Having been involved in the metal detecting hobby since I was a boy, I’ve witnessed many changes over the years. Some can be considered positive, others perhaps not so good. Technology has certainly changed for the better, and many a treasure hunter nowadays favors the more modern digital target ID features. Thus, we not only dig a lot less trash, but also enjoy higher success rates because these modern units have made some “hunted out” sites productive again.

The addition of the internet to the hobby can also be considered both good and bad. Much good info and tips have been exchanged, and many a fine topic has been debated in the online forums. It’s also a place where one can proudly show off photos of recent finds. Unfortunately, those same forums occasionally erupt in “brand wars” and opinion clashes.

Perhaps the best aspect of mixing the internet with our hobby is that many new friendships have evolved. Those who frequent the treasure forums daily typically have e-mail “pen pals,” both near and far. I have detected with many folks whom I have met online in the New England area, and surely many a lonely detectorist has found a new hunting partner through the forums.

One of my detecting “pen pals” was Tony Mullen from North Carolina. We both were contributing to the various “Fisher Forums,” and finally we exchanged short e-mails about both of us having freelance articles here in W&ET. When Fisher released the Coin$trike, we both took the plunge as well. As you continue to keep in touch with fellow detectorists by e-mail and even by phone, eventually there’s often a feeling that it would be great to someday meet face to face. What better way to do so than to plan a hunt?

Tony and I tossed around several ideas, and finally it was decided that Virginia would be a good road trip for us to do some Civil War relic hunting. The plan involved meeting up with Tony’s dad, Frank, who was to be working there after the first of the year. This would be ideal for me as the soil in my area would be frozen solid after New Years, and I had a field test with the ID Excel. So, plans were set to meet in Richmond, Virginia. But, before our meeting would finally take place, something very interesting, even strange, was to occur.

Tony had always kidded me about being so lucky to be digging in New England and finding Colonial treasures, including Spanish silver coins. He often talked about breaking the “1700s barrier” with a coin, but we both knew it was a daunting task in his part of North Carolina. In turn, I reminded him that he had achieved a goal that I would have a hard time with in my state… finding a very rare gold coin.

Well, one day Tony got up the courage to knock on the door of a home that he thought had been built in 1860. He had been doing well coinshooting for silver in the yards of older homes, and in the forums often displayed photos ranging from Mercury dimes to Walking Liberty halves. When an elderly woman had granted permission, and mentioned that she’d lost a ring in the yard, Tony became really intent on finding that ring. After digging some musket shot and horse tack, 30 minutes into the hunt he got a solid “half dollar” signal 6″ deep. Carefully cutting a plug, he saw a glint of silver down in the ground.

Since it was an 1860s home, I’m sure he figured he’d found another Walking Liberty, or hopefully a Seated Liberty half. Grabbing the coin, Tony instead saw the large pillars of a Spanish 2 reales gleaming up at him! He knew he’d finally dug his first piece of Spanish silver, but he hesitated to turn it over. Would he be able to kill two birds with one stone and break into that elusive “1700s club?” I’m sure he took a deep breath before flipping the large coin over to see the date… 1796!

Later, he learned that the house actually dated c. 1820, thus explaining how this coin could have been dropped there. Of course, everyone in the Fisher forums was impressed, and I remember commenting that I had not even found that particular type of 2 reales in my area yet.

When Tony’s dad, Frank, went down to North Carolina to visit, he admired the coin, and they both hunted the home again without success. Before Frank left for Virginia, he said, “I’ve got to get one of those.”

Meanwhile, I was taking advantage of some mild winter weather by hunting a Colonial homesite of my own with my partner Rob. It was now getting dark quite early, but we had both found Colonial coppers and some flat buttons, and didn’t wish to stop, knowing the soil would be frozen soon. Just before quitting, I got a solid high tone on my Coinstrike that I’m sure matched Tony’s “half dollar” signal. The problem was, it was now almost dark, so I felt around in the dirt and came up with a round disc that I assumed was just another worn copper. I remember hoping it was a large cent I could read this time, and I put it in my pocket.

After we made our way back to the car, I noticed that we were parked near a streetlight and took out my coins. One blank copper… two blank coppers… oh yeah, the other pocket. Well, you can imagine my surprise when the other “worn copper” emerged with a silver glow. Amazingly it was a Spanish 2 reales that looked much like the one Tony had just posted. Mine was dated 1774.

Of course, I couldn’t wait to show the forum- and toss a jab at Tony! Frank saw my post the following morning and just had to tell his son that I’d just found the same coin, but even older. However, Frank was working so hard that he forgot he was calling his son to tell him this on a Sunday morning during church!

Tony was just relieved that the call wasn’t an emergency of some kind. After seeing the photos of my coin, Frank said, “Now I’ve really gotta get one!” There was also some good banter on the forums as to whose coin was older, whose was in better condition, and even, “Your King has a broken nose.” We knew, too, that some folks figured we were pulling a fast one, saying we’d dug matching coins at virtually the same time.

As our road trip grew closer and our thrill of Spanish silver began to fade, Frank, now stationed in Virginia, had an eye on an older home much like his son had. Frank had been passing by the Colonial property for quite some time, but what really piqued his interest was a “For Sale” sign that cropped up suddenly. Unfortunately, he’d put off calling the homeowner until the last day of the year, only to hear, “You really should have called sooner, because I just sold it.”

Well, Frank drove by, spotted the new owner, and asked for permission to detect. He was told it was OK, but for “today only.” Knowing this would be his only opportunity, Frank hunted the entire yard quite hard, but his only “keepers” were clad coins totaling approximately $4. As he was preparing to leave, he decided to make one more pass around the area of the old driveway. Surprisingly, his XLT locked onto a target that gave a reading equivalent to a half dollar. Frank was stunned when out popped a large silver coin with a clear date of 1773! Yes, it was another Spanish 2 reales of the same type, but he had outdone both of us in our quest for the oldest one. Not bad for his last find of the entire year! Frank immediately called Tony on his cell phone and uttered just one word: “1773!”

