My Illinois Trip

[FinalLastDays]

I recently made a trip to Belleville, IL for a family get together with my in-laws. On July 2nd and 3rd I traveled further north Illinois to a very small country town called Perry. This is where TQ member Leelo lives. Leelo is a great guy and his kindness and hospitality was truly second to none. During the first day in Perry I wound up finding my oldest dated find - a 1903 Indian Head penny in what I consider very good condition. This was found in an empty lot and Leelo told me the land-owner had recently pulled up some bushes. It was in the spot where the bushes once were where the coin was found. I was using the Minelab Explorer SE with the 10.5" coil but was having a lot of trouble pinpointing with it. I pulled up a lot of nails.

On July 3rd, Leelo took me to another small town called Mt. Sterling where he had permission to detect an elderly womans yard. He showed me what he looks for in homes to better tell the age of the home. I decided to use my trusty Ace250 with the 4.5" Sniper coil to hunt this lot - the reason for using the lesser expensive Ace250 over the classy Minelab SE is due to my knowledge of the Ace250 and my lack of understanding the Minelab at present time. Leelo and I decided to start hunting near the sidewalk first. The sidewalk stretch turned out to be really good and with the finds we were finding, we realized that due to the age and depth of coins this land had never been metal detected before. I wound up finding a few wheat penny's here with 1917 being my oldest. I also found my first silver coin in this stretch of sidewalk - a 1954 Roosevelt dime. An old heart-shaped piece of jewelry I found as well. Unfortunately once arriving back home in Louisiana I realized it had broken! I tried to piece it together for photographing it. In the same hole of this piece, I found a small "cap" which looks to be made from the same metal as the jewelry - I am guessing it was an earring that would clip onto an ear for women who did not like to get their ears pierced. Not sure exactly.

After a quick run to McD's for lunch and to pick up a fresh cherry pie for the elderly home owner, we went back to the home and decided to hunt the back yard. Leelo found a cool wing off of a toy airplane. I found a 1911 dog tag in good condition. It made my second dog tag find since I started metal detecting a few months ago. I certainly enjoy finding dog tags - they are quite fun digging up. We headed back to the front yard where we hit the sidewalk strip once again. I found some play-money there, which was a cool find. I thought it was something quite unique and perhaps valuable until the dirt came off and Leelo told me it was play-money. Still better than finding a pull tab!

Back in Belleville, my daughter and I hit a couple of parks. She used the Ace250 while I used the Minelab SE with the 8" coil. Besides clad coinage I found a fishing weight and a small key. Keys are another fun thing I enjoy finding, useless, but fun! At my in-laws house my wife and I were searching the back yard in hopes to find her mother's long lost wedding band. I wound up digging up a 1982 dog Rabies tag. Unfortunately no wedding band was found.

I literally was able to get out and metal detect more during this one week along than I have through the entire year of 2007. I do anticipate getting out more and learning that Minelab SE. As for Leelo, I have to say getting to meet him was a great privilege. Not only did he bring me to great sites to metal detect, he also gave me a historical tour of his area. We went to a ghost town of Perry Springs and got some video footage and photographs of the area - although metal detecting is definately not allowed, I'm sure there would have been some great finds there.

One last comment to note - the more I was using the Minelab Explorer SE, the more I appreciated the Ace250. It is only because I totally understand the Ace. Before finally making my purchasing decision to buy the Minelab, I was debating strongly which detector I should buy. The choices were the Minelab Explorer SE and the Whites DFX. I keep wondering how well I would have learned the DFX by now.

[bigjohn]

great finds

[skinnybones]

nice finds, i don't understand my DFX that well but i still find some goodies.

[julieburger]

Nice story and a great finds. Keep at it with the minelab you will be a pro before you know it.

[exnavyguy]

Awesome days! Great Finds. Glad you got to meet a fellow member. Had to be a great experience.

[gordiesgirl]

A pocket full of metal and a new friend. Sounds like a great trip. Thanks for sharing

[JCWhite]

What you did is exactly what I would like to do someday. I travel a lot so I will be checking with others here in TQ about a hunt. It sounded like great fun and I would say to keep using that Minelab.

[INDY]

Excellent finds FLD.

[elgrifon]

sounds like you had a great time here in IL. nice finds, Ii would be very happy with the haul.
H.H.,
Joe K

[bigbillinsc]

cool digs... im glad you and leelo got a chance to get together. he seems like a great guy. congratulation on the silver. hope ya get a chance to make the TQ dig in 08'. till we do meet good luck and happy hunting my friend