PA Reb
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- Apr 4, 2011
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I went in on the halves with a buddy and we bought a "Whites"
Metal detector years ago.
If i can find a buyer for old nails and beer tabs i"d be rich.
Chuck
Hey Chuck, don't get discouraged about the hobby but do some homework about the chosen dig site and learn your machines abilities. Old foundations for example - you must learn to discriminate out the metals you don't want like nails, beer and soda can tabs, etc. Only listen / watch the meter for and dig all precious metal sounds. One must also learn to not bother with "trashy sounds" yet sometimes dig the "maybe" sounds. One thing I definitely look for at old foundations is the site of the privy. You wouldn't believe what people used to throw down that dirty little hole in the ground! Many people buy metal detectors and think they are going to become rich from using it. In many cases and especially for those that don't take the time to detect "properly", it can become real boring real quick.
I've attached a picture as an example of what's still out there there to be found. I won't give up the exact location where I found these relics except to say that they were recovered on private property with permission (not Federal property) on the extreme left flank of Confederate lines at Gettysburg. The large piece of iron on your left is what is left of a Federal, 3" Schenkl shell (cannon) that the Union fired at the Confederates. The smaller piece of iron is from the same shell and the oval looking piece is what I believe to be the remnants of a canteen spout (I may be wrong about that though). The small lead balls are some of the remaining case shot that would have been packed inside the Schenkl which of course offers deadly results over a larger area from the main explosion. These came out of the ground 2 years ago and I was the first person to touch them in about 148 years!
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