Soon the three of us would not only finally meet face-to-face for the first time, but be able to dig some Civil War relics in an amazing Union campsite. Bullets, buttons and other items came to light; yet even if nothing had turned up, the fellowship made it all worth the trip.

While in the car, we all swapped stories of how we found our reales. The details that were told drew laughter. From the phone call in church, to my surprise under the streetlight, to our ribbing about whose coin was older or better. Yet, it really wasn’t the dates or condition that counted- it was the camaraderie, the shared sense of accomplishment, the unique thrill of discovery… three of a kind!

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A routine drive home turned into a near tragedy on the highway during rush hour. When one driver swerved, avoiding an object in the road, I took the brunt of a high speed, head-on car wreck. I awoke in an ambulance with neck, hip, back, and shoulder pain. Those pains would persist in the entire right side of my body, although x-rays showed no broken bones. Still, I felt lucky to be alive… it could have been much worse.

I saw several doctors and was out of work for four months. I did rehabilitation three times a week with four different physical therapists. I was determined to detect again soon, but being right handed I had no range of motion in my “swinging” shoulder. The road back began with short hikes, but lingering back and neck pains prevented any digging.

The March sun stirred urges to detect again, and so did a tempting invitation to search a Colonial stone castle site. Legend said that it had survived King Philip’s War because it would not burn, and the opportunity led me to think maybe I could “cheat” for an hour with my left arm. Steeling myself for the test, I started searching, and all the pain was forgotten five minutes later when I uncovered a powder flask nearly a foot deep. Although non-military, picturing an animal in front of a tree, it was still a thrill to find, especially as it was my first.

Glass shards littering the area also intrigued me, but a closer look revealed the pieces to be Victorian. I saw no Colonial black glass, and wondered whether I was in the right spot. By noon I’d also picked up a flat button, a silver thimble, and a sore back. I was about to leave when my hunting companion came up with an Indian Head cent and a Mercury dime. So, I figured I’d stay a bit longer, and skip around trying to get a coin or two myself.

Finally, my Fisher 1266-X sang out with the best signal I’d heard all day; the type that generally indicated a coin. Sure enough, the wet soil revealed a round disk, and I thought, “Finally, a large cent!” But wiping off the mud revealed something more. I saw 13 joined rings and read clearly, “We Are One” in the center! I knew I had a rare one and began waving my arms. Seeing the Ben Franklin-designed 1787 Fugio cent in books, I’d always assumed they were so rare that I’d never find one. Wrong!

Thrilled, yet also very sore, the next day I decided to forego detecting in favor of a much-needed breather. Besides, I figured my luck was unlikely to get any better and my “comeback” was complete. So, I ended up taking more than a week off to deal with soreness, rain, and my return to the working world.

In April I received another generous invitation to search a new site after work. Supposedly, it had already surrendered several Colonial coppers and relics to local hunters, and what could be better than that? Skeptical, I arrived at the field first and picked a spot at random, eager to keep my lucky streak going. Spying bits of Colonial black glass and china got my adrenaline up, and I quickly put my “lucky left arm” in motion.

Well, by the time others arrived, I had already found three flat buttons, a 1740 George II halfpenny and 1749 farthing, several musketballs, and what I figured was an encrusted large cent. Hunting until dark, I continued my comeback with another small copper and two early large cents. It wasn’t until I returned home and began to wash off my finds that I saw the words “Mind Your Business” staring at me again. I had to keep looking at it under the light to make sure it wasn’t a flashback, but no- the encrusted black disk was clearly a second Fugio cent! Amazingly, it was found exactly two weeks after the first one, several towns apart on consecutive hunts.

Further cleaning revealed even more good news, as the small coin was actually a rare, Bust Left 1786 Vermont State copper! Also, what I thought was only half of a button proved to be interesting as well. It was an 1812-1815 Russian 2 kopek piece that had been cut in half and spent as a half cent.

This hotspot had begun attracting more detectorists, and we longed to get back there for our share of finds. With a Colonial site of this magnitude, I was confident that I could continue my comeback streak. The tally the next night was again strong: a few more large cents, including an 1803, a colonial shoe buckle, and at dusk my oldest coin to date, a silver 1726 real!

With the weekend approaching, I asked my dad if he was up for an early Saturday start and a full day of detecting. We had not hunted together in over 15 years, but after seeing my finds so far, how could he say no! The field showed signs of filled holes from heavy hunting, and the coin recovery rate dropped accordingly. I knew we had to dig everything, and got the ball rolling with a smallish, chewed musketball. Nearby, in an area with more lead, out popped a nice little button with LA 1 surrounded by 13 stars- a War of 1812 U.S. Light Artillery button! I knew there were more coins there, too, and was eager to prove it.

My next signal sent me running over to show dad an 1802 Large Cent with good details. As I was approaching to show off, he said he’d just had his best signal and claimed he was about to unearth a large cent of his own. As he carefully probed and dug, we were both astonished to see the back of a square belt plate exposed! He grabbed it and turned it over to reveal the eagle of a perfect 1851 officer’s sword belt plate that the other hunters had somehow missed.

We continued working this apparently unsearched area, and soon I answered with back-to-back silver. A beautiful 1808 real’ and an 1854 half dime were added to my “comeback collection.” Thus far, the latest coin recovered here was dated 1853, and we began to think it was possibly a pre-Civil War training ground. My next signal confirmed those thoughts as I dug deep for an object that I immediately recognized as an 1810-1820s Belgian black powder pocket pistol! I had found a smaller ELG-stamped version as a boy in South Carolina, on a Saturday hunt with my dad 19 years earlier.

My father left for lunch, satisfied that he had made the find of the day; however, I continued, knowing that we now had a real competition underway. Persistence produced two more small silver coins previously missed, an 1845 Seated Liberty dime and a nice 1797 1/2 real. Again, all this was being accomplished with my “lucky left arm,” which by this time was now my strong side.

Later, I put together a nice “comeback display case,” chronicling the date each item was dug during the period of less than three weeks. Many treasure hunters would be satisfied with those results for a whole year, and we take for granted the age of the Colonial artifacts available here. I recovered 22 coins, which doesn’t sound tremendous, but 19 were dated earlier than 1853, and five were silver. Large cents totaled 11, including the Fugios, and I’d guess around 40 more were found by others there in 2001. These finds attested to how far back I had come, and reminded me of how much farther I’d like to go.
They still do.

