England, New Penny

[johnj45586]

I decided to try my luck at a park again today. Really beautiful, blue sky, temperature close to 80 and not much more than a gentle breeze.
I headed out for Crown Valley Community Park. That is the park where the soccer field is astro-turf. I remembered there was a baseball field on regular dirt/grass.
When I got to the park I headed for the ball field. I checked along the fence and found loads of pop tabs, those fasteners for ACE bandages, foil, bottle caps and some pennies. I checked under bleachers and found nothing. I checked under nearby shade trees and found foil and pop tabs.
I noticed the soccer field had a dirt strip behind the bleachers and around the perimeter. The dirt was a really steep hill (only about 8 feet wide).
I found many more pop tabs, a few dimes, pennies and the key in the picture. They key looks like it might be a winding key for a clock. It is in bad shape, partly from the time it spent in the ground and partly because I didn't take care when prying it out of the dirt. I thought it was a chunk of aluminum can or something similar.
My wife and I took a diet Coke break then started in again. There weren't many picnic tables, and most of them were on concrete slabs. When you get away from the ball parks there is a YMCA swimming pool and mostly walkways. The main feature of the park (other than the ball fields) is walkways through many botanical gardens. Really beautiful and nice - but not good for treasure hunting.
I spotted a small tot playground and went for it. I found some pennies, a nickel and an English "New Penny" shown in the picture.
I took a random walk through an area near some picnic tables on a hill and got a quarter hit. When I pried it out I found it was two quarters stuck together.
I had covered about all of the park that looked hopeful for treasure and it was still early so I headed for another park that was on the way home.
The second park was the Laguna Niguel Regional Park. It has a small lake that looks like the fishing may be good enough to be entertaining.
When I got inside the park I ran into a sign that said there was "NO COLLECTING of plants or artifacts". That is the first time I have run into that. Hopefully contemporary coins and pop tabs aren't considered artifacts.
There was almost nothing anywhere around this park. There were plenty of pop tabs and pennies that looked like someone had taken a bite out of them, one quarter and a toy from McDonalds that looks like a pig or gnome? It had a feature that was a surprise. I was holding it and looking at the front and accidentally pushed a button on the back. The hole in the birdhouse has a very bright red LED light that nearly blinded me! I also found one brass key.
Still, walking in the park (and driving to different areas of the park) was really pleasant.
Today's treasure hunt yielded 4 quarters, 10 dimes, 2 nickels, 35 pennies, 1 English penny, 1 unknown key, 1 regular brass key, and 1 McDs toy with red flash light.
I passed my first milestone today. My clad for the year is now at $100.70.
I sure am looking forward to spring break. Hopefully we will have a super heat wave and crowds at the beaches!!!
Happy hunting to all!

[prizm-pal]

John glad you and the misses got out today...you seem like very happy and content man... I am happy for you...nice finds...glad toy didn't blind you have a better day tomorrow .. if possible... Later chick!

[ERnurse]

Very good day.

[creekrat]

Should up your finds for sure.nice key might go to davy jones locker huh....creek

[MinelabMan]

Good that you and the missus got out John, cool key, I don't think I ever saw a pattern like that.

I imagine the hunting after spring break will be exciting! Alot of partyers losing stuff ought to keep you busy....Good Luck!

['E']

Good day out John, I like the key, that pig is one ugly thing, me & Buster are awaiting the spring breakers here too, they do a lot of partying & hopefully will leave us some good treaures on our beaches.

[KellycoChick]

Excellent story!! Glad to hear it was a beautiful day... I'm ready for a warm day (I know, I know,.. Florida,... but still!) - The new penny is cool but I like the key better. I've always loved old keys, wondering what it went to and seeing how the older ones are so ornate. WTG on your finds and hitting up the park, sounds like you did a through job!!

Hopefully that "No Collecting" sign won't perpetuate... altho putting it like that certainly seems broad enough to exclude MD'ing.

[anne]

Nice key John

[nbkDigger]

Under all of the junk is the good stuff. Good thing you got out to hunt. HH

[CanUDigIt]

Nice hunt John! That is a cool key! Congrats on the new cent!