The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Since we have every yuppie diversion thread known to mankind, wet shaving, coffee pressing, bean roasting,
I thought I would do my part to cover the more doofus genre and begin the metal detecting thread with an
emphasis on recent finds. Most of my finds for today are gone, I was in the yard of an old 40s-50s school
today in a rough neighborhood. I heard every bull$hi+ panhandler story in the book, and I LOVED the look
on their faces when I gave them crusty pennies and unrecognizable dimes. The quarters I keep for the
office coke machine since all the money goes to the boss. Most of the people dropped the coins
once they thought I wasn't watching them anymore, some right there in front of me. In front of one old tree,
I came up with 6 quarters. I love old smoking sites around schools. This place has been picked clean of silver,
as have most places in this city. But I like the excercise and the possibilities. All told today, I managed to dig up
1.97 in quarters, dimes and copper pennies.

I have raggy equipment, though I am not embarassed by it. I don't live in a nugget-rich environment,
So I spent what I thought I needed to spend to find silver coins where they could be found. I find a fair
amount of civil-war era coinage by the river, and I spend a couple Sundays a year around old schools,
a couple Saturdays around old churches. I have a Fisher F2 and a Bounty Hunter Pioneer 505. Both
minimum quality rigs for maximum quality fun.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Today as i said, I gave away all clad coinage except the quarters, which I keep in another pocket, lol. I also found a 1948 Dime,
a 1968 dime, a Chuck E. Cheese token, a russian coin of some kind and a stainless steel folding ruler.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

I've always wanted to try my hand at this. Nice finds and a good way to have fun!

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

I had the itch something terrible about ten years or more ago, my gosh, it's been awhile when I look at it like that.
I think My dad wanted to get into it, but way back then, in the 70's and 80s, even a crap rig was very expensive.
And they were all crap, lol. He died a good 25 years ago, so we never got to do it together. It's the kind of
thing he got a kick out of. He was a chemistry and physics teacher. I got my second unit last week, lol. I won't
take it into some of these nighborhoods yet. Of course, having a SHARP army shovel in your other hand tends to keep
the wolves at bay a bit, lol. For $150-200, you can find one that'll find the fun stuff. Problem is that GOLD tends to
detect around the spectrum with iron and pull tabs...bummer.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Use to do this with a friend and his dad when I was younger. Found bunch of change and a gold ring is te most valuable thing I found. I've been pondering about buying one and going around the old winery places around here.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Ive been kickin around the idea of getting one and wondering around with it.
Is there any kind of law against digging on public property?

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I may have to add this to my list of near-future hobbies.

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Yep, this is one I remember from my boy scout days. I never got my own rig. My wife has been mentioning it for when we go camping. Maybe it will be her idea to get one. ;) ;)

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

I have never been asked to leave, and have been passed by dozens of cops, etc. I believe that there are few laws that
prevent public property metal-detecting. However the most important thing has always been, learn to dig small holes
and pop good plugs, so that the hole you fill in looks as good as you can make it look. You have to dig on Pub Prop as
though at any moment someone from some department will walk up on you and say WTF? You should be able to say
"Well look here and here and here...my holes look pretty doggone neat. People hate to see ugly piles of crap that bad
detectorists leave behind. I used to carry a piece of cardboard to pile any dirt on, so that when it came time to fill in
the holes, there was not a lot of random dirt laying around in the grass. I also really like detecting on plain old dirt, lol.
It's a lot easier to fill holes. If you treat other people's grass the way you would your own lawn, it makes you good
enough to get very little crap. I hear signals in my yard, and I still haven't dug em. I worked a long time to fix my
St. Augustine lawn and hate to dig holes in it. :)

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

This is a current story in our area:

Officer Dulle's Ring

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Very cool, always interested in metal detectors but its just one more hobby I DON'T need, lol

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Got a metal detector two years ago for christmas with the expectation that I would be taking various trips down to Virginia and other southern states to look for civil war relics. Got in with the govt, moved away from the east coast and unfortunately haven't even used it yet. Should probably start looking for some spots up here in the pac northwest.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

You might find Sacajawea's retainer. :)

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

About 3-4 times a week I get up early, grab a decent smoke (lately it's been a Deisel Unlimited d.7), and walk 2 miles of Lake Ontario beach up and back for a 4 mile walk. I like to see what the lake kicks up- I like history and archaeology, and trying to figure out what something was and when it came from. Here are some finds from this year:

1: Toy car tire circa 1950
2: Ceramic/copper/mica household fuse c. 1940's
3: Modern change
4: Lightbulb base
5: Aluminum nugget (Probably from a tin can tossed in a fire)
6: Older quarter
7: Euro cent (modern)
8: Vintage buttons (Left- leather, Right- glass)
9: 12 gauge brass from old paper shell (Remington)
10: Brass shoe rivet c. 1920's

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/m...lligan/001.jpg

Pottery sherds, 19th/early 20th century:

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/m...lligan/002.jpg

1: Clay pipe bowl fragment, late 19th century (Scottish?)
2: Clay pipe stem fragment, late 19th century
3: Pipe bowl, mid-20th century

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/m...lligan/003.jpg

Do you know this one?