BILL LADD is best known for his appearance on PBS’ Antiques Roadshow with found slave tags appraised at $15,000. This “15 minutes of fame” has led to seminars and school presentations allowing others to share his love of history. Bill continues to hunt his native New England Colonial relics and coins.

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“Learn Your Metal Detector”


By Bill Ladd

One important thing I’ve picked up along the way in this great hobby of ours is to never scoff at, or doubt the unit a fellow detectorist is swinging. This is especially true when a fellow hobbiest is carrying a detector some would consider “cheaper” or “outdated” technology. I’ve seen far too many times these wily old vets do just as well, if not better, than all the competition in the same field that day. Why? Well, as we all know, sometimes it’s just the luck of walking over the right spot. But more so, I believe it’s because the detectorist with the older unit has years of experience with his particular machine than the others. Even though his detector may not be digital, multi-frequency, or full of all the latest “bells and whistles” as some of the more expensive modern units, the user knows it. He or she knows it like the back of their hand; just knows the “sounds”. This hobbiest has trained his ears….it talks to he or she so to speak. Perhaps the other treasure hunters were trying out a new brand of detector that day in hope of attaining some kind of edge. But, new detector users often have to struggle though a tough learning curve of several hours with all of the advanced tones, notching, and digital readouts and programming common on today’s top units. Many of us feel new users need a minimum of 30 hours in the field to really grasp all that a new metal detector is trying to “tell” you. A “newbie” to the hobby may need more than twice that.

I remember one local digger who showed up at a field with 4 or 5 different detectors from various popular detector companies and lined them all up along a stonewall. He spent the day switching off, and fiddling around with all the different brands. Meanwhile, I, searching with a one-tone “beep-dig” Fisher 1266x detector was busy recovering several targets while he was “playing”. Now, the hobby is supposed to be taken up for fun, and perhaps experimenting with new units was this users way of enjoying himself. I go to “pounded” sites occasionally with 2-3 detectors and little flags to mark targets and “play” myself. But, if you really want to find more treasures, and increase productivity, hopping from brand to brand can often pose further difficulty I feel. Your finds will always be less than he or she who lives and dies with that one “old faithful” detector. I recently read a magazine article about a gentleman who’s a very successful coinshooter…..using a 1970′s BFO! So, it’s not all about showing up to the field with the newest and best looking equipment. I often use the golf analogy. That buying a $500. titanium, wiz-bang, super duper driver does not instantly translate into better scores. There is some skill involved. Same with metal detecting. One of the best Civil War relic hunters I ever met still uses a beat up old non-metered unit from the 80’s that he even ran over with his car once! (You can’t make this stuff up:) Though duct taped, bent, and really very ugly looking…..well, put it this way, I wouldn’t want to hunt alongside him with any of my flashier “modern” units! He plain knows what to listen for. “If it anit broke, don’t fix it” is probably his motto.

Having a bunch of different units can also get confusing remembering all the ideal settings to succeed. I often need to go back to a certain manual as a refresher on how that unit is ground balanced. All seem to be different. Now, how about trying to remember how to ground balance a whole stable of different metal detectors? Ground balancing may be the most important set up procedure of all. So, it is something that diggers need to be proficient at.

I also observe a lot of folks try a Fisher unit for the first time, and the very first thing they do is turn the sensitivity up to 10 to see how deep it will go. This is a huge mistake, as long-time Fisher users have learned that a setting between 4-5 on a CZ, for example, achieves maximum depth. Overdriving sensitivity just adds chatter, and some will complain about “interference”. But, very sensitive Fisher units like CZ’s, Coinstrike, and the new F75 go as deep as I want to dig with mid-range sensitivity settings.

Though I basically stick to one brand, they all function quite differently. Every detector company has it’s own style of building; it’s own quirks and sound quality. “Tones” may sound far different from detector to detector. After spending countless hours listening to various noises though a pair of headphones, you begin to notice important differences. Again, often it takes years of practice. All detectors behave differently, and unfortunately some sophisticated units are never given a fair shake nowadays. In the old days of detecting, you didn’t have so much buying, selling, and trading as we now have. The internet makes it easy….so trying ‘em all is simple & some even can make a few bucks! Back in the old days, you picked out a detector from a magazine or catalog, saved up, and you really learned it. Basically you were forced to in a way because there were not so many choices right at your fingertips. There were no internet “classifieds” to list it right away to get your money back.

My first decent unit came from the Sears catalog (the 70’s version of the internet?). I owned those first “T/R” (transmitter receiver) detectors until the day they died. There was no one else to trade with, no local dealer, no clubs. In fact, I was the oddball doing a strange hobby most had never witnessed before. Not that I’ll ever complain as all my hunting territory was 100% virgin! Plus, I have to say I did exceptionally well with my “Sears machines”. At the ripe age of 12, I began working with a bit of threshold hum, and thus became quite good at picking out faint signal changes or “whispers”. These often resulted in a deep coin, and I vividly remember the faint threshold change of an 1835 Bust Half dime find. It’s still a coin that I’m proud of to this day. I’m certain I could still walk right to the very tree it was next to, probably right to the exact spot it was dug. It’s that vivid. I grew to know just what that detector was telling me, and just what it was capable of.

Too often nowadays some folks dig one piece of iron or one screw cap their first time out, and all of a sudden their new purchase is for sale online one hour after assembly. Does this mean it’s a “bad machine”? I always wonder, did they read the manual a few times if at all? Were their settings completely wrong? Did they bother to ground balance? Did they just try it on a “pre-set” mode? Did he or she ever own that brand detector before? Maybe it was their first ever target ID machine. Or are they just the folks who love to experiment? Some people just have to sample everything that’s new sometimes. The curiosity factor is often just too great I guess. Plus, sometimes the online, or magazine advertising “hype” can be hard to ignore. This can be especially true if it seems that every forum “big shot” is trading their old units in for the new one as is now happening with the F75 for example. But, I also wonder, are “try ‘em all” detectorists hoping for a “miracle machine”? Are they always holding out some hope that there might be a holy grail of metal detectors hidden out there somewhere? Truth is, there has been no major leaps in metal detector technology since the VLF. All the major brands are all about the same depth-wise and nothing has come out lately that goes say a foot deeper than all the other brands. The major improvement I have seen with modern detectors lately is in regards to trash/iron separation. Though technology has not attained tons more depth, it has made “unmasking” targets in heavy iron a force to be reckoned with….a vehicle to make “hunted out” sites productive again.

