Metal Detecting and Treasure Hunting-What you Need to Know

Are You interested in Becoming A Metal Detecting Enthusiast?

No doubt you found this page because you are seeking information about metal detecting and treasure hunting in general. Metal Detecting, the hobby that pays you!

Perhaps you have read about metal detecting in a magazine, read something about this great hobby in the newspaper or various online sites and you are interested in learning a little bit more about metal detecting or being a relic hunter , as a possible hobby for you or for someone else you know.

But there is a lot you need to know about the great hobby of metal detecting before you plunk down up to $1000 +... for some of the top metal detectors on the market today.

About me , I began metal detecting in the spring of 1995 and since that time, I have been blessed to locate over 300 civil war bullets approximately 20 civil war buttons, various coins dating back to the 1700s, and my first Yankee Civil War belt buckle.

There is no greater feeling, than digging in God's good earth with your digging buddies, retrieving and saving a piece of history (a bullet, a button, or even a US Yankee Belt Buckle) , that has not seen the light of day for nearly 150+ years or so.

This is why I love this hobby so, not knowing what is buried just beyond your search coil, and the anticipation of digging a coin or old relic that has not seen the light of day for centuries.

Picture from Left to Right: 22 Karat Gold ring,.69 Muskatoon drop,.54 Sharps drop,.44 drop, cuff button back, general service cuff button


I however take a different look at the hobby than what is widely embraced, in that I believe we are all caretakers of the land and resources that almighty God has given us, and because of this, we have a responsibility of exercising stewardship , of all that we recover.

1908 Barber Half Dug October 29, 2011 in Virginia Noting O-New Orleans Mint Mint on Reverse

1908 Barber Half Noting O New Orleans Mint Mark Reverse

We should treat everything with the respect and dignity that all of our recoveries deserve. We are all caretakers of these artifacts only. And..... we should all try to leave the yard, the field we are digging in-in far better condition that when we arrived in removing all the trash. Remember: someone is always watching you…

Picture to the left is looking from the base of my first .58 caliber STAR base drop I dug Jan 8, 2010.

Picture is a fired. 58 starbase bullet that I did not know I even had until checking my fired bullet container.

Metal Detecting and Treasure Hunting Basics

Picture to the left is a fired .58 Gardner (Confederate) blow though bullet, my first confederate fired blow through bullet.

Picture is a Dropped Confederate Enfield hollow base bullet

Picture is a Dropped Confederate Enfield with letters 57 in the Cone, Noting 1857 English Manufacturer Date, Blockade Runner Bullet

KNOW Your Federal, State and Local Laws and Ordinances About Metal Detecting and Treasure Hunting

There are many federal, state and local laws which regulate what can be done and not done on protected property-and ignorance is no excuse if you are found with metal detecting on lands that are prohibited in the state or country that you are living in.

You clearly must understand and abide by all laws (federal, state and local) , otherwise you will bear the brunt of legal and financial woes, the least of which could cost you your federal job, and confiscation of personal property if you are digging illegally and trespass on land you have no right being on.

Here is a picture of me holding my first Yankee Belt Buckle, Recovered April 9, 2011 in Virginia

The laws are that serious. Make sure the law is on your side-not against you. Federal parks, Native American burial grounds and state historical sites are prohibited for metal detecting period.

The laws are very unforgiving should you be caught sneaking onto properties which are off limits to any metal detecting.

And if you are caught and arrested, don't expect the forgiveness of the court to be that generous and lenient if you are found guilty and prosecuted.

Picture are various Confederate Drop bullets (.58 Gardner,.54 Richmond Labs, and various .58 and .50 caliber round balls.

Gaining Permission for Metal Detecting

This is basic commonsense information, but the number one rule is to make sure you have permission for treasure hunting on any property. My three detecting buddies and I have been denied permission at times, but we have more “ yes’s than nos..

Gaining permission to metal detect is the number one rule for any treasure hunter. It’s precisely because of some bad detectorist's in not seeking permission to hunt that has caused many to look at our very fine hobby with suspicion and contempt. Start out on the right foot by doing what is right.