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/m...lligan/004.jpg

Last pic, always fun to find if not particularly historically interesting: GOLD

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/m...lligan/005.jpg

I've found marbles, glass bottle stoppers, ice age bones, fossils, a nice bouy that's now hanging in the stateside Tiki Hut, a piece of carved bone, plenty more.

No metal detector used, sight only. I wonder what I'd find if I got a nice detector...

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

The 270 is a badge from a Volvo 270 outdrive off a boat.
http://fracstar.com/pics/270.jpg

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

subscribed. I love seeing found objects :D

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

I don't own a metal detector, but this is a cool thread and I will continue to follow it.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

:tpd:

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

:tpd:

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

metal detecting/cool crap we find on the ground thread. I like. Im always looking for crazy stuff when i take the dog for a walk along the creek behind our house.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

My dad has been into metal detecting since before I was born. I have gone with him many times, but not in a long time. He could tell you guys some amazing stories. He has a nice machine that can differentiate between types of metals, determine depth, size, etc. But he can tell by the pitch of the sound, what kind of metal it is, without looking at the display.

Public property is pretty much fair game, unless you have some local ordinances against it. In fact, even cemetaries are fair game so long as they are closed (no longer burying people; at least in Michigan).

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

I have a nice White's I bought 7-8 years ago. I used to get out a lot.
The only time I ever hit a cache was a small ditch in a yard that was loaded with mercury dimes.
I was in heaven, pulling as many dimes as I could, sometimes ten in a hole. I had a big pocketful and had to get out of there because there was somewhere I had to be. I figured "no biggie, I'll come back tomorrow".
Well, I came back the next day and the owner's son shooed me off the property. His mom was the owner and had given me permission, but the son was worried that the appearance of a knucklehead with a metal detector on the lawn may raise an eyebrow, as their house was for sale.
I never did get back there after the house sold, and now it's a hospital parking lot. :D

I still may have a bowl of good stuff somewhere. If I ever find it, I'll take a pic. That could be years from now when I get unpacked from moving.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Subscribed.

Show us your gold prospecting finds too. The family and I are getting into it and are pumped up. We are going to spend a week in the Motherload Country (Columbia, CA) this summer, Sluicin' and pannin'. We would like to pick up a metal detector also.
Cool Thread!

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

I am pretty jealous when it comes to doing anything where there is gold in the rocks. I am a purveyor of the picked-over.
Here is my giant haul from today, lol. the ACME THUN-DERER!!!

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Boo-yah! Yesterday's find:

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/m...lligan/006.jpg

After spending an hour knee-deep in Lake Ontario, I found this 6" from the shoreline in one inch of water.

I can picture a woman standing in the sand, saying, "You bastard, how could I ever have loved you?" and pitching the thing into the lake. Yes, I am a romantic.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

I can see a man skipping stones and a woman saying 'teach me how to do that" and her losing her ring.
I CAN SAY nice find! I never find anything good unless it's made of silver, cause I mostly hunt trashy areas
and gold and crap are in the same range of conductivity. I discriminate heavily, and my finds reflect that.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Very nice find Tiki!!

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How much does a decent unit cost? Who makes a solid unit?

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Seems like the most popular, in order of $$ least to $$ most is:
Garrett
Whites
Minelab

Obviously each brand has its own levels of effectiveness and $$cost.
I was once told that with a decent dector, expect to pay at least $100+ per inch of good depth reading.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Congratulations Tikihut, great find!

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Nice thread. Love seeing this old stuff re-discovered.

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Hmm that's funny, I lost a diamond ring right where you described, there was sand and water and stuff. I stood on the sand saying, "I'm a bastard, how could I ever have been loved by you?" And then I pitched it into the lake. Yes there was a body attached to it. oops I don't know where I was going with that. I need a smoke.


Nice found items guys.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Subscribed hoping to see some cool Civil War era finds :tu


PS - will possibly trade for $ or smokes FYI

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Never done any detecting, but my brother and I have rafted the Dechutes river in Oregon our entire lives. Actually since we were each one. We call it digging, but know quite a few places on there river where stuff gets stuck, and dive in after it. Found everything from coolers to last year my brother pulled out 5 wedding rings from one hole. I think he made about $750 at the pawn shop.

Great thread!

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

I'm hoping to see some as well although I will be very jealous.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Here's today's update.

