Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Sandusky Couple Conquer Fairgrounds


"The Sandusky County Fair ended Sunday night. It is likely that Monday morning several "treasure hunters" were working the fairgrounds with their metal detectors, seeking coins or other treasures that may have been lost there this past week.

Two of these hunters were Carolyn and Jim Smallets, of rural Clyde, who have been having fun with their metal detectors for more than 30 years. Jim, now retired from Whirlpool, said he had always had an interest in metal detecting, and received his first metal detector as a Christmas gift. He quickly tried it out on the frozen ground. He got a strong signal and worked hard to dig up his first find -- a large metal spike from an eavestrough. Since then he has found real treasures."

Read more HERE.

New Link Partner


Just a notice to everyone, and a big welcome to the sites newest link exchange partner, Stout Standards.

For those of you who don't know, Mr. Dick Stout is a celebrity of sorts in the MD community. Having worked for a couple major US brands, author of "The New Metal Detecting, The Hobby", and a founding member of the FMDAC, Mr. Stout sure knows a thing or two and his personal website is full of stories, pictures, and tips that hobbyists at any stage in their career could appreciate. Give him a read your next time through :)

Monday, August 30, 2010

Saskatchewan "Sand Sharks"


"Jim, Don and the two Waynes have no use for the old schoolyard bully taunt, "Finders keepers, losers weepers." None whatsoever.

Unless, that is, the weeping is for joy and surprise, a large part of what keeps their crew searching, and putting what's lost back to its rightful owners.

Out on the beaches of Saskatchewan, waving their metal detectors and wading the lake in wetsuits, is where to find the Sand Sharks, pals Wayne Huzina, Wayne Stender, Don Munro and Jim Kish, occasionally joined by wives or friends. A seriously playful bunch..."

Read more HERE.

David Lovering: Rocker, Magician, MD Hobbyist?


After researching a bit about Bill Wyman, I found evidence that another member of a well known rock band is also pretty big into our hobby. Turns out the drummer from the 80's and early 90's group Pixies is also an avid hobbyist.

On his Twitter account @davidlovering he lists one of the things he enjoys as "metal detecting." And in an interview with a New Zealand new srouce, when asked about stories they've heard of him wandering around unearthing treasures, he is quoted as saying, "I like finding things with it, it's exciting. You never know what is going to turn up - it's a fun hobby. I've found an engagement ring, a cocktail ring. I live in Los Angeles, so when I'm in other cities I go out walking around and looking."

David is a self-described "Scientific Phenomenalist," and has a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Flashback 2007: Bill Wyman


I bought my first metal detector in the second half of 2005, it was a Garrett ACE 250, bought it from the Navy Exchange system, more specifically, AAFES online. I didn't even really use it until around 2008 when I really picked up the hobby. I remember, just before joining FMDF, or thinking about the hobby seriously, I was browsing online about the various machines and I came across the most unlikely thing... a "celebrity" sponsored metal detector?

Recently a member on FMDF posted about the same machine and I thought I'd bring the wonder and amazement I felt from seeing it for the first time here, to share with you all, as many of you might have never even heard of it... especially those of you like me here in the US.

In April of 2007 Bill Wyman, 30-year veteran bass player from the Rolling Stones and avid amateur archaeologist, got together with C-Scope (a well known UK MD brand) to develop, market and release a "Signature Series" metal detector. Sadly, I don't believe there are any US dealers of C-Scope, and it's a round-a-bout thing to order directly from C-Scope and have anything shipped here. If you do look into one, expect to pay about $180 USD + shipping for brand new.

Check out a plug from 2007 regarding it HERE.




I have no experience with the machine, nor do I know anyone who does. It appears to be a more entry level VLF machine... similar to maybe a a Tesoro Compadre? If any of my readers in the UK happen to have one willing to sell and ship at a thrifty price, please contact me, I'd love to give it a go.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

We Lost Our Gold Episode 5



Keep watching!!! Next episode on Sept 5th!


WE LOST OUR GOLD

What Does SHE Have to Do With MD'ing?


No, no, no. I didn't fall of the rocker and put up this eye candy just for well... eye candy. The gorgeous blonde above is none other than the British actress Jennifer Ellison.

She recently lost her wedding ring(s) in Blair Drummond Safari Park near Sterling in the UK and hired a metal detector to find it.

Read more HERE.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Sudanese Gold Detecting


"Dust-covered miners criss-cross Sudan's Nubian desert, absorbed by the drone of the pan-shaped metal detectors with which they scour the ground in search of gold.

The desert, about 500 kilometres (310 miles) northeast of Khartoum, draws thousands of fortune seekers, some of whom have arrived in their 4X4 vehicles and set up tents equipped with water barrels and enough food for weeks.