This is a hobby that demands much patience…much like fishing it’s not for every one as you don’t always get “a bite”. Sometimes I think folks sell new detectors quickly because they are hopeful to get most all of their money back before they scratch the detector up. In other words, they can sell it fast while “it’s hot” often without a monetary loss. But, is an hour in their test garden, or even a week in the field enough time to have really absorbed what a totally new piece of technology is telling you? Some will swear it is, and one has to give the benefit of the doubt to the person saying, just “not my cup of tea”. But, I’ve had arguments with fellow diggers who say things like, “I’ve been detecting for 30 years; I know how to run a detector!” Well, once again, metal detectors are all very different, especially the modern ones of today are quite complex as compared to the BFO and TR units of the past that didn’t even have meters. The reason I always stress you have to really “learn” a detector is getting to know sounds…not just what the LCD screen or tone said on say your first sweep. For example, though some large pieces of iron may occasionally read 20-30′s on my TID Fisher’s, with my Coin$trike I can tell right away by the sound it’s iron now. It’s hard to put into words, but it just sounds more hollow or echo-like. This is unlike the crisp, sharp, unmistakable coin tone. Learning this “iron sound” took me hundreds of hours in the field training my ears. Now, you may be able to get an idea early on if a detectors not for you, but you can’t train your ears in an hour. So, maybe sticking with one detector and learning it to the best of your ability is half the battle for good consistent treasure hunting?

I remember one time I entered a seeded “competition hunt” that was to be held on a beach. I arrived with my trusty Fisher 1266x, the only machine I owned at that time. This is a one-tone unit recognized as one of the best relic machines ever. This Dave Johnson designed Fisher is a true classic, and is considered by some as still the best for relics. I made loads of good finds with it and loved it, even though some folks in the local clubs had begun calling it, “outdated technology”. Well, in the beach parking lot a couple guys even asked, “was I really gonna use that?” Supposedly the 1266x was not considered a “beach machine” per-say, and one guy actually offered me one of his back-up units for the hunt! I calmly said that I “lived and died” with this machine and I’d be fine. Well, guess what? The so called “relic unit” without a meter found the most coins and tokens that day! I know I wouldn’t have found much of anything with a borrowed machine I would have had to try to decipher on the fly. Did I dig the most because I was simply faster recovery-wise than the competition? Perhaps. Or did really knowing my machine like the back of my hand give me a keen advantage? I lean towards the latter.

Good diggin’
Bill Ladd

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I imagine that starting out in this hobby while still in grade school really influenced me to want to give something back to the children today. It seems like just yesterday that I too was a child dreaming of getting a metal detector for Christmas. I feel blessed that through the hobby, I was lucky to have found valuable treasures, appeared in several newspapers, catalogs, and advertisements. I’ve also appeared on national television, and been able to tap into a writing talent that would otherwise have never surfaced. Maybe I feel exceptionally lucky and want to show young people that anyone, any age can find treasures. My success at age 13 is living proof. While in the field I always try to take the time to remove my headphones and talk to young children when they approach. I explain what I’m doing, show them some finds, and gladly let them watch. Many detectorists nowadays keep their headphones on and pretend they can’t hear them. They may consider children and other interested parties a bother. They don’t want to experience the “pied piper effect” of a gang of children in tow. This happens quite often on the beaches. But, I remember following an older guy around the schoolyard as a youngster asking questions. So, maybe I can relate to them and are therefore more tolerant toward their inquisitiveness. Images: club9a.jpg

Enjoying children, I always had in the back of my mind I would love to visit elementary schools with all my treasures. I just was never aggressive enough to visit schools or find out how to go about it. My collection had grown to museum quality proportions. Cannonballs, bullets, and colonial relics I would professionally label and display proudly in glass cases. It seemed a shame I had to keep my collection hidden in a safe, or locked up in a bank vault. I knew what it felt like to touch a piece of history like I did as a boy. I longed to have other little boys and girls experience the same magic.

My big break came after a newspaper article came out detailing my most famous finds; the salve tags. Thankfully an elementary school teacher that knew my mother read the story after just finishing teaching her 4th grade class about slavery and the Civil War. Like I always had, she correctly assumed my relics might help bring their textbooks to life. Of course I jumped at the chance, and packed up almost all of my finds. Although very nervous that first time, facing several 4th grade classes at once, the teachers raved about it. I think it’s good for children to be rewarded and escape the same boring daily class routine. I know how much guest speakers and field trips meant to me growing up and I still recall the specifics of some.

I began that first program with a VHS tape of the Antiques Roadshow appraisal. This became the model for all of my future presentations. A “famous guy” from TV was now in front of them, and I now had credibility, wide eyes, and their utmost attention. I’ve even been mobbed for autographs after speaking witch is incredibly flattering. There’s just something about hearing the “oohs and aahs” from a crowd of children staring up at you in amazement. Being able to be the one to physically place an object from the Civil War, for example, into a child’s hands is incredibly rewarding. I try to use as many “props” as possible when I speak to young pupils. Cannonballs and bullets, relics from or nations wars described in Social Studies class are always very popular. Pupils get to a hands-on experience of size and weight. As objects are passed around the room, I always hear comments like, “It’s so HEAVY!”, or “I wouldn’t want to get hit with THAT!” A related relic I try to put into the hands of the young and old alike are chewed “pain bullets”. I describe that this is item explains the origin of the saying, “bite the bullet”. articles: school31.jpgI stress that they are lucky enough to be touching an actual object a soldier chewed on; perhaps as he was dying. Being this dramatic really brings across the horrors of war. No textbooks ever described details such as these. I always have one powerful display of Native American stone artifacts on hand with children for a few different reasons. One would be to show students that primitive peoples lived right on the same soils that our houses now sit. That thousands of years ago man had to make do with stone, they didn’t have “Playstation” or even electricity. I finish by saying that most all of my “arrowheads” were picked up in plowed fields, so treasure can be found if you keep your eyes peeled. Early on in my program, I usually describe the basics of how a metal detector functions. Of course I bring at least one unit along so adults and children can hear what it sounds like without headphones. Adult groups I can go into greater details concerning the electronics, children just want to hear it “beep”. I attempt to convey that the principles of “beep and dig” are all not that complex. I’ll point out to the pupils some of the relics I located when I was about their age. Often times at the very end I let students line up in front of my display tables to examine more items up close and to hold a detector. This gives them a reel feel for what exactly it is I’m swinging. I like to also have a hand detector probe handy so children can “pinpoint” their own objects on display. I’m also certain to touch on our hobby’s Code of Ethics concerning the filling of holes, and getting permission. Hopefully if they ever take up the hobby they will go about it properly.