I was out about 50 meters in 2' of water this morning and spotted this guy:

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/m...lligan/007.jpg

A little ceramic Buddha! Very cool. So I puts me Buddha in me pocket and keeps on wading- for like two minutes until I found this:

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/m...lligan/008.jpg

A 14k Baby ID Bracelet (with no name engraved). Thanks, kid! #7 gold find!!

Needless to say, Buddha will be going treasure hunting with me from now on.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Nice Finds.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

That Chuck E. Cheese token may be a collectibe, being it's an old Pizza Time Theatre coin.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Today: #8, another 14k earring:

http://i317.photobucket.com/albums/m...lligan/009.jpg

Not much, but I'll take it. Always nice to have a pile of free gold.

I'm really finding these, I'm not just slowly taking pics of everything in my wife's jewelry box. She's funny- everytime I show her something she says "Oh, a cheap..." (ring, earring, whatever). I keep telling her I'll start finding better quality jewelry, but it hasn't happened yet. If I find a solid gold Rolex she'll tell me it's the bottom-of-the-line model.

The treasure hunt is addicting; I think it's amazing how much stuff is out there just waiting to be found. Lake Ontario has 712 miles of shoreline; I search 2 miles of it! Who knows what's in that other 710 miles...

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Keep the pics coming and good luck to you all!

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

I have always wanted to metal detect but I have never been able to find a good unit. Any suggestions on specific make/models?

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

This makes me want to buy my own metal detector. I'm definitely interested..

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Very cool. Funny thing is you could probably hit that same 2 miles 10 more times and find something new each pass.

My dad went with a friend down to some early colonial settlements along the east coast years ago. It was actually "gridded" in that metal detector guys setup string grids like archeologists do at a dig and focus a couple guys on a small 10'x10' section at a time. This was done BEFORE my dad and his buddy went and still his friend found a $5 gold coin from the mid 1800s. Similar to this, but from an earlier year

http://www.coinsite.com/images/1899sg5l.gif

More on those:
http://www.coinsite.com/content/faq/five$.asp

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

You know it's fun and it's an outdoor activity you can do in almost any city/town. That means cigar friendly too. Not to mention the detectors usually pay for themselves in common (non-collectable) coins pretty quickly anyway.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Can you guys take a picture of your usual 'kit' you take with you? I am assuming its something like a hand shovel, metal detector, and maybe a bigger shovel if you have a high power one? I am just trying to get a feel for what I would need.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

My dad would always have stereo headphones. Most metal detectors have the larger headphone jack that work with the nice noise-cancelling headphones. It makes it a lot easier to pickup the sound pitch. This is key for getting to know your detector as they make different pitch sounds for different metal types. Once you get used to it you'll be able to tell silver from aluminum without a guage or visual indicator.

Next you want shovel that is narrow as not to leave a big mess. Basically when you dig you want to create a plug with grass on it that can go right back in the hole and look as if nobody disturbed it. My dad uses one like this. (sorry for the small picture)
http://images.bizrate.com/resize?sq=80&uid=2536944963

The entire thing is no more than 3.5 inches wide and a foot long. It seems to work better than any other variation he's tried.

The only other item he usually has is some kind of cheap 2-pocket bag/apron that he could tie around his waist or sling overhead/shoulder. Basically one pocket for junk and the other for valuables/coins. You dont want to put items caked in mud/dirt into your pants pockets.

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Any idea on where to pick up that slender shovel?

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

HA! found it...Only $10!

14" NARROW STAINLESS STEEL TROWEL METAL DETECTOR SHOVEL

http://cgi.ebay.com/14-NARROW-STAINL...-/400189393195

larger (maybe too big picture of it)

http://i.ebayimg.com/06/!CDP7dDwBmk~...1mmU3w~~_3.JPG

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

Lots of good links here:
http://www.prospectingchannel.com/indexEquip1.html

Re: The Official Asylum Metal Detecting & Finds Thread
 

After a very bland week after the Fourth, I finally decided to make a major change and move from sight searching to detecting. There are several detectorists on my stretch that I regularly compare notes with. My area produces both old and new finds- the guys that regularly surf-search leave a lot of ground to cover, and the sand shifts pretty quickly. Even though I'm holding my own with the number of pieces, I KNOW I'm missing a ton of stuff...

I went with a Whites Surf P.I., an older one I won on-line. Got a great deal for a nice machine- I'm really starting out a level higher than I should be, but I have some support so I hope to do OK.

The Surf P.I. has great depth penetration (12''-15" in wet sand, so say the reviews), more than most machines, so I'm hoping to find some pieces the other fellas miss. The Surf P.I. also has a reputation for picking up EVERYTHING, so I also expect to come out with a lot of trash and relics, too.

Whatever, it should be fun. Can't wait till the machine and my new scoop arrive! Stay tuned!