Definition
An iron pin is the metal stake a surveyor drives into the ground to mark your property corners. It's usually about half an inch thick, 18-30 inches long, and driven nearly flush with the ground. These humble little markers are legally what proves your property boundaries.
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Iron pins are most common property boundary markers in modern surveys. Standard dimensions: about 1/2 inch diameter, 18-30 inches long, driven flush or slightly below ground. Iron pins are used because: durable (last decades), standardized (surveyors know to look for them), affordable, easy to locate with metal detectors. Iron pins placed: at each property corner, at important boundary points, sometimes along boundaries. Pros: standardized, durable, easily located. Cons: can be lost (removed by accident/theft), degraded (corrosion), or moved. Professional surveys locate existing pins, place new ones if needed. Property owners sometimes lose track of pins: buried under vegetation, paved over, or removed. Re-establishing pins requires new survey. Understanding iron pins: they're standard boundary reference. Protecting pins: don't remove or damage them; they prove boundaries.
Pro Tip
Locate the iron pins at your property corners and protect them. If they go missing, re-establishing boundaries requires a new survey. Some people have lost pins to construction, paving, or theft. Protect them like they're valuable—because they are.
Example
Surveyor places 1/2" iron pin 24" long at each property corner, flush with ground, marked with brass cap identifying surveyor.