Ever have an embarrassing moment in this hobby?

WHADIFIND

Gold Member
Apr 9, 2012
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South of the Mason-Dixon Line
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All Treasure Hunting
I had one of those non-stellar days today. Not "bad", just not stellar. I did however turn up an old war nickel in pretty good shape. Unfortunately, I managed to scratch it right across the face. (rookie mistake).

I moved on and was semi-gridding the place. On the way back to the car, I turned up another war nickel. About the same shape, was right on top, and when I looked a little closer, it had a scratch also. Hmmmmm, interesting. Right across the face too! Almost exactly where I....................wait a minute!!! I checked my found pouch. No nickel. I had just found the same one, TWICE!!! oH! HOW embarrassing!!!! LOL

Thought if anyone else out there had done this, they would now not feel so bad. :)

HH!
 

Upvote 70
Most embarrassing moment came about 3 weeks ago for me. My digging partner and I set out to embark on a journey to one of our sweetest spots. Prepared the night before, had all of the equipment ready, lined up, and good to go. Hop in the car the next day and we're on our way. The spot we are headed to is in an urban area, and we're coming from way out east on long island. 45 minutes in we hit big traffic. I look over to my partner and say... "I forgot my shovel"... He looks at me with the most melted face ever... "CRAPP!!!". It would have taken us an hour to drive back given the traffic. Thank god for my phone haha. Just so happens there was a metal detector shop nearby and i settled on getting a samson for the rip-off price of $95.00. Ended up saving the day and digging a few goodies including a shield nickel and 5 or 6 Indian head pennies. Couldn't let the day escape us! Needless to say I learned my lesson
 

I hesitate to add this one because it really wasn't my embarrassment. :)

I stopped by a park one day recently. I'd never been here before, was just passing thru town and thought I'd try for a couple minutes.

Well, it wasn't but 15 mins in that here came the "man in black". Trying not to look like he was hurrying to get to me, but, he was, I could tell. LOL
He said, and very, very politely, that he was the head groundskeeper there and that metal detecting wasn't allowed. I told him that if it's not allowed then, it's not allowed. I turned off my machine and took off my headphones. We talked for a bit and he apologized but he was just enforcing the rules. Not his fault and all that, I told him I've been in this hobby longer than he'd been alive and I completely understood and had no problem.

We discussed why he thought it wasn't allowed and he said I can see that you know what your doing. Your plugs are cut very neatly and deep, and you always take your trash with you and that you're using a pinpointer and cutting very tiny plugs. I nodded and told him that I pride myself in doing it right.

He said I can see you're doing it right.

I told him I didn't want to hold him up and started to mosey on to my next dirt pile to play in, but I just couldn't resist a parting shot. You see, he wasn't coming off like just a groundskeeper.He was using the "lingo". Plugs, pinpointer, and some others.

We shook hands and as I started off I turned and in my best Columbo, I said, "Just one more question, sir. Do you use a Leche or a t-handled digger?"

Before he thought he said, "A leche.....OH! UH I, uh I... I...uhh.. I......"

I smiled......and left him there stuttering. ;)
 

Oh i love it! Nailed him!
And in true Columbo style! I love that show.

Sent from my VS810PP using Tapatalk
 

A few years ago I went detecting in some deep woods and when I got home I realized my propointer was missing! I looked all over the truck for it, no dice. I made the journey back out to the woods, and there it was - just laying there all by its lonesome. I am surprised I found it, but it took me awhile. Those things aren't cheap.
 

IMG_2779.JPGThis made me chuckle when I dug it IMG_2778.JPG thought someone was playing a joke on me
 

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Me and two friends went to dig relics in a farm field in redwood ms near vicksburg once after heavy rains. The farmer had this huge field draining right across the middle. We needed to get to the back and this area had eroded deep and wide so we walked along side this ditch trying to find a spot we could cross without getting wet as it was very cold that morning. We found a spot that we knew was narrow enough to jump so after discussing it i went first. No problem. Then bill no problem. Michael was the tallest by six inches with very long legs so i knew it should be easiest for him. I got tired of coaching him and threatened to let him hunt that side of the ditch which had never produced anything. He backs up about fifteen or twenty ft and launches into a full run and right before he reaches the edge he changes his mind and puts on the brakes. It did not help as his feet started sliding and to a stop right at the edge but unbalanced just has to do this kind of hop right into the middle of this hole thinking it not very deep. Me and bill realized quickly that it was some kind of washout hole when michael completely disappears with only his hat floating for a second or two. He surfaces in a panic and there is his whites 6000 di pro behind him bobbing upside down like a big cork. He has never lived it down. His machine did survive after sitting for a few days to dry out. We rounded up limbs from trees and built him a fire to dry off.
 

