1/31 Finds the Old Fashioned Way

Early this morning I made it out to Wal*Mart before I was to go out and help out my uncle today. As I was checking out, using the self-checkout... what do you know, someone left a dollar bill in the change return, WOO!

Not ten minutes later, I drove over to my favorite car wash, as they return change in only 2 ways, quarters and dollar coins. I had to pay $2.50, so I put in a five to get my $2.50 back. Well my change was two Sac Dollars, one in outstanding condition. But I noticed I had an extra coin in the tray, the people before me had left a 2007 P George Washington Pres Dollar as well, and it looks nearly just minted. Nice way to start off the day if I do say so myself!

1/29 Alanton Elementary

730p came around quick tonight. I had spent a few hours today researching our local elementary schools to see which ones were best case scenarios on finding silver. In my research, I located one school which is modern now, but has been on the same site since 1839... I plan on hitting it up this weekend.

Anyhow, I circled another early 60's built school in hopes of scoring my first silver coin. I got out there about 815p, and the temp was a brisk 32. I left at 930p, and the temp hadn't changed.

Lots of good digging. There was a girls basketball practice going on, so parents waiting out in the warm cars probably were watching me intently. Having never been here I just hit a few areas to get a feel for the place. I did score two 60's quarters, just none old enough to net me silver.

But I had a great cold evening, landing 31 coins @ $1.88.

Below is an top down view of the area. The two areas outlined in black are where I searched today.

FMDF Auction Wins

I really do enjoy FMDF. So much that probably 85% of my time online is spent there. Naturally, I was stoked when they decided to organize a Silent Auction as a site fundraiser. The first week had lots of great items donated by members. Everything from old copies of Yeoman's Red Book and uncirculated coins, to MD company gift packs and old collector's pieces.

Wanting to broaden my "collection" of US coins, and be able to rival those of my dad, I decided to bid on a few items. The two I won I was very excited about.

The first one I received in the mail was the two coin lot of both D and P mint 2005 Kennedy Half Dollars in uncirculated condition. The image I provided does not do the coins justice. They are truly pristine.



The next items have a story to go along with them. They are 1923 and 1924 Peace Dollars. Winning them brought a huge smile to my face. And knowing who they were donated by, I had no waiver in confidence that I would receive them.

A few days after the win, I received a message updating me that they had been shipped. A few days after, I got a message asking if I had received them... which I had not. But it was a holiday weekend, no surprise. But after two weeks, still the coins had no shown up. My online friend wasn't too happy either, understandably.

Well today, guess what shows up? Yup, the coins. It's a good thing the coins weren't harmed, but the packaging sure was. Some rips and tears, and stickers saying it was received damaged... as well as hand written notes meaning that there was no such name at the address, and to try a different address. That was very strange, as the original address written on the package is 100% correct, so I don't know what happened there. Anyhow, here are the pics.

1/28 Dark and Wet at Trantwood

Well tonight around 1030p I got that itch again, and it was a great night to scratch it. The temp was 55, perfect for me to get out and find that treasure. So I headed off to one of my regular spots that I feel has the most potential of any of my normal haunts to produce some silver coinage. It's a school that I know has been around at least since the 50's, so I mean, why not?

Instead of hitting up the tot lots like I do so many times, I decided to stay in the grass. I started in the grass across the parking lot from the main entrance. Most of the trash you see pictured was dug from that area. However, the 5th signal I hot was a nice strong +40, which on my machine means quarter all the way. Well it wasn't a quarter, but it was something I ID'd right away being that numerous members here have found it as well. It's one of those "Good Luck" tokens. This find in itself was enough to make my hunt, being that it's my first non Chuck-E-Cheese token I've landed, and first of 2009.

I had plenty more targets landing 23 coins in all, over $1 so I met my quota. The last signal I dug for the night was on the way back to the truck, and again it was a strong +40, so quarter here you come. The temp had dropped to about 43 and after 2 hours, the fingers were starting to feel it. I pulled it out and saw the date read 1965 and wanted to throw it back Sooooo close, maybe next time

Gift of Gratitude

Today, I finally made it down to the post office with my stack of envelopes bound for both domestic and foreign destinations. Contained in these envelopes were an assortment of the above Iraqi Dinar bills.

