 |  | Quote: |  | | Posted by frnknstn | | |  |
| . . . and the most important find
I am embarrassed to be seen with my metal detector - shame on me I know.
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Consider this. Yes, you are looking for things that people lost but don't focus on that. No matter how good our detectors are, we still dig more trash than treasure. I dig pins, needles, nails, rusty bits of iron, pull tabs, bottle tops, bits of wire, staples from fencing, cut links of chain, foil, steel cans, aluminum cans, knives, razor blades, hypodermics and all manner of sharp objects at a ratio of at least 20 to 1 over finds of value. Even then, the most common find of value is the smallest denomination coin in the area where I am hunting. Also, 1 in 5 of those is damaged somehow. Cut pennies? More pennies and dimes than dollars? You bet. Gold rings? Oh, yes, but in most cases they are unique enough that I can actually trace the owner and return them. That means a great big "Thank you" which is nice but has no monetary value.
The average detectorist is not making a living at what is done day to day. But, in a serendipitous occurrence, we do both community service by cleaning up dangerous items and trash while enjoying ourselves being amused by the occasional find of value. Your embarrassment comes from not putting this in its proper perspective. Think about it. A mom with her children at a sand pit play yard might eye you suspiciously. But if you walk over, introduce yourself and explain that you are picking up dangerous metal from an area where her children are playing, you become an instant hero. Show her the stuff you find that will eventually enter the waste bin and she'll be shocked to see what is in the same sand her children are running barefoot in. Same goes for the beach.
You don't really have to introduce yourself but I find it makes for good community relations if you do. I also offer to let the older children give it a try. Since the ratio of trash to treasure is so high, I often drop a small coin for them to try and locate. Just one and then I'm back to work. For playgrounds, when I find drugs or items used for drug abuse, I report them to the local authorities. Not the police but the ones in charge of park maintenance and upkeep. Sometimes I even deliver the entire collection of dangerous items and metal rubbish that I find to the desk of the person in charge. Let me tell you that after the initial shock, they are most happy to present their "findings" to their bosses. It makes for a terrific boost in the positive profile of detectorists at the city or municipality level.
Whatever you do, don't live on the backs of the jokers who have given metal detecting a bad name. You know who I mean. The guys who never fill in their holes, drop their trash right where they found it and never try to return lost property. Instead, stand tall on the shoulders of the giants who return valuables that can be identified, clean up trash & dangerous objects and refill every hole to restore a park or playground to its original state.
Before you next go out, give this some thought. Be prepared to show anyone who is curious just what you have found in the way of trash and dangerous objects. Show them a handful common coins you have found but do yourself a favor and never show valuable coins or jewelry. You'd be surprised at the number of dishonest people who will claim an item as theirs, "lost last month," even if you know full well you found it at 10" depth. Showing a bit of stuff is also a nice way to meet people who may eventually become your newest hunting buddy. It's happened to me quite a number of times over the years.
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« Last Edit: April 10, 2010, 05:21:00 pm by GoldDigger1950 »
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It's all about that moment when metal that hasn't seen the light of day for generations frees itself from the soil and presents itself to me.
Let's Talk Treasure!
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