Question for those in the hobby for more than 10 years

[treasurehunter313]

Hello everyone and happy Friday. I'm sitting at work thinking about metal detecting which has been a recurring problem for me all summer. I really got back into metal detecting in June of this year, I used to do it when I was 14 or so (I am 23 now). I am really starting to learn my machine (AT Pro) and started to find some cool things. I really put in a lot of time every single week over 30 hours a week in research and the actual detecting. I was looking at some of the annual finds of people of the forum and was just about drooling. Many guys (and gals) have found a lot of great stuff in a year's span. My question is what are some of your totals (silver coins, jewelry, and clad count are a few interesting markers) or most memorable finds you have had in your time in the hobby. I would like to find out how many years you have done the hobby and how many hours you average a week or month over that time. I do not metal detect to try to strike it rich I love the hunt and I love collecting old things especially coins. It may have started when I found a 1818 large cent playing in the dirt of a road tear out when I was 6 lol. So basically my question is: How many years detecting? How many hours a week or month average? Totals (silver coins, jewelry, clad count or any other interesting total)? Most memorable find? If there is an established thread like this already please point me to it. If not or if it is older let it roll! HH!

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Did you check out "My Best Finds". & "The Best of Treasure Net"?
A lot of MD'ers have their pics of all their finds or best finds on their sites on the web.
The water hunters have a nice array of gold.
" Banner finds" would be most memorable.

Personally my hunting time is very limited, not by choice, so the finds are few. I do more than cover the cost of my batteries tho! Lol!

Maybe more will chime in later, they're all probably out finding goodies!

 

[Frankn]

I am basically a cache hunter so detecting time as you defined is very limited and comes in spurts.
My best finds non cache hunting were in old back yards and on the beach. I don't go out looking for coins although I have found $5 & $20 gold coins and a Mexican silver coin. My best find in a yard was a 3ct ruby in a gold setting, value app $3000. My best find on the beach was a white gold ring with a diamond and several emeralds. My cache finds have been larger, but I don't talk about them for obvious reasons. I have been detecting since the 70s.
I also find & conserve historical items like this ax heat. Frank...-

 

[BigWaveDave]

scroll back in the posts to this past new year/holidays, lots of posts showing totals for the year.... not from me though, as I didn't find squat last year

 

[treasurehunter313]

I am basically a cache hunter so detecting time as you defined is very limited and comes in spurts. My best finds non cache hunting were in old back yards and on the beach. I don't go out looking for coins although I have found $5 & $20 gold coins and a Mexican silver coin. My best find in a yard was a 3ct ruby in a gold setting, value app $3000. My best find on the beach was a white gold ring with a diamond and several emeralds. My cache finds have been larger, but I don't talk about them for obvious reasons. I have been detecting since the 70s. I also find & conserve historical items like this ax heat. Frank...- <img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1024752"/>

That's awesome! I just found my first ring tonight (sterling silver) but I am pretty happy about it. I wish I was close to the beaches

 

[Ocean7]

ah about 35 years off and on. There are many best of threads in here. I'm in the official 2004 one etc . I don't do totals but you can see some stuff here:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/g...ey-where-you-hidin-me-plunder-just-hello.html
The rest is a trade secret! L

 

[treasurehunter313]

ah about 35 years off and on. There are many best of threads in here. I'm in the official 2004 one etc . I don't do totals but you can see some stuff here: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/general-discussion/422292-aye-matey-where-you-hidin-me-plunder-just-hello.html The rest is a trade secret! L

those are some awesome finds I'm looking forward to my first seated (I won't stop until I find one haha) I love the beauty of the old coins

 

[NGE]

Been hunting 54 years (since the very early 60's). My best find found me and I married her. That was back in '78. I was out in a park, hunting in driving sleet, she was on her way to work, she stopped to see what I was doing. So we got to talking and one thing led to the next, we got married 3 years later. Still married and 36 years is coming too quick. As for the amount of finds this year, maybe 3 dollars face in silver, 14kt. gold earring I eyeballed in the snow in a parking lot. I haven't been out much this year (due to neuropathy in my feet) But all time silver count, I would venture to guess, over $2000.00 face in silver.I paid many household bills with the sale of silver through the years. I have over 250 rolls of wheats, many seated coins, all kinds of Cracker Jack toys, tokens, Tootsietoy cars, trucks, and rings. All gold was sold to pay medical bills. As late as the mid 80's, if I came home with less than 8 pieces of silver, I was having a bad day! And most silver coins were only max. 4 inches deep. I answered more than what you asked for, but I figured I would whet your appetite. Also have found 25- 1912-D cents. Sold a couple 1931-D cents, one 1921 peace dollar, beautiful 1875-s seated Liberty Quater in almost unc. just too much to remember. Many many indian cents.....etc etc....... BTW, my first machine was a Radio Shack BFO...NGE

 

[dale3fan28]

I often wonder how much of the GREAT finds we arent told about " for obvious reasons".... You know that nice uncle we got that wants us to share all we got with him.....