The top left one is a 5 Dinar bill from the time of Saddam. The blue one is a 250 post-Saddam Dinar. Yellow is a 1000 post-Saddam Dinar, and the purple is a 50 post-Saddam Dinar.

To a few of my foreign friends I also sent an assortment of current US coinage, including those from our 50 States series as well as the Lewis and Clark Nickels.

These gifts are in reply to the abundance of low-denomination foreign currency packages I recieved from all over the US and across the pond. If you recieve my letter in the next few weeks it means I did not misplace your address. However, if you are a reader of my blog and feel you were left out, please feel free to leave me a comment and I will be more than happy to send over a letter 'o dinars.

To put the Iraqi Dinar in context, $1 USD is equal to toughly 1.135 Million IQD.

Weekly World Coin Post: ISRAEL

This week I have chosen, with a request by a reader, to highlight the coins I have from Israel. I currently have two friends visiting Israel, so I'm hoping to be able to land a few older coins from the land of the old testament.

Pictured above are samples of the different coins I have. I currently have roughly $40 USD in coins from Israel, all added up from the denominations you see above. This is all reform coinage, and is from 1985 or newer. In the image I decided to show one coin from each of the denominations I have, obverse and reverse.

100 Agorat = 1 New Sheqel = $0.25 USD (at time of post).

From left to right:

2005 10 New Sheqalim Aureate-Bronze Center w/ Nickel-Steel Ring 22.5mm
2006 10 Agorat Aluminum-Bronze 22mm
Unknown Date 5 New Sheqalim Copper-Nickel 24mm
Unknown Date 1 New Sheqel Nickel-Clad Steel 17.97mm
Unknown Date 1/2 New Sheqel Aluminum-Bronze 25.95mm

It's helpful to note that many of the smaller denomination coins also have "Hanukka" versions where there is a very small menorah on the coin in between the word "Hanukka" in both English and Hebrew. You'll also notice that because of the religious divide in the country, the coins have both Hebrew and Arabic text.

For more information on current Israeli currency, please follow THIS LINK.

1/23 Late Night Itch

I went out at 1130p into the community field that is surrounded by a track here at my apartments. I had no real goal in mind, but it was late and I was limiting myself to only 10 digs.

First signal jumped around in a similar matter that landing me my first wheatie months back... and what do you know, a wheat popped out! This is the first wheat penny I've pulled from this area around my apartments, as they are not very old. Sadly, it's in too rough of shape to get a date off it.

Out of my next 9 signals I dug, 4 more were coins... 1 dime and 3 memorials, one in wretched shape. My trash signals were a AA battery, a twist top cap, a piece of fence, and two pieces of siding.

Not too shabby for roughly 15-20 mins worth of late night itch scratching!

Silver and Steel

For many of you out there, including myself, the coins pictured above are pretty hard to come by. It wasn't until five months after I started MD'ing that I found my first wheat penny. And even then it was hardly identifiable. However, since then I have found nine more. I can't attest more that location really is the key.

Above you see the obverse and reverse of three coins. These three coins are my favorite of what I can loosely call a US coin collection, as I don't "really" collect US currency. But a few things are just pretty neat to own.

I'll start with the coin in the middle, which should be easily ID'd by anyone reading this. It's just a plain old wheat penny. But for me, it's not only a wheat, but a 1929 wheat, my oldest dug coin. But what makes it special, is that accept for the blemish on the reverse, the coins is in unreal shape for a dug wheat. Just a rinse in water and it looks like what you see.

The coin on the far left is indeed a wheat penny, but you may be scratching your head as to why it's nearly black. Well if you take a closer look by expanding the image (just click on it) and see the date, you'll notice it reads, "1943." Yessiree Bob, that there is a 1943 Steel Wheat Penny. My great friends Snowy and Joe over at FMDF sent it to me for X-Mas. Here is the blurb about the 1943 Steel Wheat from The Red Book:

"Owing to a shortage of copper during the critical war year 1943, the Treasury Department resorted to the use of zinc-coated steel for cents. No bronze cents were officially issued in 1943. A few specimens struck on bronze planchets by error are known to exist."

