Clad coin hunting.

I would like opinions from the 'old time clad hunters' on your thoughts about hunting for clad and what you did with those coins.

Seems clad coin hunting is sinful now n days, and a waste of time for some.

I can tell you what I have done in the clad hunting time frame from 1999 (when my son was born and I decided to implement this strategy) until today.

At the end of every hunt, I would take my clad coins (all of them regardless of condition except the zinc pennies totally corroded from the salt water) and pitch them in a 5 gallon bucket. I would also take the silver worn coins and put them in a separate bucket.

As the end of the year came to a close, I would start to tumble/clean the clad and get them ready for conversion to good old fiat dollars at the bank. I would take all the worn silver to my coin dealer to do the same. On the conservative side of things, I would estimate it would be between $1,000 to $1,200 dollars a year. For this exercise, I am going to use $1,000.

I would take that $1,000 of fiat dollars and go back to my coin dealer, and convert them into gold bullion at the beginning of each new year. Doing the conversion for 1999, that would give me roughly 3.5 ounces of gold for the year. I was never worried about the premium I was paying or haggling over cost....it was FREE fiat dollars in my mind. Ok, I did spend money on gas, time, effort, etc. But the bottom line was, I was getting the gold dirt cheap.

So with that being said, using the above conservative figure of averaging $1,000 a year on clad and old worn silver coins, for the time frame from 1999 to 2018, that would equal 35 ounces of gold bullion today. It's more in reality, but I like being on the low end when estimating.

Not bad huh. I know, I could have spent it on a new TV, dinners, a trip. But I didn't. I sure like finding clad coins !



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2019 02:51PM by therover61.

Amen, brother

I use to clad stab with a Whites XL-PRO with the 4 Tone I.D. Tone Mod. The 4th Tone was Quarter up. I found a Bigfoot coil for it and would take it to big athletic fields. It was fun to find a pile of Quarters every time out and added up. I also used the RNB Rechargable battery Pac that would last forever. It was a fun time as use to be a old coin snob but started to run outta of spots so this helped get My MD fix. Kinda wish I still had that set up but sold it as needed the cash at the time to pay some medical bills or would still have it and leave that Bigfoot coil on as worked perfect with the fast sweep of the 4 filter XL-PRO. You could cover a lot of ground fast.

It's all about what makes you happy. Some people are in it for the sport of finding the old coins, they don't care about clad eve nif it could buy a new detector every year. Others like to see how much total $$$ they can dig in a year.

Clad stabbers used to get roasted in the early days of the forums because theres no skill, research, or dedicated equipment needed. It was looked at as "anybody can do that with the cheapest detectors". Some people still look at it like that, but lots of cladders look at silver and relic hunters with equal disdain. Spending hours or days for a handful of rust or a few coins with a value of maybe $5-10 seemes boring to them.

I've never gone out specifically for clad, but I wont turn it down either. I do like you do, save it up, cash it in and buy silver bullion rounds at the end of the year.

Never know when you are going to wake up in a different financial reality. I will always squat down for a penny. Get 100 free squats a day...feel pumped...free money.

Seated dimes...V's....Buffs at 1-2 inches where I hunt...I'm digging every bit of shallow clad.

My YouTube - [www.youtube.com]
Website - [www.thehuntergt.com]

Credit cards and less outdoor activities and more guys detecting have really hurt clad coin hunting...even in early days was my gas money..to each his own....
In retrospect would rather find one silver dime rather than a pocketful of clad...

This is one of those, that will just be better off saying, to each their own.

I don't enjoy clad hunting. I don't even like finding it, because there's nothing I can do with it to exchange it for anything. Banks and credit unions wont take dug clad coins around here, and I've not had a good success rate with tumble cleaned coins either; the mechanical counting machines at stores will still reject a large percentage of them. I don't specifically target digging it, so I don't really go to the parks, tot lots, etc. The only time I really consistently encounter it is during the summer when I'm water hunting for jewelry. I have a bad habit of emptying my finds pouch into the bed of my truck. I went over to my dad's garage a couple weeks ago to fix a broken tailgate latch on my truck. While I was doing that, my parents came out to the garage to visit with me. They have been teasing me about wanting me to get a new fishing boat. My mother leaned over my truck bed and about went crazy. She said "I bet there's enough quarters, nickels, and dimes in the bed of your truck to make a boat payment" haha. Maybe that'll be another forum contest...how much clad is in the back of Daniel's truck.

The only coins I bring in the house are the silver ones and indian head cent and older. If there's a trash can on the site I'm hunting, I will often just empty my pouch out and the clad goes in there with the junk. Other wise, it usually ends up in the bed of my truck.

