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Articles
This is a "work in progress" page with the plan being that articles presented here will relate to metal detecting experiences or treasure hunting, in general. Members may submit an article to be included on this page to one of the club website contacts. Permission to put the article on this website must be included. Articles may include photos if they are pertainent to the story. It is hoped that this will give members a chance to tell others about their metal detecting experiences and provide visitors to this website with some good insight to the great hobby of metal detecting. Come back to visit often as new articles are received and presented here for your enjoyment.
To Submit An Article
Articles for this page may be submitted by emailing them to one of the following:
Roger Horrom: rhorrom@mindspring.com
William Mathews: wlmjamwgm@sbcglobal.net
CLEANING COINS
On a poor man's budget,For a Cadillac finish!
*Presented in memory of Ed Dickson, a past member of the California Searches*
Equipment:
* Coin/rock tumbler( one/two barrels)
* Shot glass
* Drain basket
* Paper towels or newspapers
Ingredients:
* Playground sand or aquarium gravel
* Liquid detergent
* Ammonia( clear)
* Water
Procedure:
Think! Mind to matter...
* Separate coins (clads, pennies, etc.)
* Place coins in tumbler barrel (half full)
* Add two(2) medium handfuls of playground sand or two(2) small handfuls of aquarium gravel.
* Add water, covering sand (or gravel)and coins.
* Pour in two(2) shot glasses of liquid detergent and two(2) shot glasses of ammonia.
* Place lid/cover on tumbler barrel and seal securely.
* Tumble for 3-4 hours (steady).
* Stop tumbler. Place coins in drain basket and wash with hose.
* Place coins on paper towels or newspaper to dry.
Sort and peddle!
Bob Debelak
Art Emich
California Searches
Fremont, CA
Editors Note: This method should be used only on Modern, ordinary coins.
Cleaning OLD or Rare coins with abrasives and chemicals can cause significant loss of numismatic value
ARCHAEOLOGY STUDY OF CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD-Battle of Boonville, MO
A newspaper article appeared in the October 28, 2007 issue of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch describing an archaeology study that was to take place November 8-10 at the battlefield where the June 17, 1861 Battle of Boonville took place near Boonville, Missouri. This was only the third land battle of the Civil War and was important in that it made it possible for the North to maintain control of the Missouri River throughout the Civil War and use it to transport supplies. The article mentioned that renowned archaeologist, Douglas Scott, along with archaeologist Steve Dasovich and others would participate in the battlefield study. The study was being done in conjunction with Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation whose president is Greg Wolk. The foundation hopes to add the site to its driving tour of battlefields and it is hoped the study will produce information that will help them to post signs designating important areas within the battlefield area. The Midwest Coinshooters and Historical Club contacted Dr. Steve Dasovich to ask him whether the study could use the help of the club members in conducting the study. The club members were told that their help would be appreciated. Members were given the opportunity to volunteer to participate, but due to the timing of the study-it was during the work week- only two members were able to participate. Club President, Roger Horrom, and Vice President, Bill Mathews, attended the study for all three days. The battlefield is about four miles outside the town of Boonville, Missouri which itself is a very historic town with over four hundred fifty homes and buildings within the town listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. Each day of the study began with the participants meeting at the historic Hotel Fredrick located in downtown Boonville and leaving for the battlefield site at about 8:00 AM. Arrangements were made in advance with each of the private landowners for permission to metal detect the many farm fields where the study was to take place. Up to fifteen participants worked each day with some of them using metal detectors to locate and mark targets, others would follow them and dig the targets, and Doug Scott would take GPS readings on important finds and record the appropriate data about each. As was found out later, the GPS information was entered into a mapping program on Doug’s computer so that possible patterns defined by the information could be developed and used to create an authentic story of how the battle took place. Cornfields and grassy pastures soon began giving up important finds such as 58 caliber mini-balls, round balls, and buttons. Other key finds were a bottom from a canister shell fired from a cannon and one single coin from the period, an 1848 large cent. All finds were cataloged and will be taken to the lab for analysis by the archaeologists and then returned to the property owners if they want them. The officials of the town of Boonville were very receptive of the group doing the study and to show their appreciation, provided a daily lunch time meal to each of the study participants. There was a nice reception held at the Hotel Fredrick on the first night of the study to provide each of the participants a chance to meet each other and the town officials and discuss the events and results of the first day of the study. A highlight of the whole adventure for Roger and Bill was the opportunity to attend a dinner held for the study group on Friday night. A couple participating in the study, Mike and Mary Duncan, are proprietors of the historic Arrow Rock Tavern located in Arrow Rock, Missouri which is about 13 miles from Boonville. The Duncans run a restaurant in the 1834 tavern and Mary prepared a family style chicken dinner for everyone’s enjoyment. The tavern is the oldest continuously operating tavern west of the Mississippi River. After the dinner, Mike gave the attendees a wonderful tour of the old tavern and hotel and passed on some very interesting information about the history of the building.The battlefield study was completed on Saturday and everyone headed home. Doug Scott will issue a report on the results of the study once all the information is analyzed. Some of the photos taken during the study are posted in the photo gallery section of this website, so check those out if you wish. This was a great experience and provided both Bill and me with some insight as to how such an archaeology study of a battlefield takes place.