But it is also home to ancient relics from the Nubian kingdom, one of the earliest civilisations in the Nile valley, and archaeologists and officials fear that a crucial part of Sudan's heritage is being effaced as the miners pillage or accidentally damage the sites."

Read more HERE.

Monday, August 23, 2010

NJ Hobbyist Turned Shop Owner


"For more than 25 years, Ronnie DeGhetto has had a fever— gold fever that is.

The lifelong borough resident is a self-proclaimed treasure hunter and owner of The Gold Digger — a metal detector and treasure hunting business.

It was a love of old pirate movies that got DeGhetto out on the search for treasure.

His treasure hunting days date back to his early teens when he purchased his first metal detector. Since then, he’s scoured local parks and the New Jersey coastline and has uncovered a host of goodies, ranging from diamond rings to souvenir spoons and Colonial pennies."

Read more HERE.

Visit Ronnie's shop HERE.

Image Credits: Rick Epstein

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

College Thesis Leads to Confederate Find


"Preserved for nearly 150 years, perhaps by its own obscurity, a short-lived Confederate prison camp began yielding treasures from the Civil War almost as soon as archeologists began searching for it in southeastern Georgia.

They found a corroded bronze buckle used to fasten tourniquets during amputations, a makeshift tobacco pipe with teeth marks in the stem, and a picture frame folded and kept after the daguerreotype it held was lost.

Georgia officials say the discoveries, announced Wednesday, were made by a 36-year-old graduate student at Georgia Southern University who set out to find Camp Lawton for his thesis project in archaeology."

Read more HERE.
Read even more HERE.

Image Credits: Suzanne Oliver / Georgia Southern University

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Thursday, August 12, 2010

MD Tourist Learns Rules the Hardway


"A Hull (UK) man has spoken of his ordeal after he used a metal detector – and was promptly arrested by Greek authorities.

Paul Douglas, 43, of Edgeware Lane, east Hull, says his sunshine break on the holiday isle of Crete was ruined.

Mr Douglas was staying in the resort of Stalis with his wife Victoria, 38, and son Daniel, 14, son when he left them sleeping to hunt for Euro coins on a beach.

But police handcuffed him on Malia beach – a mecca for Brit holiday-makers – and took him to a nearby police station, where he was locked-up for 13 hours."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: BBC

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Big Thanks to Troy - Coils

This morning I had to hop on a blame and head down here to Mobile, AL for work I received a message from my CO huntin' buddy Troy (Digger Maggoo on FMDF). He informed me that there was a local Craig's List ad for three coils, which he thought might work for my White's XLT.

Well I'm glad he thought of it! Because now I'm 5 coils deep with my XLT and really, I have something for any type of condition... from open fields to trashy lots.



As pictured, I just landed the following coils, with coil covers for $80 total. First from the left is the White's "Snooper" Blue Max 350. Next is the White's "Deepscan" Blue max 600, and lastly the White's "Precision Scan" Blue Max 800. I already scored the White's Blue Max 4x6 DD from my buddy Dave up in CT, and along with my stock 950 coil, I have the whole gang.

But again, a huge thanks to Troy. I couldn't be in town to get them, so he scooped them up for me before someone else did. Can't thank him enough.

Hobbyist Finds Alleged Murder Weapon


"A volunteer searcher found the handgun believed to have been used in Friday's shooting death of Jackson police officer Glen Agee.

Joe Barnett of Clinton - a 55-year-old metal detector hobbyist who works as a logistics coordinator for Entergy - located the 9mm Glock just before 9 a.m. Tuesday in a drainage ditch near Mississippi 18 and County Farm Road.

Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin said such help is a great example of how the private sector comes together to aid government in times of need."

Read more HERE.

UK Hobbyist Surveys Hometown


"An amateur archaeologist from Parwich has spent 18 months exploring fields around his village and found items dating back to the Bronze Age.

Armed with a metal detector, Ian Pitts spent around 1,000 hours carrying out a systematic survey around Parwich and Alsop-en-le-Dale and recorded all of his findings."

Read more HERE.

Image credits: Ashbourne News Telegraph

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Group Hunt Finds Stolen Jewelry


"A group of metal detecting enthusiasts helped the Black Mountain Police Department find some stolen jewelry last week.

The jewelry was stolen in a string of home break-ins last month. Five Black Mountain residents were arrested in the case.

The Black Mountain Police approached the metal detecting enthusiasts and gave them the approximate location of where they thought the suspected criminals disposed of some items."

Read more HERE.

Click HERE for a thread from one of the members involved, showing a few images.

Photo not of actual stolen jewelry.

Back to Longmont


I made it back out to Longmont again today, this time by myself. My mission was to hit up the third park on my list that Troy and I were not able to get to. This was Collyer Park. As with the parks yesterday, this one is old... but I definitely a day late and a buck short. They did have this sweet buffalo/bison carved out of the of the old trees though.