I'm a nuisance wildlife control specialist. A few years ago, I was called to a house that had squirrels in the attic. Upon meeting the owner, we walked around the house to find entry points. I casually asked him how long he had been collecting gold coins. The man's attitude changed drastically, like he had just been assaulted. "HOW DID YOU KNOW I COLLECT COINS?" Well, I just smiled and tapped the side of my head, like I have ESP or something. He repeated it, in a slow, stern volume, with no humor in his voice at all.
I was just being observant. He had his garage open, and sitting there leaning against a wall was a poster with gold coins on it. It got my attention right away and just made sense that he was a collector. I explained I also collected coins and metal detected. Didn't mean to worry him. He just said "wow, I'll have to move that". I'm sure he thought I was going to rob him.
 

Just a short one and fortunately, no one saw. But, recently I was in the middle of a farmfield, I'd forgotten to take my field shovel with me cuz I don't usually use one. But, of course, I got a hit that was just too tough to get with my hand tool. So, I left all my stuff there and walked all the way back to my car to get the shovel.

When I tried to find the hole again, I couldn't find it!! The uneven ground wouldn't even let me see my stuff!! I walked around for about 15 minutes! I couldn't believe I'd lost all my equipment so I just figured somebody must've been watching me and seized on the opportunity for some free equipment! :(

That's when I recalled that, this morning, I'd decided to try the field across the fence! Up to that day I ALWAYS went into the east field. Sucks gettin' old! :(

When I finally got back to them, my detector and pinpointer were rolling on the ground roaring with laughter! :(
 

Nothing like that, but there was the time that I was detecting the park & suddenly had a terrible urge to take a "break". :tongue3:
Not much more embarrassing than a quick duck-walk back to the truck! Haha!! :laughing7:

I too almost got busted "taking a break"! One more second and I would have been caught. Sometimes, ya just gotta go!

Glad you re-found your nickel!
 

I too almost got busted "taking a break"! One more second and I would have been caught. Sometimes, ya just gotta go!

Glad you re-found your nickel!

Sort of reminds me of a particular "break" time I had a while ago. After a particularly free battle with Montezuma, I had pretty much gotten over the worst and went for a walk, (near by, of course! :) ). While I'm "going" along, here comes Mz Bizybody. I've had "run ins" with this particular lady before and I was NOT in the greatest of moods! Usually, I deal with her pretty politely, considering. This time, because I chose to just play the deaf/headset ploy. She got in my path and in my face. Going to have her words! :dontknow:

Anyway, I stopped, apologized for not "hearing" her approach and let her start her tongue lashing and finger waving. (she IS pretty old :dontknow: )
About 5 minutes of being kind, a need came to mind. Checking with the boys in the "boiler room", I found that this was just a pressure relief valve needing to vent. Usually, I might would just "turn the other cheek". This time, I leveled my aim and let fly. Not once, not twice, not three times....but until all internal pressure systems checked ok.

Gotta say, she must've had a pretty strong intestinal fortitude, bless her poor ole heart. ;)

She lasted thru about 5 such ventings. :angel2: :wink:

I waved to her back and continued my "run". ;)
 

Was bored so I remember this thread. Took a while to find but wasworth it.
I just had me a good time catching up! Love the storys!
 

Summer day 630 am I'm hunting the Arboretum in Ann Arbor there are a lot of hills .All of a sudden I had to go or should I say I was ready to blow. I quickly hiked up this hill and looked around no one anywhere. I went over by a tree to unload what a relief when these old folks out doing there morning walk I think there were at least six of em were right there I mean 1 foot away I was in full squat they walked right past me what can ya do I waived and said hows it going as soon as they passed by I decided to move to another spot on the other side,,,
 

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Besides falling flat on my face in a hole in the sand at the beach I had just dug?
 

Ran into a skunk den. Mother skunk was NOT happy. Its amazing how far a skunk can spray !
 

I once had a sweet half dollar signal dug and found a plastic bag I was hoping some coinage was in it turned out to be a cat liscense tag with the cat skeleton still attached eeeehhhh!!!!!!
 

I was detecting a friends house when it started raining. I just found a mint condition 1920 mercury dime and was very excited. I ran to my car to put the coin in there and to dry off. When I got out I locked my car. A few minutes later, I felt my pockets and my keys were gone. It turns out I locked them in my car, and didn't have a spare. My friend whose house I checked wasn't going to be home for another 5 hours, and it was still raining. My detecting buddy called me about 30 minutes later to ask me if I found anything, and I told him the situation. He drove to my friends house and gave me a lift home and back for the keys. I am thankful for such a good detecting buddy, and we both had a good laugh about my stupid mistake when it was all over.
 

Another time I was detecting an old home site which was producing many finds from the mid 1800s to mid 1900s when I got a gold signal down about 6 inches. I dug down and saw a gold disk in the hole! I was on cloud 9 and wiped the dirt off the coin. I called my brother over, and was hyperventilating because I was so excited. My brother quickly took the coin from me and cleaned it up good. He gave me a dirty look and said "you idiot, this is a readers digest token."IMG_20180104_082606.png
 

i was hunting a saw mill when i sat my pin pointer down as i was digging a hole i got done covered the hole and i went home well i realized it was gone and i thought one thing i buried it i felt so stupid
 

right in the middle of my happy dance for finding a 1789 "quarter dollar" my brother points out the airplane on it........it was dirty and I guess my brain locked on the first date I saw.......
 

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