Why was it there?

[Paul of Harrisburg]

I stopped by a grade school the other day to swing the "D".
Went to the back parking lot, next to a basketball hoop where the large blacktop parking lot ended near the woods. I had found seven quarters, two dimes, and several pennies when I got a smooth sounding "strong" signal. Most of these turn out to be deeply buried soda pop cans, but this one turned out to be a 1993 silver eagle! A bit stained up, but a cool find.
I got to wondering why it found it's way to that place?
EVER MAKE FINDS THAT YOU WONDER THE SAME THING ABOUT???
HH......Paul

[JohnWPA]

Cool find....keep up the GREAT work!

John

[hollowpointred]

i have found some out of place stuff at grade schools myself. ( i once found a troy ounce ingot of silver six inches deep in a ballfield!) the only thing i can think of, is that some kid brought it in for show and tell and then lost it. congrats on a great find!

[bigjohn]

ya never know. some 30 years ago i took a ole garrett out to a school yard to play with it and learn it. went down towards a creek and was nothing but bullets 3 ringers and buttons. must of been a picket. now its townhouses.

[Mr.Silver]

Great Find!!! You don not know what you'll dig up next!! Way to GO!!

Mr.Silver

[skinnybones]

WTG I'VE NEVER FOUND A SILVER DOLLAR. I BOUGHT A MORGAN SILVER DOLLAR THEN I DISCOVERED IT MISSING FROM MY KEY CHAIN. OH WELL I HOPE SOME THer FINDS IT AND WONDERS HOW IT GOT THERE

[Paul of Harrisburg]

Thanks for the responses folks! I just knew I wasn't the only one finding stuff that seemed out of place. I guess what we dig up always has a story to tell, if we could just touch the object and do a sort of "flashback" and visualize the loss as it happened! WOW....civil war encampments, revolutionary war outposts, colonial era homestead life, lumber or mining camp days, gold rush settlements, bar-room brawls from the 1800's, bush-whacked waggon loads of payroll heisted by torries and buried hastily, common folk enjoying the day's events at turn of the century fairs or at the local picnic grove along the creek, town gatherings at the square where who knows what could be lost while the crowd cheers, dances, or watches the floats go by, and as the old miser whispers his last words into an empty room the where-abouts of his earthly gains......our detectors link us to the last page of these stories, and many times we manage to arrive at some logical conclusion through knowledge we've gained through research. Just as often though, we are left to ponder how we came about finding the item, and from where it came. Ahh, our metal detectors!

[JoAnne]

Fascinating isn't it Paul. If only our finds could speak. JoAnne

[TwoDogsBob]

Wow Paul, I'm impressed.. I dig a lot of old "deer camps" that date back to the 20s and 30s.. I never find much of value but what I do find speaks volumes. "Who was the last person to touch this?" "What was the day like when it was lost, what were the conversations?" Call me a romantic but that is what detecting is for me.. It's the ability to touch lives..
I was in an antique store not long ago, wandering through and stopped to talk to the owner on the way out.
"Gee it must be an adventure to be surrounded by so many lives, so much history, so many questions."
"Huh?"
"Nevermind."
Bob

[Paul of Harrisburg]

Bob, you hit the nail on the head. When I find a spot where I dig a cool military relic, a ring, an old silver coin out in the woods, or along a stone fence. I try to imagine who might have lost it. Sometimes just this "thought" will bring ideas as to where to further your search for more treasure. I know what you mean when you said "nevermind" to the antique dealer. To most of those retailers, an antique is just the next item up for sale, the next one out of the box, the next $$ for paying the creditors.
For the detectorist however, each old coin, relic, ring, etc. gives us insight into the past if only we observe, imagine, record, appreciate, and perservere. I suppose that to some, how something became lost where it was doesn't matter or draw any curiosity, but to many there is much to be gained and enjoyed by simply seeking answers to some of these questions. I hope all leads turn into great adventures, and good luck is on the horizen for you all!
HH.....Paul