Anyone out there interested/involved in metal detecting? I think it would be a very enjoyable hobby. A guy that my dad knows asked permission for him and his son to do some metal detecting on our place. They found some pretty neat stuff. I live in an area that was sort of a hot spot for civil war battles and camps. They found several harmonica reeds, buttons off of confederate soldier uniforms, and a napsack (sp?) hook from a confederate soldier. Several cannon ***** have been found on my papaws farm as well. I just think it would be neat to find old stuff like that.

 

One of the guys tht works for me is into it big time. When he gets back off vacation, I'll send him a link to the thread.

 

My Wife and I enjoy hitting old townsites in this area. I would love to find some old Confederate articles. We are still using cheap equipment but hope to move up some day.

 

When you find a spot where an "outhouse" use to be you'll find many metal items, usually coins!

 

I've heard you can find lots of old glass bottles in the old outhouse locations also. Seems thats where people chose to dispose of their glass.

 

I've been doing it off and on for about the last 25 years. My best find is a canadian 1912 5 dollar gold piece, a 12 pounder cannon ball, and some rare minie ***** that are only found around where I live. They are a 72 caliber that is nicknamed the arkansas hawg. Some silver coins too.

 

I go out and do it to lots of fun.When you first start you think your arm is going to fall off waving the detector around. I have a Minelab a very good unit. Here is where you will find the best deals as far as I know.http://www.kellycodetectors.com/indexmain.htm
Just remember to fill in your holes and keep everyone happy.

 

Please post updates to your numismatic discoveries.

Justin

 

I have a Whites metal detector and have had much fun with it. I've found all kinds of items, from a diamond emerald ring to old logging items from the turn of the century.

The trick is investing in a good metal detector, if you go cheap, it will be hard to find the good stuff.

It is a fun hobby, but not necessarily a calorie burner.

 

I do it basicly for a living. Well kinda we use them to find ordnance on old military bases. I think I have used just about every kind there is. Including M61s that go to about 15 ft plus depending on soil type.

 

My numismatic discoveries are far and few. Generally small change. But I did find an old radio at an old light house.

 

At Poison Springs battlefield just out of Camden, Arkansas (about 30 miles from where I live) I have found a few chewed bullets and along the Union retreat route found a couple of 69 calibers that were dropped along with a fired 58 enfield round. I could just imagine a scared union soldier trying to load his rifle while being shot at and dropping a couple from his cartridge box. The chewed bullets really make you think.

 

Those chewed bullets seem to bring more money with the buyers. Especially if they are available to tell if it's an actual chew bullet or one some animal has chewed on. My farm used to be an old logging headquarters from the 1870s up through the early 1900s. We have found 15 ax heads, numerous old hand built chains and horse tack along with various pieces of old machinery that you can still tell was made on a forge by hand. Plus some horse shoes that were handmade and measure over 7 inches from side to side. That would have been a large draft for those days.

 

I only found like two of them but you can definately see the molar marks on them.