At one point, not very long into my hunt, a middle aged Mexican gentleman came over to me and asked if I spoke Spanish. I told him enough to get by and we exchanged a few sentences his telling me about gold in Mexico yadda yadda, then he asked me how much one like mine costs and when I told him he said it was too rich a hobby for his blood. I entertained him long enough and he was on his way. About half an hour after that, a group of "special needs" kids were enjoying the park, and two came over to ask me about what I was doing. You might not believe it, but yes... I was nice :) Though for the next hour one of them was at about 20 paces away following me around.

Not much else to it today folks, so here it is, 57 coins @ $3.57. Today's hunt nets me my 2nd most monthly coin total since I started as well as being the most in face value in a given month during my metal detecting career, yippe!


High Dollar Ring Lost During Proposal


"When Matt Cawley popped the big question to girlfriend Stacey Scanlon, it's fair to say it could've gone better.

"Just another chapter in the book," said Cawley. "I was like 'Here we go!'"

"I feel like it's a story that'll be passed along in our families forever," added Scanlon.

They're talking about the loss of a $9,000 diamond engagement ring -- a family heirloom."

Read more HERE.

Image credits: WBZ 38

Lawful Hobbyist Finds Gold 'Treasure' Again!


"A metal detecting enthusiast hunting in Stanford Dingley on St Valentine’s Day, appropriately found a gold Roman ring.

Steven Fenton from Ealing was searching with his metal detector in a field with the permission of the landowner on February 14, last year, when he found the ring.

Coroner Peter Bedford held a treasure trove inquest in Newbury on Wednesday to decide whether the ring was old enough and precious enough to be declared treasure."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: getReading.com

Monday, August 9, 2010

Old Parks in Longmont

I met up with Troy again at 7am this morning and we shoved off to Longmont, CO. We know of a fellow hobbyist, new to the game, who lives up there, and though he couldn't join us, we took it upon ourselves to raid his territory.



After taking the "long way" and getting a nice oral history of how much things have changed over the last 30 years, we finally arrived at our first destination, Thompson Park. A little research had shown that this was a turn of the century park, and well, how could you not want to hunt something like that!?

After about half an hour of fending off mosquitoes I came across a solid "gold range" hit near the base of a large tree. It was shallow, and oddly enough didn't give a VDI. It only took a second to pry it from the roots and I had what looked like a gold colored earring backing. Troy wasn't far away so I walked over to show him, hoping it was gold. As it would turn out later on back at home, and with a little cleaning, it's marked "14TK", woohoo, GOLD!



As Troy made his rounds of the tot lot, I kept hunting the grass, not far from a small shelter when I got a nice strong quarter hit. I love quarter hits, and I'll dig 'em all day. About 2" down I found my target, a $2.50 token for my hometown metal detecting shop, Gold-N-Detectors in Golden. Two things ran through my mind: 1) Bill (the owner) had either just randomly seeded parks around the area (which I hear he did), or 2) the Eureka Treasure club had hit this park and it could have been a leftover seeded item for a club hunt. Either way, still a neat find :)



For the next hour or so, I just made it across the large open green area. Troy made it over to the gazebo where he read some history about the park, one being that military troops had camped there way back in the day before marching down main street. If only we were 30 years sooner at this location and in the hobby. My meandering stumbled me across two $0.60+ coin spills as well as a spill involving about twelve pennies that I just rubbed my VibraProbe across the surface to round up.




I also happened across a flattened disc that showed in the low to mid 70s on my VDI, I'm thinking copper penny when I dig it. It goes in my stash apron and when I get home, and take a sponge to it, I find out what it was... a smashed wheatie! You can vaguely tell the side with Lincoln's head, and the other side you can see one of the wheat ears and even see the "ON C" from the words ONE CENT. Pretty cool.




Growing tired of not really finding much, we took a break at Wal*Mart to get some mosquito repellent, and then headed over to location number two, Alta Park. This park wasn't much bigger than a lot a small house might be on, but it was also late 1800s and it just had to be hit. This park was a big bust though, neither of us found much as we covered the whole place; though I did find on old folding knife in the roots of a tree.



But the day wasn't over yet, it was just hitting lunch time and I had a place in mind... Duffy's Cherry Cricket in the Cherry Creek area of Denver. It's a cool little burger joint / bar that I found out about via my Captain, Wolfgang, on the Geco Searcher. He was watching The Travel Channel one day and the restaurant was featured on the show, Man v. Food. He told me I had to go and get pics and have a great burger... so I did.





We had a great time. We munched some killer food, and even spied the President of the Colorado Avalanche, Pierre Lacroix, just a few tables away (yellow arrow pointing at him).