I have been detecting since 1971. Back then there was a lot more silver and older coins to be found on school grounds and parks. I much prefer finding older coins but that is not to be for me where I live. Yes, I did like to get out in the pasture back then but today is a different story. Almost 30 years ago I moved do my current location. I quickly found out that there is nothing really old that can be found where I live as all the cities are new and there was never any old settlements. Our cities down here are mostly incorporated in the early 1900's or thereabouts. As I get older and more broken down, I still like metal detecting and still get out 3 or 4 times a week. Sometimes for 2 or 3 hours and sometimes for 30 minutes. Almost all of our schools are fenced and locked for the protection of the students and that mainly leaves our parks. Our parks are mainly new and have been hit many, many times. Even clad is getting hard to find. But I still get out. I clean my clad 3 or 4 times a year and deposit in into my savings account. I manage somewhere between 600 to 800 bucks a year in clad finds alone. I do not get out JUST for clad, but for anything of interest or value and jewelry as well. Every once in a while I still manage some silver coin as well. Yes, I am a clad stabber and will be until I die or can not detect any longer. I see nothing wrong with hunting for clad. To each his own.

The whole process to me is just exercise that otherwise I would not be willing to do. It encourages me to stay healthy having exercise that usually would not be fun.

Since 1972 I have been a old coin hunter at heart. I simply would rather recover silver coins, wheats, any old coin varieties. I, however, have no problem recovering clad and Memorials in my quest for old coins. In fact, quite often one must remove the clad to get the older coins. To me, clad and any jewelry that crops up is part of the hobby and I look at it as a bonus in my efforts for finding old coins. HH jim tn

As a inland jewelry hunter clad tells me whats going on; where people sit, where people pull their keys out of their pockets, where the hot spots are, stuff like that. I always clad hunt a new park or athletic field first to get the lay of the land. Clad buys my batteries and a detector accessory here and there. I typically end up some where around the $100 every year. I knew a guy around Atlanta (Pineapple) that banked about a &1000 a year in clad, and still had time to hunt plantations and such.

Yes, I pick up pennies off the sidewalk. I figure if I'll dig em I can pick em up. Of course I make a beep beep noise when I do it.

HH
Mike

jim tn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Since 1972 I have been a old coin hunter at heart.
> I simply would rather recover silver coins, wheats
> , any old coin varieties.

Jim..I hear ya brother. I don't go out specifically to hunt for clad. Maybe I should have re-worded the subject line. The first objective of every hunt for me is either old coins or gold jewelry. So when I hit a tot lot, I am looking for jewelry...but a lot of clad does get found and I won't specifically try to hunt mid tones for only gold. I will take the copper pennies all day long. I don't mind digging since I still can. I realize others can be limited and there are time constraints, etc. Glad to hear everyone's opinion. Also happy to hear some go out for the exercise and a good hour hunt finding anything is a bonus.

When I do hunt, I don't mind the clad because it ends up being converted to gold and silver anyway. That is my thought process.

When guys say it is too much of a pain or they are not interested in it, that is their choice. It just leaves more for me to convert later down the line. But I bet if they find a new coin spill, that money isn't thrown back in the hole and covered up !

Lot of my clad was chewed up partially by lawn mower. So basically useless. Haven’t dug much clad lately though.

Talk to your mailman...mine has found bills ones to twenties and lots of clad coins...and even several rings...And he don't even have a metal detector....he doesn't have to join a fitness club as he is in great shape from walking his route...

Mike Hillis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Yes, I pick up pennies off the sidewalk. I figur
> e if I'll dig em I can pick em up.

I am with you Mike. At least I am at this stage of my life. I remember when I was younger and wondered why my Dad would bend over picking up every coin he saw. He said ' I will pick up coins all day long if need be'. I use to walk by dimes in the parking lots...not any more. It 's more the principle of the thing...I don't need the money.

How's the Mojave working out ?

I can’t imagine having locations that could produce a $1000.00 a year in clad.
Especially year after year.
My parks are so pounded the only way you would come home with anywhere near a couple bucks
is if you accidentally come across a fresh quarter spill.

Somehow there are plenty of zinc cents though.

Bryan

Cabin Fever Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can’t imagine having locations that could produc
> e a $1000.00 a year in clad.
> Bryan

Bryan,

I hear what you are saying, but bear in mind I am talking about clad face value and the worn silver coins melt value.

So if you think of $1,000 a year total, that's about $20 a week. If you are lucky enough on one hunt during the week to find 2 silver quarters, that's about $5.00 melt at today's prices. Obviously the coin dealer is gonna take stuff off the top, so let's say you get $4 for them. That is 1/5 the total needed for the $20.

I now also have another source of clad that I throw in the bucket. Pocket change (Daniel...I will be making a trip down to scoop up the truck bed change !!). It adds up.

But you are correct, places are starting to dry up and it is getting harder and harder.