Picture are Yankee Federal Service Jacket Buttons and 1 State New York State Seal Officer Staff Button

Gaining Permission for Metal Detecting

If you know an area that is going to be developed soon, introduce yourself to the construction site foreman-and explain your intentions. From my experience in gaining permission, construction crews will have no problem with your being there as long as you are not in their way.

Various .58 Yankee drop bullets including drop Williams Cleaner and 1 drop .69 Muskatoon

Picture of My Yankee Belt Buckle As I Just Dug It From The Ground

Picture of My Yankee Belt Buckle Looking at The Back (Puppy Paws) all hooks Intact

I found this US Yankee belt buckle with my two hunting buddies, as we were metal detecting on a Union Camp/Battlefield Site in the Western part of Virginia where we all live, Saturday, April 9, 2011. This is after cleaning

Here is a picture of the backside showing the hooks (puppy paws), still intact with a bit of leater still attached

I've attached the actual YOUTUBE video link to see the Yankee Belt Buckle literally moments after removing from the ground, which you can view here at this youtube video link.

Contact Local Schools in Your Area

If there are some schools in the area that could produce some older valuable coins, find out who you need to send a standard business communication letter of permission, in seeking permission for metal detecting during non school hours. This goes well for the old antebellum home in your area as well. Locate the landowner and introduce yourself to him or her. Nothing ventured-nothing gained.

Offer your services to provide a 1 hour show and tell to the students about preservation, digging techniques etc. This is a win win situation, in that you are giving back to the school by educating about history and putting a favorable light on the hobby of metal detecting. Offer to display historical finds in the local school library for display or to your local historical society.

Various Flat buttons dug from Colonial sites in Virginia

There are many ways to involve your local school in your community. In doing this, you are offering a genuine gesture of good will, which may open up for you, other potential hunting areas that would never become available if it were not for your kind act of generosity in getting involved with your local school or historical society.

Metal Detecting and Treasure Hunting requires Patience, Patience and More Patience

If you’re thinking all I need to do is gain permission, by a detector and I’ll find all my fill of treasure-guess-what? Metal detecting doesn’t work that way. And do you not think if everyone was finding valuable finds every day, that more people would be joining the hobby? For every one person who decides to try and take up treasure hunting and metal detecting, more than 10 leave the hobby for good.

Various Indian head cents, V and Buffalo Nickels, Silver and Gold Rings...

Picture to the left is my first seated dime I ever dug, an 1886 which I dug 03/13/01

This is the reverse of the 1886 seated dime

I dug This 1798 Caped Bust Large Cent at a Colonial Homestead May 21, 2011

It takes quite a bit of time and I might add, a positive attitude , the hope and faith to believe in your machine, and the self discipline in reading and understanding your manual thoroughly before you begin metal detecting in the field.

OLD Large Cent Coins and Half Cent Coins I have Dug

When I first began metal detecting in the spring of 1995, it took me almost 6 months before I dug my first wheat cent and my first silver coin-a 1948 Silver Roosevelt dime (Rosie) from a very old turn of the century hunted out park. Keep in mind, you will dig between 15-20 junk items for every good target you recover from the ground.

I dug This 1911 Morgan Dime and 1857 Flying Eagle Cent at a Colonial Homestead May 21, 2011

This is the reality of metal detecting, there are a lot of “ goodies out there but you have to dig a lot of trash to find the good targets. And you must dig all targets, especially in a virgin relic area. The relic pictures here are just a few of the many relic finds I have been blessed to uncover on private property with owner's permission.

Picture is No Date Large Cent Cap Bust, 1809 Half Cent and 1850 Large Cent

Gaining Permission for Metal Detecting

Good Metal Detecting Requires Removing and Hauling Away All Your Trash and Filling In All Holes

My buddies and I haul away all our trash, not only is this good stewardship by making the area cleaner than it was before you arrived, but by removing and taking away the trash, you increase the possibility of uncovering better targets that are no longer masked by the junk and trashy items you have removed. Stewardship is leaving the grounds you are detecting, cleaner than it was before you arrived.

