What Inspired you to Metal Detect?

[sparkydog]

This post jogged my memory and I recalled a toy I had in 1st grade 70 years ago! I don't remember just what it looked like but it buzzed when you got it near metal. Talk about dredging up old memories.

In 1990 a friend and I each bought Whites detectors and started detecting old farm sites and occasionally a trip to Jersey shore beaches. He lacked the patience to continue in the hobby but to this day I still love my detectors.

I added an extra wrinkle by dowsing for locations then bringing in the detector to locate the targets. It has proved fascinating.

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

... but duty then called me to Fort Ord, California! ...

Thank you for your service to our country.

I'm in Monterey/Salinas area, and have found a lot of silver at Ft. Ord over the decades. Go figure, none of it is very old. Since that base is primarily WWII and later.

 

[ecmo]

Back in the later 1970s Asia would always see an old school friend and his older brother around town detecting and it intrigued me. Finally around 1988 I went to visit him and to ask him where I could buy one. He had recently upgraded detectors and said he would sell me his older one. I don't remember the make of it but it had a half dozen knobs on it and 2 large batteries that hooked up just like 9 volt ones but they were an inch square and about 3 inches long and the instructions on the bottom said to allow it 15 minutes to warm up for best results. It would chirp around 7 inches deep on a silver dime and a foot deep on a Zinc jar lid.

My young daughter stepped on the search coil in 1990 snapping it at the mounting ears. Didn't detect again until about 97 when I bought a White's classic S L 2. Later took another break until 2013 when I retired and have bought other detectors and hit it again.

 

[EDavis]

I've been loving this community, especially getting to see stuff out of the ground that's older than me. And sometimes older than most of yall XD. However, I have to wonder, what inspired any of you, ladies and gentlemen to metal detect? I know when I got into metal detecting, I always wanted to do it when I was a young lad, and actually brought my first metal detector at 19 the (Bounty tracker IV) I think that's what you call it. I never used it as much, i then brought the at pro, and still haven't used that one as much, mainly because college has been keeping me distracted.

Hope to hear your comments, have a safe day, and happy holidays.

 

[EDavis]

I've been loving this community, especially getting to see stuff out of the ground that's older than me. And sometimes older than most of yall XD. However, I have to wonder, what inspired any of you, ladies and gentlemen to metal detect? I know when I got into metal detecting, I always wanted to do it when I was a young lad, and actually brought my first metal detector at 19 the (Bounty tracker IV) I think that's what you call it. I never used it as much, i then brought the at pro, and still haven't used that one as much, mainly because college has been keeping me distracted.

Hope to hear your comments, have a safe day, and happy holidays.

I remember my grandfather having a old whites box detector which I think might have been a coin master. I used to play with it some but never really got into it then. It was years down the road and in all honesty, purchasing a copy of Eastern and Western treasure magazine got me really interested seeing what people find. I purchased a Whites and found my first old coins which was walking liberty quarter and two large cents from early to mid 1800’s.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I don't own one. I would love to have one though. I'm not a treasure hunter but I have recently been looking into a place I found. It would be so interesting to take one out there. It seems like it would be hard to hike out deep with one though. They look bulky and heavy. I'm pretty small and I'm probably not strong enough to carry it climbing overboulders and what not. I struggle with my backpack! Any suggestions for a light compact one or just a decent one my husband could carry?

Most modern detectors are pretty lightweight and can be broken down enough to put in a backpack. Go into forums then scroll down until you find participating vendors and look through what they have. You can read up on whatever ones interest you or watch videos on them. They should show weights of the detectors.

 

[OldSoulsinCellarHoles]

I was once walking along the shores of the cape with the folks and saw a green disk just resting right on top of the sand. It had a what looked like a disney princess on it and I showed it to my old man and he pulled out his glasses and realized it was incribed with the word "Brittania" on it. Did some homework and found out it was a British King George Penny from 1740-50's. I was given a cheap metal detector years before this find, as a christmas gift as I really wanted one. I was dissapointed that I could only find garbage and the occasional spare change with it and left it hanging in the basement for years. After this EXTREMELY LUCKY find, I felt fate was pleading with me to get into the hobby, and from the get go it has been excellent luck (knock on wood).

