Lousy weather allows little digging.

Weather has been cold and rainy over the past two weeks and I have only managed about 5 hours of digging at random locations. I just couldn't handle the 30 degree temperatures with wind for more than 30 minutes, and my detector isn't waterproof.

When I did manage to get outside, the weather was beautiful.



I love Texas sunsets.



Anyway, here is part of my junk haul:



As you can see, lots more pulltabs and foil than before. I found out from other metal detectors that the metal detector lumps gold rings into the same categories as foil and pulltabs. If I wanna get the gold, I gotta start digging more trash! What I really wasn't excited to find were the razorblades. Luckily I wear gloves when I did my holes.

I did dig this cool looking thing. I think it is part of a candle stick. It is a little corroded and crusty, almost like the zinc pennies around here tend to be:



You can see what looks like a lion head in this picture. There is also a line right down the center, which makes me think it was stamped or something:



I also dug this fencepost "topper". It is so big and heavy:



What amazes me about something like this is that it was only one inch below the surface, laying on the side. How does one drop and lose something like this?

Lastly, here is the coin and jewelry haul:



Not too shabby, I guess. No wheats or silver this time, though. And the jewelry was just kids stuff.

Hopefully the weather will allow me to get out and do some digging. It is currently raining and will continue through Saturday, but Sunday is supposed to be sunny.

I can't believe I'm still after my first silver coin! So frustrating!

In an upcoming post, I'll show you the new gram scale I received in the mail. You can see how much my silver finds weigh!

Don't stop digging!
Krakken

McCallum High School, Visit #1

So I decided to change things up this past weekend and picked a different location to metal detect: McCallum High School.



A.N. McCallum High School, Home of the Knights, opened in 1953. It is the second oldest high school in AISD and is currently the oldest operating high school campus. It was named after AISD's first high school superintendent, and the location was chosen because of population growth in North Austin.



I remember going to the sports field when I was younger to watch my brother play soccer. A few years ago, the old wooden bleachers, original to the field, were torn down. My target for the day was the sides of the track, where these bleachers used to be.

Unfortunately, when I arrived at around 8:00AM on Saturday morning, the track and field were occupied by a soccer game. This is the reason why I always have a plan B. I headed to the front of the school only to find out that an orchestra competition was taking place. There were people everywhere and I really didn't feel like detecting within feet of people waiting to enter the theater.

Aha! I had a plan C.

While doing my aerial photo research of the area, I noticed that the dirt/gravel parking lot from 1964 was actually across the street from the main entrance. According to current Google Maps, that old parking lot is now a vacant grassy lot. While probably not an ideal area to dig, it was definitely better than nothing.



This lot was JUNKY. Old pull tab beer and soda cans, rusty tin cans, nails, screws, and even more unidentifiable junk.



I found hardly any coins, but did manage my oldest coin for the day, this 1956-D wheat penny:




About the coolest thing I found was this candle snuffer:



When the school finally cleared out a little, I went to a side entrance and managed a few bucks in clad coins.



I still haven't pulled my first silver! However, some of the dimes and quarters were 1965 and 1966, so I will be going back to McCallum High School to look some more!

Don't stop digging!
Krakken

You have to dig a lot to get a little.

I've labeled the junk for you.



And here be the buried treasure from the same metal detecting trip.



Full post and coin count in the next update.

Don't stop digging!
Krakken