Recently, I secured permission to hunt of series of fields. While the targets in a field hunt tend to be more sparse than at parks or home sites, field hunting has a certain appeal in that it is likely that your coil will be the first to pass over much of the terrain.
So, I grabbed my E-TRAC, and on the first day of hunting, scored a large copper, and a very nice 1803 half reale. That told me the site had excellent potential.
On the second day of hunting, however, I did not score a single coin. That did not discourage me – its par for the course for this sort of detecting. I’m very experienced with the E-TRAC, and I know if it's there, it will find it.
On the third hunt, just 15 minutes in, I got a beautiful signal that was very deep, bouncing between an 01-42 and 22-42. Nice tight pinpoint, and on the E-TRAC, good targets tend to have a certain “sweet sound”, for lack of a better word. I knew it could be a good target, figured it was most likely a large copper, but could be a silver quarter or half, but it could also be something like a crotal bell or piece of copper pipe.
Dug down about 8 inches, and saw the edge of a large silver coin. I was in business. Carefully worked the dirt away, and saw an eagle on the back. Thought it might be a walking liberty half dollar at first, but it was the wrong sort of eagle for that. Turned it over and saw the bust: an 1830 bust half dollar in excellent shape! Clean VF or XF grade coin with no problems; a beautiful coin in all respects. I was jacked.
I’ve dug over 1200 silver coins with the E-TRAC in the past 4 years, but this is by far my best.
[photo 1 attachment: clean 1830 bust half]
[photo 2 attachment: dirt on 1830 bust half]
Randy - PA, USA
