Metal detecting!

HappyHippyDad · Oct 11, 2024

I just wondered if there are any other metal detectorists here?

My hobbies are exercise, metal detecting and chess.... as opposed to drinking beer, 20 years ago

Today's find was an 1806 George III Penny. A day out walking in fields, woods and an orchard, whilst hunting for treasure

7029 Dave · Oct 11, 2024

HappyHippyDad said:
I just wondered if there are any other metal detectorists here?

My hobbies are exercise, metal detecting and chess.... as opposed to drinking beer, 20 years ago

Today's find was an 1806 George III Penny. A day out walking in fields, woods and an orchard, whilst hunting for treasure

View attachment 17147

Nice find Steve

Andy™ · Oct 11, 2024

does this count?

kerching · Oct 11, 2024

Andy™ said:
does this count?

View attachment 17149

You should be inducted into the hall of fame for that

Fleeting · Oct 12, 2024

Items like old coins fascinate me no matter their age. Where have they been what have they done, have they travelled the world in various pockets and purses or were they new and lost in a field on day one.

Phoenix · Oct 12, 2024

Andy™ said:
does this count?

Wrong way round mate, you are meant to have the detector above the ground and look for metal below it, not t'other way round. You don't get to keep any valuable items you find doing it your way

HappyHippyDad · Oct 12, 2024

Fleeting said:
Items like old coins fascinate me no matter their age. Where have they been what have they done, have they travelled the world in various pockets and purses or were they new and lost in a field on day one.

Completely agree. My mind starts drifting to hundreds of hears ago when the coin was dropped. Why was it dropped, who dropped it. What were they doing.
On the same day I found a silver fork in an orchard. I started imagining a rather splendid and posh picnic from many years ago. It's a very peaceful but fascinating and thought provoking hobby.

Fleeting · Oct 12, 2024

Churches are the same for me especially worn flag stones I think of all the footfall that did that and what their lives would have been like.

Andy™ · Oct 12, 2024

Phoenix said:
Wrong way round mate, you are meant to have the detector above the ground and look for metal below it, not t'other way round. You don't get to keep any valuable items you find doing it your way

i knew i was doing something wrong

Oldman22 · Oct 12, 2024

I once detected a field I usually detect just beaches as I live close to the sea and have no permissions available near by.
I once detected a field and got lots of knives forks and spoons, all 20th century stuff and valueless. Turns out the local schools used to have the pig man round to collect all the food scraps and the kids used to scrape the plates into the swill bucket along with their cutlery!
I get mostly bullets on my local beach, lead fishing weights and lots of melted alloy scraps. A few gold rings in summer from cold shrunken fingers swimming. There were live firing ranges here in WW2 hence the bullets as they used to tow targets for the beach to try and hit.
I bought my detector because I fish as a hobby and get no exercise from that, so it was a dog or detector.

HappyHippyDad · Oct 12, 2024

Oldman22 said:
I once detected a field I usually detect just beaches as I live close to the sea and have no permissions available near by.
I once detected a field and got lots of knives forks and spoons, all 20th century stuff and valueless. Turns out the local schools used to have the pig man round to collect all the food scraps and the kids used to scrape the plates into the swill bucket along with their cutlery!
I get mostly bullets on my local beach, lead fishing weights and lots of melted alloy scraps. A few gold rings in summer from cold shrunken fingers swimming. There were live firing ranges here in WW2 hence the bullets as they used to tow targets for the beach to try and hit.
I bought my detector because I fish as a hobby and get no exercise from that, so it was a dog or detector.

Good detective work.
You've actually found the 'real' story behind your finds.

The only down side is my 52 year old back is now aching.
I can run, cycle and lift weights without issue, but a bit twisting and digging and the back says NO!

Oldman22 · Oct 12, 2024

I made a sling and attached a bungy cord, it almost carries the detector just above ground level. I also don't have to put it down when digging, it just sort of hangs beside me. I don't clip my arm into it either so when I let go it just sort of follows me

HappyHippyDad · Oct 12, 2024

Oldman22 said:
I made a sling and attached a bungy cord, it almost carries the detector just above ground level. I also don't have to put it down when digging, it just sort of hangs beside me. I don't clip my arm into it either so when I let go it just sort of follows me

Good advice, thanks.

Richard-the-Ninth · Oct 12, 2024

For what it's worth................
Seen this bloke on YT looks on the beach, he has (For want of a better description) a very small excavator bucket (No, I really mean small) on a "stick" it's covered in holes, when his detector "beeps" he pushes his "bucket" into the sand with his foot and lifts it up, any water runs through the holes, he scans the hole, and repeats until the beep only comes from what he just excavated. Interesting.................for 5 minutes.

HappyHippyDad · Oct 12, 2024

Richard-the-Ninth said:
For what it's worth................
Seen this bloke on YT looks on the beach, he has (For want of a better description) a very small excavator bucket (No, I really mean small) on a "stick" it's covered in holes, when his detector "beeps" he pushes his "bucket" into the sand with his foot and lifts it up, any water runs through the holes, he scans the hole, and repeats until the beep only comes from what he just excavated. Interesting.................for 5 minutes.

My detecting buddy uses one of those. He loves it as it involves less bending down. He's 6'7", bad back and a heart condition, so any help is greatly appreciated.
I'm happy with my spade and trowel, at least for now. In another 10 years I may give it a go!

Oldman22 · Oct 13, 2024

I made mine

https://mikefettles.blogspot.com/2018/

Stevie G · Oct 14, 2024

HappyHippyDad said:
I just wondered if there are any other metal detectorists here?

My hobbies are exercise, metal detecting and chess.... as opposed to drinking beer, 20 years ago

Today's find was an 1806 George III Penny. A day out walking in fields, woods and an orchard, whilst hunting for treasure

View attachment 17147

Nice Find.

I was once told, rule of thumb whilst metal detecting , never to wear steel toe cap boots !!!

binky · Oct 15, 2024

I was talking to a young lady detectorist in our local park a fe years ago. The park itself had been used to house American troops before D Day, so is quite popular with detectorists, as well as those just looking for lost coins. Her brother had found a large lead plaque with the name of Julius Ceaser's son on, which was sold to the British Museum. That must have been quite an exciting find!

fusewire · Oct 15, 2024

I've done quite a bit of metal detecting but not over the last couple of years. I'm hoping to get back in to it soon though. I've never found a gold coin (yet) but my best coin is a silver Celtic Unit of the Corieltauvi tribe.

Metal detecting!

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