Hope you enjoyed the pics, and here's the last two with our totals for the day (which includes a neat Denver Bass pro Shop pressed penny from Troy). Myself with 52 coins @ 2.73.



Sunday, August 8, 2010

Olde Town Arvada


This afternoon I decided to do a little research on the net in one of the other towns close by... Arvada. They have just as much, if not more history than Golden, and I hoped to pick out a silver coin from one of the two spots I had chosen.



First up was Lawrence Elementary on the corner of Grandview & Zephyr. My research told me that this used to be the spot of the first Arvada High School. They still had a nice grassy field in the back, and it seemed a logical place to hunt. But as it is around here, I definitely was not the first to the punch. I scrambled around and found a little over $0.30 at best. But I did land this sweet Colossus X-Men action figure and a very small Apple charm with an American flag theme :)




I was actually kind of let down at this point. Such a great spot, been mulled over time and time again I'm sure, but sheesh, throw me a bone here. I made it down to the corner of Ralston & Upham were from what I found out, was located the first park in Arvada, McIlvoy Park. So named from the man Dennis McIlvoy who deeded the city his property upon his death and they turned it into a park. His home is now the meeting place of the Arvada Historical Society... so I was kind of reluctant to get out and hunt the park. But I did without issue.



I sort of meandered along. The only "older" looking trees were in the strip between the park and the street, and those didn't produce. The two large trees in the middle of the park held promise, but that soon faded. I was able to score an above ground $0.50 cent pocket spill made up of a quarter, two dimes and five pennies.



I was able to nudge out a little more clad and ended up with 34 coins @ $1.96 on the day... which some say isn't too bad for two locations that have been pounded.


We Lost Our Gold Episode 2



The hunt continues!


WE LOST OUR GOLD

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Local School Hunt

Having put out a notice to local CO folks on FMDF to see if anyone was game to get together this weekend, and getting no replies, I decided to get out by myself. I had did a little research, mistaking the high school on a 1882 map of Golden with the same spot that Mitchell Elementary now sits on. But in doing so I was able to learn that in 1931, Central School was built and became what is now Mitchell, so to me that sounded like a good chance for silver.



I headed out just after lunch time and actually ended up stopping at New Loveland Mine Park, which is a block away from the school. It was built in 1996, so I wasn't expecting much, thus I wasn't disappointed by the meager $0.33 I pulled. I did land a neat little monkey charm in the tot lot though.



After messing around there, I headed up the street to the school. I'm not naive enough to think I was going to score tons of silver here... Colorado, and my area especially has loads of hobbyists who get out everyday, and I'm sure this place has been picked over. But I went at it for a few hours anyhow. Strangely, the two tot lots at the school had nothing, no coins, no trash, nothing. But I'd say about 90% of the clad I found here was in the grassy area right in front of the main entrance. Within about 2 feet of the sidewalk on either side dime and quarters just starting popping.



I took a break for a few minutes before tackling the large baseball/soccer field and got this pic of the School of Mines "M" in the side of the mountain. It was originally put there in 1908.



So right, next was the large task of the athletic field. It being a new spot I decided to do the wandering around technique and just hope to score. The area between the two soccer goals seemed most promising, and it did happen to work out. Just outside the far goal I scored a quarter hit, which happened to be a quarter. But then after digging it, I rescanned the area and came up with a weird signal that would not display a VDI, but the signograph on my XLT had a nice grouping of bars in the "gold range". I dug and bam, about 3 inches down I nailed this ring. No apparent markings, and the stones are obviously fake, but it does have a nice gold color to it.



It was a good days take, landed 43 coins @ $3.63.


Friday, August 6, 2010

Frontline Metal Detecting


"Guardsman James Stephenson is just 20 years old, but when the soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the Coldstream Guards leave their base in the Babaji area of Helmand, he leads the patrol. Stephenson's nickname is "Steveo", but on duty in Afghanistan, everyone calls him "Vallon Man". The Vallon is the metal detector used to sweep for bombs – and being a Vallon Man is one of the army's most dangerous jobs.

The last five years have seen a sharp increase in the use of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) in Afghanistan. According to figures leaked last month, the number of IEDs increased from 308 in 2004 to 7,155 last year; a total of 16,000 were planted in those five years, killing at least 7,000 Afghan civilians."

Read more HERE.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Nebraska Couple Enlists MD to Find Ring


"Who would have thought a lost wedding ring in Enders Lake would be found six days later?

It seemed like a long shot, but with some persistence, faith and a lot of prayers Derek and Amber Russell of Imperial did just that last week. “I’m still pretty emotional about it,” Amber said this week.

Amber, Derek and their two children joined other members of the Russell family at the lake for a weekend of camping July 23-25.

After just a couple of hours in the water on a jet ski and playing some volleyball, Amber noticed the ring on her left hand finger was gone."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: The Imperial Republican