People Power.

Once again in the media there is a story about another treasure find made by a detectorist. This story is only about a single coin, but the media states that the finder stands to get around a £1,000,000 for it at auction.

As we all know this metal detecting hobby can be a bit of a lottery, but as with all treasure finds that are reported in the media your bound to get a rush of people buying metal detectors and trying their luck to find their own fortune. The companies that make metal detectors must rub their hands in glee when a new treasure find is reported. Myself, along with many others love these treasure find stories, they are exciting, they wet our appetites and they give us hope that one day we will see ourselves up there in the headlines.

I hear there are some detectorists who cringe at these treasure reports solely because of this new rush of detectorists. They see it as some sort of threat to our hobby, maybe they see it as more detectorists = less land, less finds, less permissions, or more night and day hawkers, more damage to the hobby. Whatever the reason they frown upon it and want to keep our hobby low key.

That might have been good reasons years ago when the hobby of metal detecting was in its infancy, but today things are different. Already thousands of people are enjoying this hobby. There are a few who would like to see this hobby banned and are doing their utmost to achieve this. Some of these anti-detecting brigaders have more power and influence on political decisions than any individual detectorist has and I fear for the future of our hobby.

Yes we have the NCMD fighting our corner but as the heat for banning metal detecting gets even hotter I think we need to turn the pro-detecting heat up ourselves. One way to do this is having more people join the hobby, new blood to swell our ranks, make our voice heard. Its a well known fact people power can change the world.

.....

Metal Detecting Scrap.

Sunday 8 June 2014.

***UPDATE***

It seems the post below upset someone so to put the record straight and clear my name of being an un responsible detectorist I'd better make it clear as to what I'm going to do in future. Hopefully this will satisfy him.

I acknowledge that all finds of gold, silver, copper, brass, lead, in fact all materials found in the soil belong to the true landowner. The true landowner is entitled to it all and if the landowner finds it in his heart to let me have a few quid out of it that's fine and dandy by me. As God made the heaven and the earth, (I assume earth means soil), he is the true landowner so its him who is entitled to all the cash. So from now on, once a month on a Sunday,  I will take all this cash I make from metal detecting to our local church. I will throw it all up in the air and what God wants he will catch, what drops to the floor is mine............ sorted!.

*****

Having not been able to get out detecting these last few days has given me the chance to sort out my scrap buckets. I like to clear my permissions of any trash I find for four reasons, one it helps the farmer keep his land free of the stuff, two it helps the environment, three it saves digging it up again and four it lines my pocket. You may think that small piece of lead or brass is not worth much but you will be surprised how it mounts up over time.

The rusted iron I don't bother with and ends up as hedge fodder as the price you would get for it in my opinion is not worth the hassle, that's if you can get a scrap dealer to take it off your hands in the first place. The bits of lead, copper, brass and bronze I take home and eventually sort it into individual buckets.

Why bother some of you might say, well, the price of lead at the moment is around 90p a KG, copper around £3.00 a KG, brass around £2.00 a KG. These prices can go up and down a little day to day, but hey, its free money for a bit of effort. I use luggage scales to weigh it all, those shown in the pic cost me £1.99 from one of those cheap superstores.

I still have a lot to sort through, but at the moment I have shown two pics of the lead and copper collected so far. The lead comes to just over 30 KG = £27.00 and the copper grot coins comes to 6 KG = £18.00. That's £45.00 so far with more to sort.
A handy sum to go towards a metal detecting accessory.

Buried Hoard of Gold Free For All.

Thursday 29 May 2014.

I just had to put this recent story up in the wake of the debate regarding who owns what etc. After reading it you will see what our  system is like compared to another part of the world.

This newspaper story is from Bangkok in Thailand and is about a landowner there who was preparing his land along with other workers to plant Palm trees when they came across a hoard of buried gold. As the news of the find spread there was a gold rush from people from nearby villages rushing to dig a share of the gold.

You can read the story here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/412464/golden-treasure-hoard-found-in-phattalung

Note how the police couldn't do anything and the landowner had to just step back and let them dig for a couple of days until they could find no more gold. Authorities said the gold treasure dug up from the ground was considered national property, so people who found it should hand it in to the department, which would pay one-third of the value, which was expected to be at least 10 times higher than the market price for gold. It was up to the people who found it whether they wanted to give the gold to the department or not.

Who owns what?

Wednesday 28 May 2014.
There is something I just have to get clear about in my head regarding this 'who owns the finds' we make while out metal detecting. This debate has been going on awhile now over on other blogs,  After weeks of it no sooner I think I have it sorted in my head, I then read something else that throws me into chaos again.