Though it usually takes several trips to my car and several boxes full of display cases, I enjoy making a big splash. I long to show others my extensive collection and to appear like a traveling museum. I’ve lugged TV’s, extension cords, and displays all over New England and people think I’m crazy for volunteering to do this. Others doing similar talks about their hobby, on a much smaller scale don’t have much of an impact. One display case of best coin finds and long winded speeches, especially to school children can turn wide eyes into yawns quickly. The key is keeping their interest up. I keep historical objects circulating the room the entire time. It keeps children excited; knowing a British Cannonball from the Revolution is coming down the row next. Now I know some people are thinking this is dangerous, and I many not get everything back right? Well, I have never had a problem, and I always try to explain to the teachers what I intend to do, and to please help me gather up all of the items. I also try to get a sense of time allotted from the teacher or persons in charge. Through my love of the hobby, I can seemingly tell stories and show individual objects all day. But the problem lies in the fact that maybe the students have to get to a class in an hour or so. Ideally I like to have 2 hours time. If that is not possible I just plan accordingly and adjust here and there. The presenter must keep their eyes on the time to be certain there is enough time for questions. I like to use the last half-hour for this. Probably my worst effort was when a teacher had me end my routine early without questions. Amazingly after most every presentation I see almost every hand go up. Some children even ask 2 or 3 different things. I love to see this and feel this is proof that I have captured their interest and my effort was a success. The questions that come up are often very good ones. Some have even left me tongue tied, such as when a 4th grade boy inquired if biting a lead bullet gave the soldiers lead poisoning. The most popular question that arises with the children concerns the detector itself. How much do they cost, and where can they get one? The teachers often tell me that every kid runs right home and begs their parents for a metal detector. Hopefully parents don’t end up cursing me, but I imagine the thrill passes for most kids soon after I leave. But who knows, maybe one little boy or girl really loves history class now, or was moved by my presentation. If one young person was touched it was worth donating my time. A fellow detectorist once scoffed at my presentations by claiming that I was influencing too many people to take up the hobby. He reasoned I was creating a new breed of young detectorists that would now be out in the field “hunting out” the remaining sites. I disagree. There’s enough out there for everyone if you do your research and it seems silly to worry about a 4th grader getting a detector.

When children are involved I always volunteer to speak at no cost. I really jump at helping out schools and cub scouts more than any other organization. Unfortunately bad experiences at detecting seminars and certain clubs have forced me to either require compensation or be very selective about speaking engagements. Sadly this has led to some people believing success has gone to my head. Yet, organizers have no idea the amount of labor it takes to produce a great show. Long hours driving after work, carrying several hundred pounds of glass cases, TV’s, VCR, etc., sure takes its toll on a volunteer basis. Plus, several costly glass display cases and picture frames have been broken during the whole travel process, and thus must be replaced. I’ve spent hundreds of hours in my spare time printing and cutting out labels for my finds, much to the chagrin of my better half. Hence, I really don’t think asking for a bit of expense money is all that unreasonable. Besides, I’d much rather see the wide eyes of young children anytime. Often teachers or the PTA will insist upon compensation, but I now only ask schools if it’s possible to get handwritten letters from the children. This is something that the first teacher at that first talk presented me with and it made it all worth while. The pencil written letters are precious, and now one of my most treasured items. articles: school15.jpg I have placed most all of the hundreds of letters I have received in 3 ring binders with plastic sleeves. They mean so much I keep them in the safe with the display cases. Some of my favorite ones even feature drawings of their favorite artifact, or “stick figures” holding a detector. Many are very laughable. Whenever I’m feeling blue I can open those letters and read about how I performed as their teacher for a day. Letters from pupils also are useful indicators of what items made the most impact. If 75% say, “I loved the cannonball!” I know I can never be without that item at future shows. My all-time favorite letter says, “You are the greatest ground finder ever to walk on earth”. That should make anyone feel proud. “GroundFinda” became a handle I used for awhile in the online detecting forums. I’m sure little Nicholas Brown has no idea how much his letter meant to me. He’s probably long forgotten about “the famous guy” with the metal detector. Or maybe he’s out there right now with his own Christmas gift, following in my footsteps?
Bill Ladd

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Lately, just finding time for the hobby has been very hard for me. Between starting a family and moving, detecting for me has been in form of an hour here, an hour there. When I was single, just a couple years back, I was hunting all day Sat, all day Sunday, and even a couple nights after work! Times sure have changed, and it’s quite hard when you have the “bug” and want to get out so bad…..even to coinshoot some clad.

But, for some reason it had been a pretty successful hunting season so far, and 2007 had been quality over quantity for some reason. I had opened the season with a previously “unlisted” button find at a cellar hole that I was quickly offered $300.00 for. Then, sneaking away for an hour after work hoping to find a musketball or two, I dug my first-ever gold coin!This was an 1876 British Victoria Half Sovereign. I was happy with that, and my complete attention was to arranging a new house and a baby girl on the way.