Where I live in Northern Virginia, my two buddies and I spend the majority of our metal detecting, civil war metal detecting; digging buttons and bullets which I thoroughly enjoy. My suggestion is to dig every target regardless of what your manual says or your ID display recommends or says otherwise.

I have dug too many bullets and buttons that had I only listened to my tones in my head set, or only had pay attention to the visual ID read out display on my Fisher F75 , I would have never dug these valuable historical items. Many times because of heavy mineralization and heavy masking of iron in the ground, targets do not ID properly or display the proper high tone signals, that normally prompts you to dig. Especially when you are in an area that had heavy troop movements from the past, you need to dig everything. As my digging buddy Digger Dave laments; Do not leave it in the Ground.

Which Metal Detector Do I Choose?

Metal detecting is a lot like the automobile industry; in that almost every person has his or her favorite preference for a particular make and model vehicle that they want. I happen to drive a Honda, and have owned 3 Hondas in the past and will always buy a Honda because of the excellent product and customer service should something go wrong. I prefer Fisher metal detectors as a my preferred choice of metal detector.

However not everyone will agree with me that the Honda brand is the best vehicle for all people in the world. I accept that for various reasons. The same is true in the world of metal detecting. Everyone has there favorite and preference over manufactures and models. Is it right or wrong? Of course not, metal detector preference is a matter of choice. With about a dozen major brands to choose from on the market, every metal detectorist has their own personal choice of brand and model. I happen to use a Fisher - F-75 now First Texas,

which I purchased a year ago, and believe firmly, the F-75 is the best metal detector on the market today bar none, and does everything I expect it to do in a detector. You can purchase metal detectors from this link.

If possible, try one or two models from your dealer so you can become familiar with handling the different subtle tone changes, so you can choose the right detector based upon comfort level. You can also purchase directly from Amazon.com. Also, depending on where you live and what your treasure hunting smart goals are, will dictate to you, your choice and preference of detector.

If you happen to live on the Florida coast and primarily you are interested in just locating recent lost jewelry, than you may want to seek purchasing a waterproof detector like the Nautilus or Sovereign brand. However if you are into relic hunting you may want to choose Fishers F-75 or the T2 which are excellent top of the line relic and coin detectors. I recommend kellycodetectors.com,they are the world’s largest metal detector distributor and have excellent customer service-long after the sale has been completed. I have been using Kellyco for the past 10 years and will continue to use them for all my metal detecting needs.

Join Online Relic forums

There are many excellent online forums that you can join for free, participate in, and possibly meet new relic hunters that may live in your county or state, that are a wealth of information. But don’t join for the soul purpose of being invited to hunt for relics on their coveted sites.

As civil war relic hunting sites become few and far between, many a relic hunter, will be unwilling to invite you to hunt relics unless you reciprocate the same favor. But you can still learn various relic hunting techniques, research tips, etc, as you prefect your relic hunter instincts. Some of the more notable forums that I participate in are:

www.treasurenet.com,

cwbullet.org,

www.findmall.com,

www.treasurequestxlt.com,

www.mytreasurespot.com,

www.metaldetectingforum.com,

www.losttreasure.com,

Historical Societies/Libraries

Seek out your local or state historical societies and or/local/state libraries. Many of these sources are a treasure trove of information, if you take the necessary time to research. Find out what civil war activities took place in your state. There are various online resources including the digital.library.cornell, which houses the largest collection of official records , between the war between the states.

Also there are various online resources that provide many an excellent treasure map that you can research, some for a fee, but some are free to accees.

There are also relic hunter magazines that you can subscribe to such as American Digger.com , and Western Eastern Treasure.com , which I am also a subscriber.

You can read two of my published articles as part of my freelance writing goals regarding my first US Civil War Yankee buckle I recovered which you can read here, my second article regarding my recent old coin finds you can read here .

There are also many excellent metal detecting books that you can purchase to help you be successful in the metal detecting hobby.

Remember: If it's lost it can be found-Don't leave it in the Ground! Happy Digging.... and See you in the Field...

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