Daniel Tn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is one of those, that will just be better off
> saying, to each their own.
>
> I don't enjoy clad hunting. I don't even like find
> ing it, because there's nothing I can do with it t
> o exchange it for anything. Banks and credit unio
> ns wont take dug clad coins around here, and I've
> not had a good success rate with tumble cleaned co
> ins either; the mechanical counting machines at st
> ores will still reject a large percentage of them.
> I don't specifically target digging it, so I don't
> really go to the parks, tot lots, etc. The only ti
> me I really consistently encounter it is during th
> e summer when I'm water hunting for jewelry. I hav
> e a bad habit of emptying my finds pouch into the
> bed of my truck. I went over to my dad's garage a
> couple weeks ago to fix a broken tailgate latch on
> my truck. While I was doing that, my parents came
> out to the garage to visit with me. They have been
> teasing me about wanting me to get a new fishing b
> oat. My mother leaned over my truck bed and about
> went crazy. She said "I bet there's enough quarte
> rs, nickels, and dimes in the bed of your truck to
> make a boat payment" haha. Maybe that'll be anoth
> er forum contest...how much clad is in the back of
> Daniel's truck.
>
> The only coins I bring in the house are the silve
> r ones and indian head cent and older. If there's
> a trash can on the site I'm hunting, I will often
> just empty my pouch out and the clad goes in there
> with the junk. Other wise, it usually ends up in
> the bed of my truck.

any federal certified bank HAS to take your clad providing you tumble it or otherwise clean most of the dirt off. i'm a relic hunter and yer i still find my share of clad. i save it up until i have enough to buy some gold with it. free gold is a nice investment. just sayin'.

I don't mind digging clad coins. Here in Canada folks lose $1 and $2 coins on a renewing basis. No $1 paper bills up here. And no more pennies in circulation.
Folks lose those $1-2 coins like people lose quarters in the US. So clad up here adds up fast. Not uncommon in the larger cities for someone to find up to $40 a day. My best was $28 in one day.
And I will make a plug for Nokta/Makro machines, the Impact, Kruzer and the Anfibio loves modern Ca clad. My number 1 clad hunter.

DeepTech Vista X with 3 search coils.
Works for me

I get a couple hundred a year from beach hunting. Coin Star and a gift certificate to a restaurant.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2019 01:02AM by goodmore.

martygene Wrote:

>
> any federal certified bank HAS to take your clad p
> roviding you tumble it or otherwise clean most of
> the dirt off. i'm a relic hunter and yer i still f
> ind my share of clad. i save it up until i have en
> ough to buy some gold with it. free gold is a nice
> investment. just sayin'.


Nope, completely wrong. Just go ask them. Banks are private business and they dont HAVE to take anything. Just like your city clerk doesn't have to accept $1000 in pennies to pay a utility bill, or the corner gas station has to take a $100 bill just because its a legal tender note.

I have 2 grades of coarse wire wheels on an electric grinder. I grab a coin with a pliers and clean the grungy clad that way. works well and its pretty quick. Brings back the shine on most dimes and quarters.

Back when I used to get a lot of clad, I was turned down at every bank I went to. These days I use CoinStar and get full face value with Amazon or Home Depot credit. That's not very often though as clad is becoming pretty scarce.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2019 07:52AM by Badger in NH.

Badger,

There were a few banks near me where they had an automatic coin counting machine that is no longer there. I think it may have been worked too hard or people tried to throw other stuff in there to try to fool it. They shut that thing down.

My regular bank now has the sign up that the coin machine is not working a lot of times. So it is getting rough. Coinstar seems the only way to go now. At least the Walmart's have them as a last resort.

Much easier back in the day in both finding clad, older coins and trading them in for fiat bucks to convert to PM's.

I have 3 big jars of pocket change clad sitting in the garage and I am wondering what the heck to do with it. Still have to tumble a bunch of the ones I found in the ground.

May be my last hurrah and will just continue as always purchasing PM's via the paper fiat buck conversion.

I'm one of the fortunate I guess as my bank has never hassled me when cashing in my clad. I do tumble and roll it and do batches every three months or so. Which, on average, is $50. in coins. That way they don't to deal with a ton of coins at one time, nor, myself, either. I don't thus deal with coin star fees and p o bank employees when having to unjam the machine. Rainy days are good clad cleaning days and I view clad cleaning as a part of the hobby. HH jim tn

Coinstar charges no fee if you go with an egift card instead of cash. I usually get a Amazon or Home Depot card.

My credit union won't take it loose but they will take it rolled.

Hope to take the Mojave fitted with the Cleansweep coil out this Sunday. Got a good 4" inches of snow last weekend so I haven't done anything but bench test.

HH
Mike

Sven1 just educated me today. Didn’t realize that Canada had done away with the dollar bill. Finding one and two coins would definitely be nice. Hopefully the US will follow suit and do the same. I know we have dollar coins but need to get rid of the bills to promote the coinage. Makes too good of sense, so probably won’t happen!

Mike Hillis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hope to take the Mojave fitted with the Cleansweep
> coil out this Sunday. Got a good 4" inches of sn
> ow last weekend so I haven't done anything but ben
> ch test.

COOL ! That's what I wanted to hear...how the Cleansweep fairs.

Take your time and use it. We got snow too.

I've been hunting for 20 years now and average 300 bucks a year, if I go to the beach more during the summer it's a lot more , I have a bank with a coin machine that sorts the money and it goes into my saving acount,the silver and gold I just hord, I use the clad money each year for oil, I live near Portland and I have over 30 playground ,5 beaches and tons of farm fields around me, the farm fields are the tough ones to get on, my area was settle in the 1630, so there is a lot of old stuff here PS:, beach hunting , relic hunting coin hunting, it's all the same to me, I go out digging 3 to 5 day a week and dig metal, exercize and fun, I just wish there wasn't so many Micky D's around my area