My Metal Detecting Triumph: Unearthing a 1919 Mercury Dime and Silver Treasures

Just wrapped up an incredible five-hour hunt at Brooklyn’s Fort Greene Park—muddy hands and all! Forgetting my gloves during that morning drizzle was definitely a facepalm moment, but the silver treasures made every speck of dirt worth it. I’ll walk you through my finds, share what I learned in the trenches, and offer some hard-won tips for your own adventures.

My Fort Greene Park Haul

The star of the day was this gorgeous 1919 Mercury dime—still gives me a thrill seeing Lady Liberty’s winged cap emerge from the soil. That 90% silver beauty landed alongside another delicate pendant (probably snapped off a necklace), plus eleven Wheat Cents. See how I’ve got them grouped with the dime for scale? That mangled cent in the pile? I always keep damaged ones like that to show new collectors the difference between circulation wear and true mint errors. Plenty of modern dimes and oddities rounded out the haul—check my photos for the full spread!

Gearing Up for Hunter Island

With July 4th free, I’m hitting Hunter Island north of Orchard Beach—a legendary silver hotspot. Learned my lesson after the glove debacle! Here’s what’s going in my pack:

• Battle Armor: Long sleeves, pants, and gloves are non-negotiable with all those ticks. After a close call years ago, Lyme prevention is second nature now.
• Bug Warfare: Heavy-duty DEET spray and sunscreen (though I skip my ears—headphones have ’em covered).
• Survival Kit: Frozen Gatorade to beat the heat, and maybe my camera this time—gotta document if I score big!

Deer everywhere up there, so staying alert is crucial. I’ve circled a sweet spot on my map where silver likes to hide—fingers crossed!

Field-Tested Detecting Tactics

Twenty years of “dirt fishing” taught me: skip a signal, miss history. That 1779 Half Reale? Found it barely two inches down! My golden rules:

• Dig Everything: I never walk past a beep—even shallow trash holes can hide coins. My best finds often surprise me.
• The Nickel Conundrum: Why so scarce? They ring up like pull tabs (around 28-30 on my Legend). Now I hunt in all-metal mode or dig those signals—sometimes it’s a gold ring!
• Cracking the Code: Tabs usually hit 26-28, war nickels 30-32. I clear those tones religiously—clean sites mean better finds.

Thoughts From the Field

Every recovery tells a story. That pendant? Someone’s heartbreak. The Mercury dime? Common date, but its silver glow and classic design never get old. Always rinse coins gently—no scrubbing!—to preserve their story. And that damaged cent? Perfect for teaching newbies about damage versus errors. With silver prices up, every hunt feels like a treasure hunt. Here’s to your next dig turning up something special!