 

[Chizzy]

As a kid (many, many years ago), I used to hunt for fossils and minerals in my home town. That was the hobby that instilled the hunting instinct in me. When the 1st metal detectors became widely available to the general public, I had a curiosity, but never had the time to investigate further. I was completely invested in my business with time and finances.
As I neared retirement age, it became clear that I would need something to help fill in my time, keep me active and keep me outdoors. I stumbled on this site while researching beginner metal detectors and, on the advice of several posters, purchased a Tesoro Compadre. I was also fortunate enough to have Terry Soloman visit me and offer his advise and experience. He has become a good friend and to this day is still my mentor.
Well, 5 years later, I have 3 metal detectors, 2 pointers, 5 digging tools and an overwhelming desire to swing a coil every day!

 

[ticndig]

In 1979 I was at Quantico, Virginia, running young officer candidates on hill trails. One of my men pointed out depressions in the ground that I thought were fighting positions. "No sir", he said. "They are hut sites from a Civil War Tennessee company that was here in 1861." I was hooked. He later showed me numerous Confederate camps and hut sites near the Quantico golf course. In those days digging wasn't prohibited and we found many Confederate items over the next few years. Yankee camps were closer to what is now I-95. Many great years digging in the Fredericksburg area.

I hunted stafford , spotsy and fredericksburg for over 30 years , we may have crossed paths at some time.

 

[Exploration unknown]

Most modern detectors are pretty lightweight and can be broken down enough to put in a backpack. Go into forums then scroll down until you find participating vendors and look through what they have. You can read up on whatever ones interest you or watch videos on them. They should show weights of the detectors.

Thanks!

 

[Willeaux]

I've been loving this community, especially getting to see stuff out of the ground that's older than me. And sometimes older than most of yall XD. However, I have to wonder, what inspired any of you, ladies and gentlemen to metal detect? I know when I got into metal detecting, I always wanted to do it when I was a young lad, and actually brought my first metal detector at 19 the (Bounty tracker IV) I think that's what you call it. I never used it as much, i then brought the at pro, and still haven't used that one as much, mainly because college has been keeping me distracted.

Hope to hear your comments, have a safe day, and happy holidays.

I watched the “Detectorists” on Netflix not long after it came out. I remember thinking how cool a hobby it was so I ordered a machine and it was love at first swing.

 

[neodetectorist]

The history every find has. Granted, most of my targets are trash, there are plenty that tell a story. From mid 1800s through the turn of the century. Who carried it, lost it, threw it away, whatever the case. Someone at some time had it. Be it coin, relic, or jewelry. I have found old coins with great detail meaning they were lost very close to the date on the coin. 150 years lost then found by me. Mostly it is the thrill of a good tone and not knowing what is about to expose itself after possibly many years in the ground.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

I took up metal detecting, 50 years ago, as an offshoot of coin collecting. Through the years, I have found coins my dad lost, as a kid, as well as a coin from the remains of a log cabin, that my grandfather was born in, in the Indian Territory. Finding civil war relics and jewelry, is an added bonus. I got out of metal detecting for a while, but 9 years ago, started up again, for exercise, after a medical issue.

Welcome to the Forum...!
Glad you are back at it again...!

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

I started detecting about 2 1/2 years ago in the Richmond, VA area. My son wanted a detector for Christmas, and I got hooked. Love it! (This is my first time posting on this forum)

Welcome to TreasureNet...!
We look forward to you posting your finds here...
Good Luck and Happy Hunting...!

