Just recently, a large collection of 11th-century Norman coins was discovered by an amateur during a metal detection lesson in a field in Somerset, England and later valued at £5 million. In light of this discovery, we have rounded up some tips to help you on your metal detecting journey:
Do extensive research
This is the most important step. You will not unearth antiques in random spots. You have to find locations with a lot of past human activity. This means the surroundings of old buildings or the location of what used to be buildings. You should study old historical maps of your city and compare them with the current maps and look for structures that used to exist in the old maps and vanished from the new ones. Learn about the history of the building to get an idea of what antiques you should expect to find.
Pick the right tool
Antiques hunting is the easiest form of metal hunting (underwater metal detecting and gold hunting are the most difficult ones) because, in most cases, you don’t have to deal with ground mineralisation and the objects you are looking for aren’t buried very deep. So keep things simple and use a basic metal detector. You don’t have to mess with all of the complicated settings of advanced devices. Just turn it on and start your hunt.
Look for the owner and ask for permission
After finding a good location to metal detect, it’s time to find who owns the property in order to get permission. The procedures depend from one country to another. For example, property ownership is accessible in public records in the US and can be looked up by anyone. You can find the owner’s contact details in the county assessor office.
Use a pinpointer
A detector will emit an audio signal if it senses the presence of metal underneath the search coil, which is a few inches wide. To make the search even more accurate, you need a pinpointer. This tool is a miniaturised metal detector that gives you the exact location of the object. This way you won’t hit it with your digging tool. Some detectors have built-in pinpointers however using a dedicated one is highly recommended.
Dig carefully
You have to dig slowly and carefully because you don’t want to damage an expensive piece of history with your digging tool. Use a trowel instead of a shovel. Typically you won’t have to dig very deep since a metal detector's depth range does not exceed 10 to 12 inches (25.4 to 30.48 cm). So take your time to unearth the relic and keep it in good condition.
Get your treasures appraised
If you happen upon a buried object on your metal detecting missions, find out what it's worth. Barnebys service ValueMyStuff can give you an appraisal within 24-48 hours and connect you with an auction house if you wish to sell. Start the appraisal process.
Happy hunting!