I keep reading the farmer who is the landowner owns the finds we make, as we found them on his land.. ..OK, I accepted that, especially when I read ''Under English law a landowner has sole title to any archaeological artefacts found on his or her property'. Now you would think that's sorted, but then I read that the farmer is not the true owner of the land.  Apparently all land in England is owned outright by the Crown. The Crown can take back the farmer's land anytime it chooses, so in fact these farmers only lease the land. The Crown also has stated what they want us to do with any finds we make, They only want anything that is classed as treasure, anything else they would like us to record voluntary with the PAS via the FLOs, which they set up. Its a good system and we are lucky to have this system in our country.

So what's the problem, to me everything is running ok. The latest thing the anti-detecting bregade has come up with is what they are calling a 'Finds Agreement Contract' with the farmer, where the farmer has to sign a finds release form. WOW, the farmers that I know, which is not many mind, such a thing would frighten the life out of them. Way to official in my opinion and will scare them off.  They also want us to tell the farmer when we arrive to detect, and also when we leave. On top of that they want the farmer to follow us around all day looking over our shoulder to make sure we don't hoik anything. The object of this is to try and stop the nighthawking that goes on....yeah, like that would stop it.

 I even landed on a Religious site  where they said God owns all the land.... wow, be a job trying to get permission off him, and how would he sign a finds release form?

So, all that rambling above is just a brief note. What I want to know is who really truly, clear as a bell, no fobbing me off...owns the land. As I say, I keep reading its the farmer, but then I find out its not, its the Crown. I keep reading all the finds, except treasure, belongs to the landowner/farmer, but if the crown owns all the land then it must belong to the Crown, and the Crown as I said above have laid down rules and laws regarding finds.

I came to write this post because last night I was reading one of my detecting books and came across a section where the author had wrote about this very issue a few years back. The book is called 'Advanced Detecting', How to improve your techniques & finds rate, by the late Norfolk Wolf (John Lynn). An excellent book and a must for all detectorists who wish to improve his or her skills wrote by a master of metal detecting.

The piece the Norfolk Wolf wrote about relating to the issue at hand here was titled 'Finder's Keepers'. I found it an excellent piece, well written, very thought provoking and would like to share it with you. I would also like to thank Greenlight Publishings for their kind permission for letting me quote the below writings by the Norfolk Wolf.

FINDER'S KEEPERS.

"Nobody has to tell me how hard detecting can be at times and when I find a coin or whatever, I know that I've earned it. However, here's the rub: is it really mine?

In my eyes yes; if it wasn't for my diligence it would still be there, lost forever. Does the farmer really have title to it? The land might have been in his family for generations, but how was this acquired?

The amount of land that was forcibly taken from the commoner by those in power to line their own pockets is unbelievable. When William I conquered England, he gave his butler thousands upon thousands of acres. A butler? For crying out loud.

For me this was particularly unjustified, as not only did he just get the land but also the people who resided there. These poor unfortunates were then promptly taxed to boot!

However, if one of them had dropped a coin, some of the tax had already been paid to the landowner. So by what right does a future landowner claim title to what I find?

Suppose it was a small hoard belonging to a Royalist that was hidden when the news arrived of Roundheads  in the vicinity; in the ensuing fight he dies. Who does the money belong to, his family or the landowner?

TREASURE TROVE.
This came about as an excuse to raise capital rather than preserving antiquities. When Queen Elizabeth I was down to her last few coppers, she passed the law that any gold or silver found buried belonged to her, or as we now say the Crown.

What I do know is that my finds are all recorded, whether gold, silver, bronze or pottery. Although the finds are mine, the information belongs to the museum service which in turn belongs to the country.

No matter what my thoughts, I have to abide by the laws of Treasure and I always have an agreement with the farmers on a fifty-fifty basis.
Without their permission I wouldn't have the chance to make the finds.

I find myself hoping that I could make more finds on the smaller landowners' fields. These people are really struggling in today's economic climate and they deserve any help that they can get.

The undeniable fact that detecting has advanced the country's historical database with a vast variety of objects and coins hitherto unknown, needs no further argument.

However, I am in agreement with archaeologists over nighthawking. These people are thieves pure and simple, and a plague on the detecting fraternity as a whole. They have no interest in the historical aspect of their finds, only gain. Whatever form of legislation was introduced I don't think it would stop them.

Other detectorists need to do their bit to engender good relationships with their local museum service. Its all very well wanting  a coin or object identified, but next time how about taking some of the pottery that you've been walking over with a grid reference? This will help the service far more than an odd hammered coin that was a chance loss, and they will appreciate the trouble taken".

(c)2005 John Lynn.

A thought on the Archie vs Tekky war.