And lastly, the hard to find Mercury Dime. I didn't dig this either, but rather again received it as a gift from Vlad and Carol Kononov of FMDF. Sadly, it's my the only one I own. It's a nice looking too for a 64 year old coin. And let's not forget, it's .900 silver!

Weekly World Coin Post: MEXICO

So for my first Weekly World Coin Post I am going to highlight the coins I have from MEXICO. Starting off in this World Coin venture I really didn't know much about currency outside the US. Now, I still really don't, but it has been a great time reading and identifying them in my reference books.

100 Centavos = 1 Peso
1 New Peso = 1000 Old Pesos

In the above image you'll see my personal Mexican coin collection, minus 2 1970s 10 "Diez" Peso coins, a 1981 "Un" Peso, and a 1976 5 "Cinco" Pesos.

Any links after the coin descriptions are to more information about the images depicted on the coin.

So, going left to right, top row:

2004 10 "Diez" Pesos Aluminum-Bronze Ring w/ Copper-Silver Center 28mm
1985 100 Pesos Aluminum-Bronze 26.5mm Venustiano Carranza
1988 1000 Pesos Aluminum-Bronze 30.5mm Juana de Asbaje
1974 1 "Un" Peso Copper-Nickel 29mm
1959 50 "Cincuenta" Centavos Bronze 33mm

Left to right, second row:

2001 50 Centavos Aluminum-Bronze 22mm
2004 20 Centavos Aluminum-Bronze 19mm
2004 1 Peso Stainless Steel Ring w/ Aluminum-Bronze Center 21mm
1997 1 Peso Stainless Steel Ring w/ Aluminum-Bronze Center 21mm
2002 2 Peso Stainless Steel Ring w/ Aluminum Bronze Center 23mm
2004 5 Peso Stainless Steel Ring w/ Aluminum Bronze Center 25.5mm

Left to right, third row"

2007 10 Centavos Stainless Steel 17mm
1958 5 "Cinco" Centavos Brass 20.5mm Jozefa
1975 5 "Cinco" Centavos Brass 18mm Jozefa
1960 5 "Cinco" Centavos Brass 20.5mm Jozefa

All of the pre-2004 coins I have received from generous members of FMDF or via eBay auctions for world coin lots. Post-2004 were obtained from my good friend Jose Ramos, I work with... he lives in Mexico.

For a great short history on Mexican coinage, please check out the Wikipedia page HERE.

Cold diggin' at Tallwood Elementary

I really had the itch today. It had been ten days since I got out with any of my machines. The weather has been sub 40 F and threatening to snow, with lots of rain. So it hasn't exactly been the best conditions to get out and dig.

But around 4pm today I said heck, I gotta get out there at some point. It was about 41 F, and I walked over to Tallwood Elementary.

I started with the tot lot, hoping to land some goods, but sadly, only scored $0.23 out of it across 5 coins. I then decided to hit up the strip. The strip is this area of the school between two storm drains that is like penny heaven. As you can see by the outcome, 30 pennies later.

I was back in the house by 5pm, so it was a relatively short hunt. But hey, 35 coins later I was happy.

January 8th, Tallwood Apartments

Well around 930p tonight I decided to head right outside my apartment and hunt the grass around the sand tot lot. It was a good time.

Spent right about an hour, and pulled $1.05 in clad as well as what I'm thinking is the little swivel lock to a window. It was a little chilly when I went out, figured just my zip up hoodie, and no gloves would be fine. Well I was wrong, my hands were starting to get really cold, ended up being like 37 F with a brisk wind.

Was great to be back on land diggin!

Better Late Than Never!

Well it's the end of yet another fine trip aboard the Ocean Odyssey. We had out last safety meeting of the trip, things were discussed, awards were handed out, helicopter video was watched... and yes, I was officially wished a Happy Birthday!

It came as a surprise, as nearly everyone on the boat had done so when it happened, on 12/30. But today the cooks came out with a great looking chocolate brownie cake, and even inscribed "Lebron the King" on it because of my basketball prowess here on the boat.

