk back to me. Then one day BAM, a buffalo nickel right where I had hunted before many a times. At first dig those odd signals and tones, its all part of the learning curve. If you can get into a club do so just so you can get an experienced partner, don't be afraid to ask questions. Everybody was a newbie at one time or another. Read, Read, Read it will get you very knowledgable quickly as well as keep you motivated through out the year.