Submitted by: Roger Horrom
PLATINUM RING FOUND AND RETURNED
I recently was contacted by a Mr. Carr who lives near Columbia, Illinois, about a platinum wedding band he lost in his yard. He said he had rented a metal detector but was unable to find the ring himself. He indicated he had narrowed where he thought he had lost the ring in to an area about one acre in size. I went to his home and met with him and we discussed the circumstances involving the lost ring and he indicated the area of his yard where he felt he lost the ring. He headed off to work, and I began a search of the yard. I carefully searched in a specific pattern to be sure not to miss a spot and after about an hour of searching with no luck, I started over searching at ninety degrees to direction I had been going. Mr. Carr had told me he had not gone past two pines trees at the far end of the yard, but in my second time across the yard I ended up beyond the pine trees and, sure enough, I received a solid signal and spread open the grass and there was the ring. I presented the $1100.00 ring to his wife, snapped a picture of her smiling and holding the ring and a couple of more pictures of the ring, and then I headed home. When I got home and checked my email, I already had a note from Mr. Carr saying, "Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you". I appeared to have made him a very happy person. (Submitted by Roger Horrom)
ISLAND MOUND CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD STUDY
CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD STUDY: It was announced at the February club meeting that another Civil War Battlefield study with an archaeology group would be taking place on March 6th and 7th, and our members were asked if they wanted to participate. The study was to be in Bates County, Missouri and the study would be surveying the Battle of Island Mound which was fought in 1862. The Battle was between confederate aligned guerilla cavalry (numbering between 400 and 600) and the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry (numbering about 225). This battle marked the first time a black unit fought for the United States. The unit even had black officers, something no black unit was to have until the late 20th century, for all practical purposes. The 1st Kansas defeated the mounted southerners in something of a running Battle. Members, Bill Mathews and James Wurth, along with Don Harbaugh, did make the trip and Bill Filed a report with me when he returned home on Saturday the 7th. Bill and Don left St. Louis together at about 2 AM Thursday night for the drive to nearly the Kansas border. James also left separately about the same time. They met about 7 AM in Butler, Mo and had a quick breakfast before meeting with the group of archaeologists and heading out to the battlefield hunt site. The group spent all of Friday and until about noon on Saturday detecting the fields and collecting artifacts and logging the data. They worked in groups of detector operators, who located potential targets and marked them with flags. A group of diggers would follow them and dig the targets for analysis and logging. Bill indicated that some artifacts were found, some of these were found by the archaeologists on the pre-hunt days of Wednesday and Thursday. James Wurth did find a 1907 dime. Bill reported that everyone had a good time and it turned out that the State Parks people paid for their motel room. They all had a nice dinner together on Friday night which allowed everyone to get to know one another better and to talk about the day’s events and finds. The weather cooperated with no rain and warm temperatures. Bill provided more details on their trip to this event at the March club meeting.(Submitted by Roger Horrom and Bill Mathews)
Created on 01/29/2007 09:53 PM by admin
Updated on 03/21/2009 10:02 AM by admin
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