But, one sunny day recently, I sat at work looking out the window really just itching to swing my new Fisher F75. I just got it back from Texas with the updated “Jewlery Mode”, and really wanted to try it. It was supposedly “hot” on buttons and I had several fields on the way home where flat buttons had turned up in the past. As I drove, my hopes were let down. I forgot it was June and most all the farmers had crops planted. Finally I spotted one farm permission that had fields that were not yet plowed and were over grown with weeds still. I jumped out and headed for the field that I had dug buttons, and the 1821 Bust Dime that appeared in the ID-Edge advertising. But, my hopes were dulled when I discovered the weeds were so thick I couldn’t even swing a coil! I was able to get the coil down in one corner, and pounding this little bare patch produced just a drop of lead, a hook part, and a broken piece of pewter spoon.

I thought of leaving, but while walking out remembered another tiny field behind a barn. We disliked this field as every time we tried it we came up empty and it had sparse signals. The most it has ever produced was a lone Indian head as I recall. But, seeing it didn’t have as many weeds, I figured what the heck? It’s either try here or head home, and I had not swing in weeks. So, I cranked up the F75 “hot” as possible, and headed toward a really bare section. While walking, a nice signal produced what appeared to be the brass lock plate or key hole cover from a big pad lock. Flipping it over, I saw it was decorated with leaves & such and it was actually a Colonial book clasp (like the hinge things often found on a diary or bible). Cool. Now I figured I not only had an older area, but also I was not going home empty handed at least. In fact, it would look good in one of my colonial display cases.

Now really overlapping my sweeps and listening closely, I got a loud high tone that I thought was a beer can. But, from about 8” up came a bent piece of copper or brass. Looking close I saw it was the bent up bowl of a Colonial latten spoon. These are large flat spoons and many have unique marks and are from the 1600’s! Very cool. Now I knew I had a hot little area with some age. Just two sweeps further, up came a 1700’s pewter button from a depth of 8”. This was the type with the “hump” where the shank once was and common in Revolutionary times.

Spinning around to head back to the direction I came & begin to run a pattern, another weak signal sounded like the last button. I checked the depth and pinpointed it at 6”. I dug a large plug and felt around in the dug dirt after swinging over to see it was out of the hole. Feeling something round and flat it appeared to be just like I thought…another flat button. Yet, when I picked it up it felt super thin like no button I ever held. It was the size of a Spanish ½ Reales and looked dark grey, so maybe that’s it? But it even felt thinner than those. Gently brushing more dirt off, I saw what looked like a nice bold back-mark around a ring of dots. But, again, boy that seems very thin for a coin or button. Wait, that’s not a shank in the middle….it’s a TREE! Now I knew what I had. I recognized that oak tree right away after my friend John dug a hammered silver Massachusetts Oak Tree TwoPence a couple years ago. I noticed the “II” on the other side, and this looked almost exact, and also had apparent nice details! The date side of 1662 was more worn than the “tree” was, but I wasn’t about to complain! As a New England treasure hunter, a “readable” Massachusetts “tree coin” has been on my list of detecting goals since I was a boy. Many New England detectorists have found them, and it’s a lot like becoming a part of the “gold coin club”. I have dug a blank silver disc that matches a tree coin planchet that’s so worn away on both sides I can’t even see a thing even with a loop. So, I never even talked about it or considered myself part of the “club”.

The oak tree TwoPence types are very desirable as these are the only Mass. hammered silvers dated 1662, and considered rarer than many 1652 varieties. The date of 1652 gave these coins the look of having been struck during the English Civil War with Cromwell in power. They were produced from handmade dies, which explains their crude appearance & individuality. The wide range of die varieties is easy to see and all are cataloged with a “Noe” number. Mine appears to be either a NOE 32 or NOE 33 (large dates). These were the last of the TwoPences to be struck as the first ones had small 2’s. COINFACTS.com lists only “3-4 known”, but I’m sure there are a few more unreported in private collections. Still it’s a rare and valuable coin.

So, in very, very limited time, and digging far fewer holes, I have been lucky enough to have attained two “goal coins” with my first-ever gold coin, and now my first “readable” Mass. “Tree coin”. My hunting buddies putting in far more hours are probably cursing meJ There’s still 6 months left in 2007 to dig my first George Washington Inaugural button next! (another long-time goal).

As some people know, like with my fascination with the #13, I’m superstitious and both times I hit these “goals”, I was alone sneaking in an hour after work. Boy, I’m thinking digging for entire weekends are out for the rest of the year! J

Thanks for reading,
Bill

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Nowadays, the metal detectorist has a wide array of headphone choices available with fancy names and price ranges that can go over $140.00….or close to the cost of a back-up detector! Thus the casual coinshooter may get along fine and enjoy a low priced pair, and this is great. But, someone like a relic or nugget hunter using headphones usually “thrown in” with a new detector purchase will be disappointed as these headsets rarely survive getting pushed and pulled in the field.

Being fortunate enough to have been chosen to do several advertisements, field tests, as well as help with research and development on many detector products, I get to try many of the “top end” headphones offered today. Many became eternal back-ups; others were given away to other detectorists if they didn’t have exactly what I look for in a headset.

What is it that’s so important? Well, I would have to say there are two main aspects I look for in a set of headphones now. They are being built rugged and also being loud.

Being serious about doing lots of legwork to get to early relic sites and ghost towns deep into forests, really being built to last is a must. Often my headphones bounce around in a backpack alongside the rest of my gear while hiking hard. Plus, once you get to a site that’s often heavily wooded, it’s easy to catch headphone wires onto branches. Believe me I have learned the hard way breaking headphones 3 miles from the car with no spare pair. A fully loaded backpack can’t hold spare headphones, so we venture off and need to have trust in 1 very durable pair.

When Sun Ray called to ask if I would like to try their new “Sun Ray Pro” headphones, I said sure. But, I also stated that I already had a couple sets I was pretty happy with. Yet, when Sun Ray ran down the list of several impressive features, hearing “toggle switch boots” perked my ears up. What may sound very minor is actually very important to the type of rugged hunting I mentioned. Many top shelf headphones have the basic chrome toggle switch. The pair I was using passed the test for clear/loud volume, but on a rainy, muddy trip to England the switch got stuck and broke in the middle of a field rendering them useless. I was forced to hunt half the day without headphones, and found very little. In disgust those headphones got punted back toward the bus when we were picked up. It was later found that dirt and moisture got inside the open toggle switch. This is why Sun Ray’s switch boots sounded awful intriguing. Still, I was skeptical it would have everything else I needed, especially good volume.

