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Originally Posted by lawdogct A few suggestions:
1. Find out who owns the land and get permission to metal detect on it.
2. Go to the local library and/or town hall and research what the land was once used for (think events, or sports fields, meeting spot for clubs, etc.)
3. If you don't already own a good metal detector, rent one.
4. Remember where you found your coin and DON'T tell any other coin hunters 
Chances are, the spot was once of some importance and the chances are good other coins are in the ground there.
VERY cool find. Thanks for sharing  |
You also need find out if there are any protected animal or plant species in the areas (especially for beaches and their adjacent sand dunes) that you are going to metal detect and what the Laws are regarding disturbing them! State and/or Federal Laws prohibit metal detecting in some areas where there are protected animal or plant species. However, there are other areas in which metal detecting is allowed as long as the area that is disturbed is small and any protected animal or plant species are able to recover. In other words, don't dig a large and deep hole, fill the area back in before you leave, wait a few weeks so things can recover, then everything should be okay to go back and dig in that area again. Just don't dig in the same spot as before until sufficient time has passed and you are sure that any protected animal or plant species have recovered.
Sea Oats is the most common plant specie of protect plants along beaches in the U.S.!
When working in sand dunes where metal detecting is limited due to protected animal or plant species, it is best to set up a grid system on a hand drawn map and dig trenches either parallel or perpendicular to the beach. The trenches should be no more than two feet wide and generally no more than two to three feet deep. Avoid any protected animal or plant species if at all possible or very carefully move them to an area that has already been worked.
Many of the State and Federal Laws are very clear about disturbing protected animal or plant species on beaches and their adjacent sand dunes! Don't risk being arrested which could result in jail time, and/or a fine and/or the forfeiture of your equipment, if you are found guilty.
A friend of mine found an area in Florida with the sand dunes loaded with silver 2, 4, 6 and 8 Reale pieces from a Spanish Ship that wrecked in the late 1600's or early 1700's. Since I was unavailable at the time, he took another partner and they found close to thirty coins in the sand dunes, being deposited there by the many Hurricanes that hit or skirted the area. Well, his partner broke their' agreement to only work the area as a team and was sneaking back several nights a week and dug large and very deep trenches and holes in the sand dunes.
My friend was suspicious of this partner and caught him in the act one night and thus severed their partnership. The next time my friend went back to that area, a Sheriff's Deputy was there and was placing "No Trespassing" signs all over the place. My friend (who was smart enough to leave his' Metal Detector in the trunk of his' car) inquired as to why he was placing the signs.
The Sheriff's Deputy stated that someone had dug large trenches and holes in a large amount of the sand dunes and had completely destroyed the Sea Oats there and if caught, they would be arrested.
I hope that eveything works out so that you can metal detect in that area and I hope you make some really great finds!
Frank
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