Fed my detecting finds through a flour sifter and got way more than I bargained for

I was sorting through a bag of dirt from an old farmhouse site near Lancaster and got tired of picking out coins one by one. Grabbed a regular kitchen flour sifter from the dollar store, maybe $3, and started shaking small batches through it. Ended up catching a 1919 wheat penny and a worn down Indian head that I would have completely missed sifting by hand. The dirt crumbles way faster and you get better visibility. Just don't tell my wife where her sifter went. Anyone else use weird household stuff for your dirt processing?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_nina1mo ago

Held my breath reading that... my wife still gives me side eye for "borrowing" her good measuring cups for dirt sorting. Now I'm wondering what else in the kitchen could double as detecting gear... maybe a colander for the next batch?

reese_perry61mo ago

Oh man I totally get that side eye! I did the exact same thing with my wife's fine mesh strainer and let me tell you, I'm still not fully forgiven. The thing worked perfectly for sifting through some river gravel I brought home from a prospecting trip, but she found a few tiny pebbles stuck in the mesh the next time she tried to rinse rice. I tried to argue that the dirt was practically sterile and the rocks were clean, but that argument went over like a lead balloon. Now I have my own dedicated set of thrift store colanders and strainers stashed in the garage. That colander idea is actually genius for the next batch, just make sure you get one with holes small enough to catch the tiny stuff. Your wife might not appreciate you grabbing the good one from the cabinet though, trust me on that one!