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

As a kid (many, many years ago), I used to hunt for fossils and minerals in my home town. That was the hobby that instilled the hunting instinct in me. When the 1st metal detectors became widely available to the general public, I had a curiosity, but never had the time to investigate further. I was completely invested in my business with time and finances.
As I neared retirement age, it became clear that I would need something to help fill in my time, keep me active and keep me outdoors. I stumbled on this site while researching beginner metal detectors and, on the advice of several posters, purchased a Tesoro Compadre. I was also fortunate enough to have Terry Soloman visit me and offer his advise and experience. He has become a good friend and to this day is still my mentor.
Well, 5 years later, I have 3 metal detectors, 2 pointers, 5 digging tools and an overwhelming desire to swing a coil every day!

You got the "bug" BAD, buddy...!
There's no vaccine for it either,
so swing your coil, 'till you drop...!

 

[Lamy Lineman]

I grew up in So Calif. Used to see guys MD at the beach while I was surfing. Thought, when I retire I'd like to give it a try. One time a few friends and I were hiking and camping up the San Gabrial east fork. We were there to go fishing. Past the bridge to no-where we came across a fellow who showed us a gold nugget the size of a quarter. I was hooked, I went to a MD and Gold supply store in Orange CA and bought a MD, gold sluice and pan. Never did find any gold with the detector, but did find a 14K ring at Newport Beach. Retired and moved near Sant Fe NM and go swinging and sluicing for the past 15yrs.

 

[birdman]

I've been loving this community, especially getting to see stuff out of the ground that's older than me. And sometimes older than most of yall XD. However, I have to wonder, what inspired any of you, ladies and gentlemen to metal detect? I know when I got into metal detecting, I always wanted to do it when I was a young lad, and actually brought my first metal detector at 19 the (Bounty tracker IV) I think that's what you call it. I never used it as much, i then brought the at pro, and still haven't used that one as much, mainly because college has been keeping me distracted.

Hope to hear your comments, have a safe day, and happy holidays.

I've been loving this community, especially getting to see stuff out of the ground that's older than me. And sometimes older than most of yall XD. However, I have to wonder, what inspired any of you, ladies and gentlemen to metal detect? I know when I got into metal detecting, I always wanted to do it when I was a young lad, and actually brought my first metal detector at 19 the (Bounty tracker IV) I think that's what you call it. I never used it as much, i then brought the at pro, and still haven't used that one as much, mainly because college has been keeping me distracted.

Hope to hear your comments, have a safe day, and happy holidays.

I grew up in a history rich area and as a kid we would sometimes find CW relics,Indian pottery and old bottles while playing in the woods or on the beach really sparked the love of history.
I started hunting regular in my teens but did not have a good detector till much later.

 

[relicmeister]

Aquachigger and a few others

 

[73dguard]

I've been loving this community, especially getting to see stuff out of the ground that's older than me. And sometimes older than most of yall XD. However, I have to wonder, what inspired any of you, ladies and gentlemen to metal detect? I know when I got into metal detecting, I always wanted to do it when I was a young lad, and actually brought my first metal detector at 19 the (Bounty tracker IV) I think that's what you call it. I never used it as much, i then brought the at pro, and still haven't used that one as much, mainly because college has been keeping me distracted.

Hope to hear your comments, have a safe day, and happy holidays.

Misguided attachment (greed).

 

[Jolly Roger Blue]

As a young boy, I rode into the Superstition, and Bradshaw mountains with my dad, prospecting for gold. That started my treasure hunting fever. During my last year in the Army (1976), I was sent to southern Germany. One day while my unit was out in the field doing infiltration exercises, we saw a German guy with what turned out to be a Garrett VLF/TR detector, and my Sargent sent me over to check him out. He spoke perfect English, and we talked for a couple of minutes before the rest of the squad sauntered over. We were all amazed by his finds that morning, including some WWII coins, a gold Nazi ring, and a Roman coin! When I saw the gold ring my brain went immediately to the gold nuggets my dad and I would find in the Bradshaw mountains. When I went home to Phoenix, AZ, later that year, the first thing I bought myself was a Garrett Master Hunter. I have been hooked hard ever since!