Well it certainly was a Good Friday for me after 5 months of no hammered coins and very little else to shout about, but more on that in a mo.
Myself and Jaydogg headed towards the glorious VOG today to a new site to me, but one he had visited recently. We were both sporting Explorer II's with Jaydogg having just received a new DD coil, and within minutes of entering the stubble he hit a 1916 sixpence! Well done mate - nice to break in the coil with some silver!
We then had a barren spell, until we stumbled across a fox suspended on a barb wire fence {why do people display them in such a way? I have seen them 3 times now - is it to warn other foxes?} Anyway Jaydogg being his usual mystical self saw it as a sign of good luck!
If a rabbit, sheep or even a pidgeon passes us on route to the fields he always comments on it "Being a sign!".On this occasion he was right! Shortly after whilst following a well worn path between the fields I found a big old lump of machine turned silver possibly from a walking stick or something similar. things were looking up! {
I just tried the old foil test on it and it stinks of eggs - so silver it is, but no hallmarks.}
I then headed towards the entrance of a field we couldn't go on, and there in the tiny bit of pasture leading into it I found a deliberately folded hammered coin! Woohoo - my first in 5 months and hopefully the end of the hex. No idea who it is yet, need to take some time and have a go at unfolding it! More on that tomorrow.
I also found a late medieval buckle broken in two parts in the same bit of grass. Anyone who knows me knows that I love finding buckles as they are a personal item - someone way back when would have picked this design for what ever reason and I just like finding them.
It was getting towards the end of the day so I headed towards the other entrance {which again had a tiny bit of grass just as you enter} and low and behold at merely 2 inches popped out a hammered shortcross coin - slap bang in the middle of the gates.
Who says you need to go deep!
It's a toss up between Henry II, Richard, John and Henry III. I personally hope it turns out to be a Henry II or John Penny as I have found the others previously. Nice to find something from the late 1100's though which literally thousands of people must have walked over due to its location. strange how close to the surface it was.
The day was almost over and as we were getting ready to go, JayDogg had another signal - last hole of the day and out pops a 1921 sixpence. The first hole and last hole - both sixpences for him - he should have just had a nap for the 5 hours in between.
Its a funny old game!
I am off to The Griffin tonight to celebrate the end of my hex, and get well and truly drunk! Well it is Good Friday - how else are you supposed to celebrate it?
Cheers
Neil
