Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

Just reading about that lucky couple who found £5ml worth of treasure trove in a field in Somerset.

It made me wonder how on earth they did it? How did anyone know that there was money buried in that particular field from the time of King Harold and William the Conquerer? It may well have been a known site in the area, but with our vast swathes of land in the UK, how on earth did they know exactly where to start searching? and if that particular field was known to be a site where both of the above had once been, how come it had not been ploughed to death with metal detectors already?
It really puzzles me.

Is there anyone on OFF that is a Detectorist? Have you ever found anything of value? I have had a go with my brother's metal detector just for fun in the past, but all I seemed to unearth were ring-pulls from cans of pop!!

Does anyone know how they know where to start looking?
We have a 3000 year-old Iron Age Hill Fort in Oswestry, one of the best preserved in Britain, and which must hold many many coins, but metal detecting is banned, besides, it is so huge, where would one start looking anyway?

Re: Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

I had a metal detector, and used it on our field at our previous property. I found several early Victorian coins. However, I found the activity rather boring, so gave the metal detector away.

Re: Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

The whole point is they don’t know. They spend a great deal of time searching without any result. Very occasionally some of them get lucky – extremely lucky on very few occasions.

Re: Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

My 'great' finds with a child spade are limited to can rings, bottle tops and cigarette stubs on the beach

I once found 50p in a park ..... that was in the days when 50p had some value.

Re: Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

Back in the day Shropshiregirl, traders entering a town or city would bury their wealth on the outskirts of town so if they got mugged or drunk in town they wouldn't have their valuables stolen.

They would choose somewhere they would recognise next morning when they continued on their journey. A large tree, or a rocky outcrop. Sometimes they were murdered or died of natural causes before they could unearth their riches. Some simply forgot where they buried them.

If I was a metal detectorist these are some of the places I would look.
As old age overcomes me and I am looking for a more sedate hobby, I can seriously see myself taking up metal detecting.....A nice walk out in the peace and quiet of the country studying nature with the possibility of a large payday. What's not to like!.

Re: Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

Hi

When the kids were much younger, they loved the idea of Treasure.

We had great fun with a cheap detector, I still have some of their "treasures"

They found a few coins on the beaches on holiday, some of which dad had buried, but also a few musket balls.

Re: Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

Apparently my paternal grandfather buried an ancient family sword somewhere on the large property of my family home to prevent the Germans, who invaded our island, from getting their hands on it. He died in 1943, having never told anyone where it was. A mental detector might have discovered it, if anyone had thought of using one. I bet it would be worth a bob or two now.

Re: Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

Thanks for that info OGF. That made me smile to think someone buried their money for safety and then forgot where they buried it!! I'm afraid I wouldn't have the patience or inclination to go detecting for coins. I prefer to have them readily to hand and changed into notes, and spend them!

Re: Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

Funny you should say say that Tarantula , a nearly identical thing happened in our family.

Re: Metal Detector Enthusiasts and Treasure Trove.

And they wouldn't be the only ones Apricot, there must be loads of buried and lost stuff....Especially on the Channel Islands....