Maybe some of you have not experienced the joy of discovery. Digging down into the earth’s soil getting dirt under the fingernails to recover a Civil War bullet that hasn’t seen the light of day since 1861, an indian head penny, a copper token from the San Francisco World’s Fair from the early 1900’s or who knows what other long gone relic that is buried just inches below the earth’s surface.
If history does not tickle your fancy, you probably could care less about a piece of history that could very well be under the ground that you walk on. However, If the relics from the past excites you then you are certainly a great candidate for investing in a metal detector. A good metal detector will cost you right around $200 and up depending on the bells and whistles that you want. Then you can set out to roam the countryside for a piece of treasure that’s just laying there for who knows how long, ready to be discovered by you.
I remember my first time out in the field with my brand new metal detector. Knowing that during the Civil War, armies of the union and confederacy had marched through our area and had encampment just a mile or two away from my house, I acquired permission to search the area which was owned by the county Board of Education. The first couple of hours was spent sweeping my detector over the ground, and there was a lot of bending, kneeling and digging with no reward. But, persistence always pays off. The detector soon was sending out strong beeping signals loud and clear. About 3 inches down in the ground I uncovered a Civil War bullet. Nearby, more bullets in great condition were found. To imagine that a Civil War soldier had held these bullets in his hand was absolutely exhilarating and I couldn’t wait to return home to show off my treasures.
Treasure hunting is a year-round hobby depending in what climate you live in. In snow country the ideal time is when the ground thaws in the spring extending through the falling of the leaves in autumn. During the winter months, if you live where it snows and the days are bitter cold, the pain of having to wait for the temperatures to warm up is akin to having cabin fever. But when the weather does break, the Easter Lilies begin to bloom, the anticipation swells when you take that metal detector out from the closet, blow the dust off, insert brand new batteries into your treasure finder and then you are ready to sweep the fields.
The photo submitted is of the author of this article.