When I got the Sun Ray pro’s I looked over an obviously well built product. I immediately inspected the all important cable design, as I have ripped out, or severed many different headset cables in the woods. I spied a very durable looking coiled cable, that featured a right angle gold plated plug for top sound quality. But, even better is an external strain relief that appeared strong enough to break branches rather than vice versa. So far, so good.

I also have to mention that they came folded up or curled inward thanks to the duel swivel point ear cups. This is perfect for packing into my backpack- another plus in my book. The Sun Ray Pro headphones also feature 2 toggle switches on 1 side (as mentioned, covered with black rubber boots to keep dirt/moisture at bay). One switch is called a “limiter”. This on/off toggle switch is a circuit that can be activated to reduce those surface blasts from large, shallow targets such as a can or plow part. This is very welcome for someone like myself who enjoys running the detector and phones almost on max. But, perhaps the best part is that putting the limiter on will not diminish those faint whispers from being heard. Some may assume this would not be possible, but it is on the Pro’s. The other switch is the “mode selector” which will make the new Sun Ray Pro’s compatible with most every detector out there. I tried mine on every unit that I own, and also several other brands at my local dealers and they sounded great and compatible with every one.

Speaking of sound, all the “extras” I’ve already mentioned are great so far, but again I really desire good, loud volume. Why? Well, with the type of detecting that I do, and the type of units I use to get to deep relics, I need to hear everything clearly. Most of the Fisher units I use have 4 tones and also I often run them on “all metal” as well. Though some would prefer to “silent search” or turn their headphone “chatter” down, I like to hear every single change. Often I can pick out a small object like a coin or a button that lay “masked” amid a bed of iron trash. I like to hear all the blips, or iron “grunts” as often a weak target others missed can be in there too. So, in short, many brands just plain didn’t seem loud to me, even with their volume all the way up.

Well, the Sun Ray Pro’s were a different story. If fact, they are currently the loudest detector headphones I own at the moment. Beneficial here is that the ear cups really fit fully over the ears and totally block out all background noises. They are comfy to boot, with an adjustable ribbed headband. Looking inside the ear cups, one can see that the high output 150-ohm nominal impedance speakers are aluminum case construction with polymer cones. This means they can handle the moisture and sweat protection that comes with the hobby. I found the different tones were crisp and easy to distinguish, and even faint signals were clear and they are hearing aid compatible too. Again, so far so good.

The Sun Ray Pro’s also feature dual volume controls on each ear cup. I owned a pair of headphones once that only had one dial, and many others had “free turning” dials, meaning volume often got bumped down easily. Well, another fine feature of the Pro’s are the volume knobs themselves. What’s so special about a knob? Well, these knobs are “segmented”. This means they are detent controls that offer an amazing 32 different volume positions. In other words, they don’t get bumped out of position, they click and hold right where the user chooses, even when I pack them. Again, some will only choose to put their headset volume half way up, while others like myself will be up near the loudest point. So, there’s a lot of flexibility to go up or down with the Sun Ray Pro’s, and I now have a set with volume to spare even. Another trick to achieving the perfect pair of headphones is having a happy medium between lightweight YET still durable. I owned a pair that were durable, but to be this way were very heavy, awkward, and didn’t fold up at all. I have been field-testing the Sun Ray Pro’s for a few months now and they have been with me week after week, on many different adventures and on many different detectors. They have seen lots of activity, and I have scratched them, pulled them, etc, and they now look well used. Mine have been out in the rain with no worries at all. The Sun Ray Pro’s have passed the test for a durable headphone, and for additional piece of mind they also have a limited lifetime warranty. With all the added features and for under $100.00, the Sun Ray Pro’s outperform many other “top end” headphones that can cost $50.00 more. For more information about the Sun Ray Pro headphones you may visit the Sun Ray website at

www.sunraydetector.com

or e-mail:

sunrayd@iowatelecom.net

or call Ralph at Sun Ray at (319) 636-2244.

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Finally, one weekend we decided to take a gamble. Even if the site of the ghost town had been previously detected, we could still enjoy the adventure of locating and photographing a site that dated back to the 1700s. It’s fun to try to go back in time and imagine what life was like with no running water and no electricity. Of course, actually metal detecting at early settlements like this is the pinnacle of our quest, and I enjoy creating displays of whatever relics may surface.

Conflicting theories surrounded “The Village” high in the hills of New Hampshire, and research turned up speculations from various historians: a hamlet of Revolutionary Tories, freed slaves, people afflicted with diseases… to me, all guesses. Additional tips from a hiker brought us up the same winding dirt cart roads once used by the original settlers. Unfortunately, however, vague directions and unfamiliarity with the area led us to every path but the correct one. After going in complete circles with tiring legs, cliches like “striking out” and “can’t win ‘em all” were uttered. It was now late afternoon. I looked at my watch and said, “Let’s drive just a bit farther to be sure.” I’d hate to think we were so close and gave up. Finally, we spied stone walls leading into a depression resembling a house site. “The Village!” we yelled.

Although it was late in the day, we felt a huge sense of accomplishment. Then we spied an old truck parked nearby. “See, someone’s already detecting!” I half-joked, thinking it was really just hikers. But Rob saw an elderly man in the truck and said, “Howdy, sir.” Receiving only a strange look and no response, I chimed in, attempting to explain we were just history buffs looking for a lost village we’d read about. Of course, he looked at me as if I was totally crazy and said, “It’s on my land, and I don’t want nobody out there!” So, we began to apologize, and I tried to shift the blame somewhat, explaining that a hiker had led us here. Backing away, the gentleman exited the truck and said, “Follow me… I’ll show ya some places.”

