NEWBIE SCAVENGER HUNT?

[Lynn Wilson]

I am enjoying my third Saturday with my metal detector and I have yet to find anything silver or related to the Civil War. I'm not discouraged, but I HAVE developed a sort of Newbie Philosophy that I thought I would share.

Before you can start finding "the really good stuff" you must first complete the Newbie Scavenger Hunt by finding everything on this list:

1. a nail or screw
2. a bottle cap
3. an aluminum can
4. a pull tab
5. a piece of wire
6. an unidentifiable doo hickey
7. a jar lid
8. a spark plug
9. a stainless steel eating utensil
10. a clad coin or a modern penny

As of today, I have completed everything on the list. Did I forget anything?

Oh, and I found a couple of bonuses: a glass Coke bottle and POISON IVY! (I'm a Scout leader. I KNOW wht it looks like. I was so intent on unearthing a "find" that I didn't notice the hairy vine until it was too late! Even in winter, watch out for poison ivy!)

Happy Hunting!

 

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[ModernMiner]

LOL. Great post. You are on the right track. I would add shotgun shell brass to the list too. I can't believe how many of those I find in the yards of old house IN TOWN. Looking forward to seeing your first silver or jewelry post.
-MM-

 

[Michiganne]

You are definitely correct there, although I would say "100 pulltabs" for #4. I would echo Modern Miner and add ".22 shell casings." These things seemed to follow me when I was starting out.

I was told as a beginner that "you won't find old stuff until you get your coil over old ground." This is true. And remember the TNet posts show a skewed representation of a normal hunt since most MDers won't post there unproductive hunts. Looking at the posts it can appear to be all good stuff all the time, which it isn't.

Good luck out there and keep digging!
HH

 

[detroitdigger]

Awesome post, don't worry about the silver and gold it will come and when it does you'll love it you will become addicted if your not already!!!!

 

[Uncle Jeff]

Grrrr I am still missing number 8 the spark plug, but at least I know what to look for now LOL

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Did someone mention spark plugs?

 

[Nick150]

You forgot horseshoe. I unearthed a huge shoe on first outing...measures 19cm tall and wide!! Done the rest of the list pretty much....the piece of wire was the size of a small staple and took far to long to find. Good luck though im new to it so am learning the tricks. 👌

 

[Lynn Wilson]

Okay, I will add to the Newbie Scavenger Hunt list #11 and 12

11. modern .22 shell casings
12. a horseshoe

and up the ante on #4 to at least 10 pull tabs!

 

[BiggusDiggus]

Yeah modern shotshell for sure, Matchbox car(s), aluminum tarp eyelets, aluminum siding scraps, pipefittings(copper/brass)-FOIL-....Still in search of the elusive sparkplug....

 

[g-olden years]

Wonderful thread! I'd add to the "bonus" list: stepping in dog poop! Since I often dig embankments & weedy abandoned old city lots, it surprises me that I managed to avoid dog poop disaster the first year of detecting. Unfortunately, not true since, yuck. I've saved my more interesting junk finds because I plan to build a "Junk-o-saurus dinosaur family" from junk, photograph it & then throw it away. Promised hubby I'd finally build Junk-o-saurus family this year so I'll stop hauling junk home, just bring the good finds, lol. HAVE FUN! Andi

 

[Lynn Wilson]

Thanks, everybody! Okay, adding more to the Newbie Scavenger Hunt List:

13. Matchbox cars
14. Eyelets and grommets
15. Aluminum siding
16. Pipe fittings
17. Foil (Curses, foiled again?)

Come on, I know we can get at least 20.

And I will add Dog Poop to the Bonus List with Poison Ivy!

 

[CoilyGirl]

Shoot Lynn I feel rooked,no spark plugs yet here!Keep researching and keep digging and you will eventually find some Civil War relics in your area.

 

[Brother Al]

You also missed one of my all time favorites! Ants crawling up my legs. They seem to get in position in unnoticed, synchronize their watches, And Bite Me all at the SAME TIME. Lol. Don't find them.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I'm in California so I don't get to participate in Civil War relic hunts but from what I've noticed is it takes a lot of determination and research so you will get there if you put the work in and it looks like you are off to a good start. Happy Hunting

 

[Helix]

It takes time. I have found enough pull tabs and bottle caps to fill a couple 55 gallon garbage cans.

 

[Uncle Jeff]

Grrrr I am still missing number 8 the spark plug, but at least I know what to look for now LOL

Today I found an oil filter off of a car. I am getting closer to completing the NEWBIE SCAVENGER HUNT 10 items before I find something silver or related to the Civil War.

 

[Don Griffith]

Don't forget sheet metal- and flattened 55 gal. drums: also old auto parts!

 

[RelicPrime113]

thats a great stratagy. im not new to metal detecting but i just got a new detector so i will try this out. ive found plenty of those items except spark plugs lol.

 

[Pointman]

I am enjoying my third Saturday with my metal detector and I have yet to find anything silver or related to the Civil War. I'm not discouraged, but I HAVE developed a sort of Newbie Philosophy that I thought I would share.

Before you can start finding "the really good stuff" you must first complete the Newbie Scavenger Hunt by finding everything on this list:

1. a nail or screw
2. a bottle cap
3. an aluminum can
4. a pull tab
5. a piece of wire
6. an unidentifiable doo hickey
7. a jar lid
8. a spark plug
9. a stainless steel eating utensil
10. a clad coin or a modern penny

As of today, I have completed everything on the list. Did I forget anything?

Oh, and I found a couple of bonuses: a glass Coke bottle and POISON IVY! (I'm a Scout leader. I KNOW wht it looks like. I was so intent on unearthing a "find" that I didn't notice the hairy vine until it was too late! Even in winter, watch out for poison ivy!)

Happy Hunting!

Yep, I found everything on this list at one point. I don't dig up too many spark plugs, but I found a very old one on the road one time when I was a kid. I was really pretty and well made green and white. It had threads at the top where the wire attached.

I sometimes find old zinc lids and then I think I am onto something old, but for some reason the places I find the lids don't seem to pan out with any real good finds. I may go to 6 places before I find one silver coin so don't get too discouraged. This year I have a dozen hunts with four silver coins found at 3 spots. I've gotten on some really good lots, but no silver. I will spend 40+ hours hunting collectively before I find a silver coin sometimes, and it is usually a $3 dime.

 

[Old Dude]

Good list, but I don't think I have found a spark plug yet, lol. Have to agree on the zinc canning lids. They always make me think I am going to find something good but never do.


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