2/26/22 Report - Finds From a Brief Mudlarking Trip. Equinox Conductivity Numbers On Some Half Dollar Coins.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.

Ceramic Doll Body

I went out to do a little mudlarking.  There was more visible than the last few times I went out, but I only found a couple keepers.  One was the baby doll body shown above.  I think it is probably pre 1940.  It is in great conditions for its age.  The body is a thin and fragile, and I don't know how it survived so long without being broken.  Unfortunately, it has no identifying marks.  It makes me think of the kids that lived in the area decades ago.

I know next to nothing on vintage dolls.  I think this one would be described as a jointed bisque doll that would have had glass eyes.  I'd guess at least prewar, before plastic dolls became common.  If you can correct or add to any of that, please do.  

Here are a few of the dolls and figurines I've found in the past.

Vintage Mudlarking Finds From the Past.

And here is the newly found doll with a Coca Cola bottle that was found during the same hunt.

Two Recent Mudlarking Find.

I saw some vintage bottles in addition to the West Palm 6 oz. Coca Cola Bottle shown above.  A couple I would have liked if they were not broken.  There was a vintage 16 oz. Diet-Rite Cola bottle and the bottom of an Oshkosh Wisconsin Coca Cola bottle.

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I just did some tests on four half dollar coins. The coins in the sample included a 1968 Kennedy half dollar, two 1960 and 1954 Benjamin half dollars, a 1939 Walking Liberty half.

I used the Equinox metal detector in mode 1.

The Kennedy half dollar coin is 40% silver and 60% copper, weighs 11.5 grams, has a diameter of 30.6 millimeters, and has a melt value of $3.58.

The other three coins are 90% silver and 10% copper, and roughly the same size and weight.

One of the two Franklin halves is bright and shiny, and the other is black from surface corrosion.

The results were as follows.

The Kennedy half showed conductivity numbers of 31and 32.

All three other coins rang up consistently as 33 or 34.

I found it interesting that the 40% silver coin consistently showed lower numbers that the 90% silver coins.  So when coins are of similar size and weight, such a difference in composition will result in slightly different conductivity numbers.  That should be the case, I would think, however, in the field, those conductivity numbers might not make a big difference to the detectorist.  I don't know how many people would react differently to a target showing a 31 or 32 reading as opposed to a 33 or 34.  And other factors such as depth, coin position, junk or mineralization could make those readings less consistent, and therefore significant.

The other coins rang up consistently as 33 or 34.  I included the one that was more corroded to see if that made any difference, and it did not appear to, at least in this brief test.

I plan on some additional tests with other coins, including some with coins of other denominations.

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Unite with those standing for peace.

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A slightly decreasing surf is predicted for the next few days.  The tides are moderate.

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