Speaking of which, the finals of our shooting contest were today. A best two out of three match which consisted of 3 minute rounds, score as much as you can. I lost the first match 12-10... I won the second 5-6 (I called the match after beat the other players score) and then the final make or break.... I LOST :( 20-12. The seas are pretty choppy out here, so it made shooting interesting. It was great fun though. And finishing 2nd is great in my book for anything.

SHOULD BE BACK ON LAND TOMORROW!

Easy Taco Bell @ Home

This one is for all you Taco Bell fans out there. I know there are plenty of you, so this should be a real treat. We all know that spending $20 at Taco Bell would land you a regular fast food tex-mex feast. However, I came up with this error proof recipe for one of their best treats, the Crunchwrap Supreme.

Mind you, all ingredients and amounts are at your discretion. The following is a recipe to make just one Crunchwrap.

What You Need:

1 - Large burrito sized flour tortilla
2 - Regular sized corn hard taco shells (or flat round tostada shells)
- A quantity of cooked ground beef (Chorrizo is a great substitute!)
- A quantity of refried beans
1/4c. - Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2Tbsp - Sour Cream
- Chopped Lettuce
1/8c. - Diced Tomato
1/8c. - Diced Onion
1/8c. - Diced Red Bell Pepper

How to Make It:

Start by placing your large flour tortilla flat on the counter. Spoon a good amount of the refried beans in the middle, and spread it around in a circular shape. Next, place your cooked meat on top of that. Cover with cheese.

Now take your two hard taco shells, and break them evenly in the middle, so that that form a circle when laid flat. Spoon the sour cream over the top of the shells, and then place on top of the cheese. Your beans/meat/cheese layers should NOT extend outside of the circle made by the hard taco shells.

Next, put down your lettuce and other veggies. Then proceed to carefully, but tightly fold the outer edges of the flour tortilla, over the top of your layered creation. It is okay to have a small opening on top, but not preferred.

Lastly, you'll wanted to have a lightly oiled skillet heated up to medium/high. Place your Crunchwrap flat side down, and then place something flat and heavy on top to compress your treat and keep the folds from opening. After bottom is lightly toasted, flip so that the folds are down, and again compress. Once both sides are crisp you're creation is done.

2009 MD Goals

Now that 2009 is upon us, and I'll be back on land come the 7th, it's time to outline some hobby related goals for myself. I live in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, which is full of history and old coins and relics should be around every corner. Well I have hardly found that corner. But I figure that maybe with a little more research, I should be able to achieve my goals quite easily.

2009 MD Goals

- Find at least ONE silver coin.
- Find at least 20 wheaties.
- Set a new OLDEST COIN record for myself. (Current is 1929.)
- Find at least one GOLD ring.
- Double my clad count from previous year. ( At least 1,132 coins.)
- Double my clad value from previous year. ( At least $52.66.)
- Hunt at least twice a week for each week I'm off the boat.

The are in respect to my 2008 goals, which I completed 83% of.

- Hunt at least once a week when on dry land CHECK
- Hit up more schools and tot lots, they seem to be producing CHECK
- Find at least 1 Silver Coin NOPE
- Find at least 1 Ring of any kind CHECK (Found 4)
- Set a new oldest coin record for myself CHECK (Found a 1929 Wheatie)
- To be an uber post wh0r3 and get into the Top 10 posters on FMDF CHECK (Currently #7)

Happy New Year: 2009 on the Ocean Odyssey

Yay! It's a start to a whole new year, and the celebrations were big everywhere. Above you'll see a photo of New York City's Time Square right after the ball had descended. Out here on the Ocean Odyssey, though local time we are on US CST, all of our software runs on GMT. So we celebrated both New Years.

Here below is a grouping of images from our celebrations here on the boat. We had a great time both on the eve of the holiday, as well as New Years itself. Nothing spectacular, no flare gun fireworks, and sadly, no cheap flute glasses filled with 0.5% red wine bubbled up with Diet 7Up. But we had some great food!

Roast pig on the spit.


Bread... oddly shaped like breasts?


Pig ready to eat!


Watermelon carving.


Dessert spread.


Baked chicken, dressed up like a turkey w/ guitar.


New Year's cake.


BBQ Lunch spread.


Julius grillin' up some BBQ prawns.


Enjoying the New Year with BBQ on the cable deck.