Top Treasure Finds

I would have never dreamed I would get an intact James shell from a hay field 16" deep with a 5X8 coil. I can't believe I found an artillery shell, period!

I also found a round iron ball nearby. I guess its safe to say it's grape shot given this location?

I have a few questions...Its hard researching from a hotel and I cant go cleaning on this shell here.

Will this have a fuse? or is there a James with a solid nose?
I was under the impression that all James' had to be drilled to make them inert. Are any solid?
Was the James Confederate, Union or both...

Stopped by my spot today for quick hunt, glad I did! I've found several bullets and buttons at this site, this area was occupied by Union troops. My first target was a big 3 ringer, larger than all the others I've found(previously dug bullet for size comparison). About 10' away I dug a couple of head stamps when I got a solid 51 on my At Pro. I've quickly learned to dig everything....about 8" down, out popped this beauty! First gold I've ever found. I left everything laying and walked straight to the car to douse it with water, that's all I've done to it... scared to touch it...lol. Took a...

I decided to take the day off work and go detecting and boy did it pay off. I found my best and oldest coin to date. I could believe my eyes when I seen the silver shinning in the sun on the bottom of my plug. The quarter ran a solid 85 on the AT Pro about 3 inches down. After further research the quarter appears to be the 5 over 2 variety which makes it a heck of a lot nicer! I hope you enjoy the pictures and I would appreciate any feed back.







Here are a few other items I found...

XIII French Briquet Sword (Napoleonic Era)

Dug this amazing relic Saturday. It's my understanding that the South traded cotton for these so they were commonly carried by confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Other CW relics have surfaced in the general area so its not out of the realm of possibilities that this very sword was carried by a rebel soldier. I also dug a piece that fits and is likely a piece of the knuckle guard. I will be returning to try to find more pieces as they would have the markings to get a definitive date.
Here's a short video-...

Hello Everyone,

I was working a wooded area near a circa 1912 homestead cellar hole. I was finding the usual junk iron and nails; usually run a wide open screen on my machines and dig everything. After about an hour of digging nothing of great value (coin, button…etc) I began searching the rear of the house area (now part of a corn field) in a small grid based on my search flags positioned in the ground. While overlapping the first with the second at 90 degrees I received an interesting/odd mid/higher tone with a VID of 67 on the Garrett AT Pro. In many of the places I hunt this range 63...

** Thanks everyone for the my first Banner and all the congrats! **
Haven't posted in a while, but figured this time I got so many goodies that I had to share. I have been working a sidewalk replacement in town this summer, and over the last 3 months have pulled out some old, yet pretty worn, corroded coins. 2 dateless wheats, a 1864 2 cent piece, a 1898 Barber, and a almost unrecognizable and hard to read seated dime. (1865s?) So toasty it's hard to tell
Then last month I scored a beautiful 1862 Seated half! I then got a blood clot in my leg and wa laid up for 3 weeks. As soon as I got...

I have been hitting this area and have found lots of old coins. Yesterday i found a 178? Spanish reale, 1820 large cent, 1941 quarter, Indian head penny and one of the rarest coins i will ever find! A 1787 New York cent! It is eat up pretty bad but you can make out what it is. One article says only 12 know to exist! (13 now) Also found a few civil war bullets, old lock and more! Here are a couple pics of my finds! Awesome day...

Well, after Hurricane Hermine blew through South Carolina Dirtstalker and I made plans to dig the Swamp Pit on Labor Day. But the old man wore himself out digging some kind of old tag and wasn't able to go. So Monday morning I made the 90-minute journey and headed toward the pit. On the way I was greeted by a small (three foot) alligator that I have named Ollie; he must have come up from the swamp when it was flooded by the storm.



No big deal, I just walked around him and headed to the pit. When I arrived I found a small pond where I have been...

Had a Low Country dig with P@tch planned for Saturday but due to the Weather we decided we will go in few weeks. It only rained about 3inches instead of the 7-10 they called for so I asked this 30something year old kid if he wanted to go. He bought an AtPro a few months ago and had never been relic hunting so he jumped at the chance. I really wanted him to find somethings as I like to see people that have never found much to feel that feeling you get when you find something special. We headed out on our 3.5 hour drive and got to the site at 8am by 845 I had dug a few buttons a buckle and...

Six hrs of hunting and my wish list just got shorter. I thought it was a half reale when it first came out. Looking at it in the sunlight for the first time I realized that Carolus was not looking to good, but man lady liberty was smiling back, wow. 1801 Drapped Half Dime. Its my first. My buddy Jay had permission for the field. He was there last year to witness my second gold coin in 1 month on his new site. I hope he doesn't stop inviting me... A 1777 1 reale and the 1900 o Barber Half dollar followed. Cant wait to get back on this field. Art