 

[treasurehunter313]

Been hunting 54 years (since the very early 60's). My best find found me and I married her. That was back in '78. I was out in a park, hunting in driving sleet, she was on her way to work, she stopped to see what I was doing. So we got to talking and one thing led to the next, we got married 3 years later. Still married and 36 years is coming too quick. As for the amount of finds this year, maybe 3 dollars face in silver, 14kt. gold earring I eyeballed in the snow in a parking lot. I haven't been out much this year (due to neuropathy in my feet) But all time silver count, I would venture to guess, over $2000.00 face in silver.I paid many household bills with the sale of silver through the years. I have over 250 rolls of wheats, many seated coins, all kinds of Cracker Jack toys, tokens, Tootsietoy cars, trucks, and rings. All gold was sold to pay medical bills. As late as the mid 80's, if I came home with less than 8 pieces of silver, I was having a bad day! And most silver coins were only max. 4 inches deep. I answered more than what you asked for, but I figured I would whet your appetite. Also have found 25- 1912-D cents. Sold a couple 1931-D cents, one 1921 peace dollar, beautiful 1875-s seated Liberty Quater in almost unc. just too much to remember. Many many indian cents.....etc etc....... BTW, my first machine was a Radio Shack BFO...NGE

awesome post thank you for it. I'm glad you found the right woman I feel that is rare nowadays haha. Very cool finds I hope I'm lucky enough to make some of the same finds as I continue to detect. I can only dream of a 8 silver hunt haha. I hope your health issues get better and you can get out more again or just enjoy whatever you would like to do! Happy hunting and good luck to you!

 

[NGE]

I am into photography (nothing DSLR), and definitely fishing. Only own 2 non-SLR digital cameras. A FujiFilm S2000HD, and a FujiFilm HS20EXR google 'em. Both awesome camera's, they also shoot awesome video's and Macro's. For a sample of my cameras video's, go to youtube and type Newburgh Jammers into the search bar.....nge

 

[BryanM362]

So far this year, I have found about 35 silver coins, including 3 seated, a Walking Liberty Half, 3-War Nicks, and a half dime. I have found about 50 wheaties, 5 "V" Nicks, about 10 Buffalo Nicks, and my oldest coin so far is an 1848 Large Cent. Last year I had a total of about $60 in clad. Only one silver ring this year, last year about 5. Some jewelry, mostly junk, no gold.... yet!

 

[treasurehunter313]

So far this year, I have found about 35 silver coins, including 3 seated, a Walking Liberty Half, 3-War Nicks, and a half dime. I have found about 50 wheaties, 5 "V" Nicks, about 10 Buffalo Nicks, and my oldest coin so far is an 1848 Large Cent. Last year I had a total of about $60 in clad. Only one silver ring this year, last year about 5. Some jewelry, mostly junk, no gold.... yet!

nice I'm only at 4 silver but I was lucky for them to be two halves and two quarters I'm shooting for 40 as my goal before winter comes so we'll see. I'm surprised you only got one silver ring so far with all the coins you have dug... I'm sure you'll get more!

 

[mlayers]

I got into detecting back in the late 70's found lots of silver. I lost my job and had to sell it all to paid the bills. Got out of detecting in the late 80's and then I got back in it in the 2000. Bought a white's DFX and did pretty good with it then I bought a Excalibur II found lots of nice rings and have sold lots of the gold and silver to paid for my wife Dr bills. I have found enough silver, gold and clad to paid for detectors over the yrs. A couple yrs ago my house got broken into they stole our coins and a couple detectors so I have started over again. I still have some of mine nice finds that was not stolen like seated halfs, seated quarters, seated dimes, half dimes, indain cents and even a trade dollar. I just bought my 10 yr old daughter the Ace 350 as she been asking to go out with me. I going to start her in tot lots then after a good rain will take her to the woods where the older stuff is found.

 

[hikeinmts]

I got into detecting in the 1970's. Had the good fortune to hunt a few school yards that hadn't been hunted before. Come home with both front pockets stuffed with coins, wheaties, some silver, and a few foreign. Went into the military in '74. Shipped to S. Korea. Loved the country. Back in '77, and took my machine. Found some neat artifacts + old holed coins, and a few silver. Back to the States, continued hunting, then back to Korea. And now have been in Korea since 1994, except for '98 and '99. Detected all that time. Found thousands of holed coins 1670's to 1880's, plus tons of Japanese coins 1910-1945....occupation years....plus 1959/61, and recent years. PLUS some artifacts and a few pieces of 200-300 year old pieces of pottery. I have been fortunate, for sure. Still in the hills, but much less now....pushing 70 years old. (I now go to find coins, but also gather edible plants and a few types of medicinal mushrooms for my Mom-in-law. I can only hope that you have as much fun and enjoyment as I have had. Good luck. God bless.