1927 wheatie!

[johnj45586]

This morning it was finally raining in the Laguna Beach area. Not much, but a whole lot more than the nothing we have had for many months. When it looked like there would be a break in the rain I headed for the beach. I figured the dry sand I search would be more conductive and I might be able to get deeper.
I felt "guided" to start my search at a certain place on the beach. About 3/4 into the first pass I stumbled on a nice spill. It had mostly been uncovered by the rain. All the coins were in one small bunch on top of one another and all touching. There were 6 quarters, 2 dimes and 2 pennies. Not a bad start.
Then there was nothing but single coin finds, mostly pennies for a while. I returned to an area where I had scored a record spill (yesterday) to see if I had missed something deeper. Nothing turned up. Then I swept under the boardwalk. This is a difficult area to MD because of the large iron bolts used to hold it together. I thought I heard a double tone with all the background noise. When I moved the sand with my shoe the good tone moved. I pinpointed it with the ACE 250 and scooped. A single penny turned up in the scoop. It was a wheatie, 1927 plain to be exact. That is a might rare find at the beach. It is the 3rd one since June for me. All of them have been found at Main Beach.
The rain started up in earnest and I had to duck into the Explorer. When it slacked I started back to the beach. On the way I bumped into 2 people with MDs.
One, a lady, had been searching the grass between the Coast Highway and the boardwalk with a coin detector MD. She claimed to have found 40 quarters already. She had a coin detector MD.
The other was a gentleman with a new bounty hunter (I didn't catch the model number, but it had two knobs (sensitivity and discrimination) and the "S" handle). He was brand new to MDing and this was his first outing.
Conversation with the lady covered general MD topics and I highly recommended she look up TQ for more info. She was using a "claw" device to dig and I recommended a spade for doing "D" plugs and using a pinpointer. She wondered what a pinpointer did and how to use it. So I went back to my Explorer and dug out my White's Bullseye II and demonstrated it for her. She is sold!
The gentleman had wandered out onto the sand and was walking in a zigzag with his coil about 14" off the ground. I caught up with him and explained how the coil worked and should be 1-2 inches off the ground. I looked at his settings and reset them to maximum sensitivity and all metal. I threw a quarter on the ground and guided him through sweeping for it and localizing the signal. With the quarter on top of the sand he could see where it was in relation to his coils. I also advised him to look up TQ when he got home.
I went back to my pattern with more one at a time finds until it was time go leave. Then I did a sweep along the boardwalk to where the bulldozer had recently opened up the storm channel to the ocean. I found a really nice spill then prepared to leave.
I noticed the gentleman digging about 2 feet down, rechecking the hole and digging some more. I went over and put the ACE 250 in the hole and it went off like a pinball machine, all the tones, all over the place and indicating 4 inches. He dug deeper and the same effect. I had to get back to the car because a $36 fine would occur if the meter went red. I don't know what was in the hole to cause that response. The whole area was sand from digging out the channel. At about two feet he was running into sea grass.
Anyone have a similar response from an ACE 250?
I also found 2 junk earrings (1 of each). Total coins was 9 quarters, 4 dimes, 1 nickel, 8 pennies and 1 wheatie.
I walked over some of the grass area with the detector on. It looked like there were many, many targets identified as dimes and quarters at 4 inches or less. I may give this area a try Monday or so. I haven't done any grass MDing yet. The people working the grass today weren't questioned by the police. There was a police presence because there were some anti-war protestors set up by the coast highway.
No gold, no silver, but a great time treasure hunting.

[gordiesgirl]

Sounds like a great day. WTG

[JCWhite]

Another great day and you may have sent 2 our way. HH John and thanks for the great post.

[julieburger]

Sounds like a great day and you were quite the ambassador today. I for one am proud of you.

Well done John, I love helping a newbie learn this hobby !!!

[EPC Guy]

WTG, John - I really enjoy reading your posts!

[bigbillinsc]

first off congrats on cool finds... gas or snack money is always good. second you must be comended for helping the forum and the hobby in the way you did.... we may have a couple new members soon. and they both may be hooked on the hobby.

WTG...


b4 ya dig that grass you may wanna check your local laws.... here it is a major fine for even steppin in the stuff. when i dig shark teeth i am allowed to dig right up to the edge of the grass. but dont let any one that knows better see the shovel touch a single blade. here in SC the protect the tutrtles and see life more than they do human life.SERIOUS... just to be sure ask some one b4 ya dig.

again congrats on the pocket spills and thanx for helpin newbies along