Overly excited, and focused only on Colonial relics, I eagerly began walking with the stranger. Rob hung back, fully aware that the man had just picked up a rifle! Rob began to ask the landowner several questions. Was he just hunting? When, “Hunting humans” came the reply, we weren’t sure whether to laugh or start running! Luckily, the man chuckled, obviously joking, but explained that he disliked trespassers. Our politeness helped our cause, and he enjoyed showing off rural land that had been in his family for years. He probably didn’t entertain many visitors.

Concluding a tour that included viewing two probable homesites, I began to explain our hobby. I mentioned that we had metal detectors and would love the chance to try them in his forest. We were both uncertain of a reaction but heard, “Sure, but someone already did the whole woods.” Of course, this was not what we wanted to hear, but we figured that since we’d come this far, it was worth a quick swing.

Dropping our gear behind a large foundation, I envisioned a Colonial tavern, took photographs, and marveled over a 20′ deep well. Rob, a detecting “newbie,” had excitedly begun swinging his Fisher 1236-X2. My first signal near our backpacks was a nice 1844 large cent. “So much for the whole woods being hunted out!” I shouted. Next, we each added several large Colonial coat buttons to our pouches. Many featured handmade dot patterns, and our hearts jumped every time another button came to light, as most Washington Inaugurals are that size.

Next to the well, the sandy soil had preserved a beautiful Colonial cast silver knee buckle, still shining with its iron pins! Recently reading a Revolutionary account of a father passing down silver shoe buckles to his son made this find seem extra special. It was probably a devastating loss, involving work around the well.

Meanwhile, I could see that Rob was just as happy to be closely examining a Colonial brass keg spigot. Although some might toss this into a junk box, I saw that Rob recognized its historical significance, saying that it was his favorite find yet. Maybe it was a tavern. Moving across the cart road to a smaller foundation, another first target high tone produced a detailed large cent dated 1835.

Weeks later we arrived at the ghost town again to continue working “the tavern.” After having recovered coins and a solid silver buckle, we now figured that the “runaway slaves” and “poor subsistence farmer” theories were inaccurate. Armed with another detector with a larger coil for depth, I scanned an area previously overlooked, pulling out a silvered 1700s button. Nearby, a similar weak signal made me assume, “Another deep button.” So, I dug a large plug and pinpointed a strong reading in the dirt. I called Rob over as I brushed off an 1803 large cent.

Rechecking the spot, I got another high tone and told Rob, “Sorry, but there’s another copper in the dirt.” Instead, I felt around and excitedly removed a large silver 1724 Spanish 2 reales “pistareen”! Speaking of great losses, this one must have been huge. I wondered what 21¢ could buy in Colonial days? Did someone sit behind the house and have two coins roll out of his pocket? Or perhaps they were in a small leather pouch… now long since rotted away.

When the landowner used his rifle to point out a third house, I was about to pull off a feat I’d never done before. After ground balancing my Coin$trike, for the third site in a row my first signal was a large cent! This one was a beautiful 1817 was a perfect patina. Next, an 1858 Flying Eagle cent emerged, but I felt guilty because Rob had yet to dig a coin. Thinking, “Some detecting teacher you are,” I quietly slid it into my pocket. But just then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rob walking toward me holding something. Hoping for a coin, he’d done far better, unearthing the largest 1700s decorated shoe buckle I’d ever seen! It was completely intact, too. Rob knew he’d done well when I immediately offered the 1817 large cent in trade.

Soon, Rob had his first coin here, a British George II copper. Near this home’s well, Rob dug an 1803 large cent while I was brushing off a Connecticut copper. Later, after finding a silver spoon, I switched to all-metal mode to get a deep coin, later identified as a 1690 British William & Mary copper. Interestingly it had two holes and had been made into a “buzzer” toy for a child. Some might call this a defaced coin, but I think it has great additional character, since a child once played with it long before store-bought toys were readily available. This simple toy was representative of a simpler lifestyle as well.

Next, Rob called me over to see perhaps the strangest thing I’ve ever encountered in over 25 years of digging. One outstretched hand held an 1861 “fat” Indian Head cent. “Not bad, but you called me over for that?” Then he opened his other hand, which clutched a white quartz Native American arrowhead- from the same hole! He said he was sifting through the dug dirt with his fingers for the coin, and had felt the stone twice. Finally, thinking its point was unusual, he picked up his very first arrowhead! By some very strange twist of fate, a coin depicting an Indian had been dropped on exactly the same spot where an Indian arrowhead had come to rest 3,000 years earlier. I told Rob he had “oldest find” bragging rights for sure! Now confident with his detector, he kept his hot streak going by adding an interesting Naval hat badge to his growing relic collection.

Later, we hiked up a hill to an area where the older man had not ventured. I imagine that he’d overlooked the large, carved native granite stones and “pin & feather” markings that we recognized as an early quarry site. Across from the quarry was another square depression. Was this a quarry worker’s home? It was certainly something significant, as I quickly dug two worn George II coppers. Next, I also discovered a hole containing multiple items. A Chinese cash coin, c. 1736-1795, emerged from the same spot as another Colonial coat button. Had Chinese immigrants worked at the quarry, or was the center-holed coin someone’s pendant?

We searched “The Village” several more times, using different detectors and coils to make certain that we did not miss anything. One-piece buttons, large cents, and British coppers were plentiful here, and each outing we cherished as a trip back in time. “The Village,” consisting of four houses and one quarry, was small, but the array of relics and knowledge we gained were quite rewarding. Rob’s 1861 Indian Head penny was the newest item to surface, so we feel it’s probable the village was abandoned during the Civil War period.

I had to keep reminding Rob that future sites will not all produce like this one… this was a rarity, and well worth the extra effort and long drive. Some of the best Colonial shoe buckles in my collection were excavated at “The Village,” and iron relics were preserved for the future as well. This forgotten ghost town in the hills was perfect, too, for a “newbie” to earn his spurs. I know it’s easy to become hooked, and at the time of this writing Rob says it’s the best site we’ve hunted, and that the keg tap and shoe buckle remain his favorite finds. So, I believe it’s safe to assume that “The Village” has inspired a new detectorist to appreciate history, long for more backwoods adventures, and resolve to stick with the hobby for years to come.

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