This is just a thought I've had after coming across a snippet on a site while surfing the net. Now I have said before, one of the reasons why I think archaeologists don't like detectorists is because they see us as a threat to their jobs and future.  Archaeologists have had it all their own way for many years, they were the only ones mostly to find artifacts, coins, etc, and add to our heritage. Since the hobby of metal detecting kicked off that has all changed, detectorists now add just as much, if not more to our heritage. Don't get me wrong, noone likes a threat to their future and I can understand them going on the defensive. We all would if it was happening to our own future, When it was happening to me I was just told its 'progress', and had to adapt to it. Our Goverment makes cut backs, if they can come up with a plan to save money here or there, they will do it. Just look at the shake up in the benefits system recently, a lot of families are now suffering and have to adapt to the new ways, nothing they can do about it but to adapt.

Getting back to the snippet I came across. I read that English Heritage started to have their funding cut in 2010, then again for the next 4 years. Its predicted that they will have  further cuts in the coming years. Not a good sign for archaeologists.
The Ex-Gratia rewards giving to detectorists for reporting treasure finds has not changed at all. The reward has not dropped in all the years its been in operation.
Have the Goverment sat down and seen another way to save money?. After all detectorists, apart from the ex-gratia reward do it for free,,,, see where I'm coming from!.
I think some archaeologists have seen this and have now adapted to it and don't mind working alongside detectorists. Archaeologists who have yet to adapt are the ones raging at detectorists. Its not the detectorists fault is it.

As I say, just a thought I had. I know there are other reasons why archaeologists don't like detectorists. The night hawking, the none reporting of finds, not declaring what's found to the landowner are examples,,,, but responsible detectorists also condone these actions and are doing their best to make it right.

Archaeology vs Metal Detecting.

Around some metal detecting sites on the net there is a lot of debate going on regarding Archaeology vs Metal Detecting. I do find these debates interesting and am a frequent visitor to them. I always come away with a bit more knowledge and understanding about the issues at hand. There don't seem to be a solution in the near future on how Archaeologists and Detectorists can coexist, though in my opinion Detectorists are making more of an effort to achieve this as some ideas put forward from some responsible detecting sites are good and I think a step in the right direction.

I have no answers myself, I can understand both parties points of view and like most detectorists and I hope archaeologists, would like to see a solution where everyone is happy. Will it happen, that remains to be seen. Although I have only been detecting for a couple of years as far as I can see this debate has been going on for years with no concrete answers and I can't help feeling unless something is put in place soon then our hobby of metal detecting could be in danger of ending.

As I said,  I am interested in this debate and surf the net a lot about it looking for answers, maybe looking to see if there is a solution at hand only to find there isn't. The debate just goes on and on, sometimes turning into slagging and mud throwing matches which can be entertaining sometimes and even amongst these slagging matches there can be found some good points of views.

Now what brought me to make this post was earlier I was surfing the net regarding this debate and came across an old thread on the Treasurenet Website. Its dated April 03 2009, so just over five years old but a good read. Although its an American site and they have different laws regarding metal detecting there, It relates to about the same thing we are debating now here in the UK. In that forum thread there is a lot of points of views, all done in a respectable manner with 'hardly' any mud slinging. Some of you may have already read it but worth another look as you never know, you may pick up on something you may have forgotten, those who have not read it before its sure worth a read. So instead of copy/pasting quotes from the site I have given the link at the end of this post so you can read the whole thing.

Some of the input on that thread opened my eyes a bit more and has helped me to understand why there is still no solution. Have a read, you never know, it may give you some answers or at least get you thinking about a way forward.
The link to the thread is: treasurenet.com/forums/general-discussions

Gawd, I even hate myself now.

 Thursday 01 May 2014

After reading a couple of responses about me on a couple of those 'I hate metal detectorists' sites, I'm starting to really not like myself. As well as being called a ficko, I'm now a twerp and I climb into elderly people's lofts and rob them.......pmsl....... What are they like, behave you two.

I was told not to get involved with them, wish I listened now,  all this tittle tattle is not good for our hobby. I can see why they are banned from some sites. Also I've got sidetracked from my blog and also I don't do stress or mix with negative people,  so I intend to bow out gracefully and go back to doing my own thing which I enjoy doing and happy with.

On that note I just wish the weather would improve so I can get out detecting again. I must be due for a great find soon, its out there waiting for me to find it, I can just feel it.
Happy Hunting All.

We Are All Thieves....(Apparently)

 Wednesday 30 April 2014

Its early on a Sunday morning, a quick glance out the window shows its a sunny day, dry, no wind, a perfect day for a raid. You load up your car with all the tools you need to carry out this raid. Your metal detector is your main source of carrying out this theft along with your spade. You buckle on your finds pouch which now becomes your swagbag. Don't forget your gloves, you don't want to be leaving fingerprints on styles and gates. Just before you leave you kiss your wife/girlfriend/partner/cat goodbye and tell them you will be back later with the loot.

Arriving at the field all is quiet, not a soul about, perfect. While detecting away your in your own little world, dreaming of any riches you may uncover, when all of a sudden you hear a motor noise. You then realize its the farmer. YIKES!!!!....Do you run and hide behind the nearest hedge, crouch down out of sight in a hole so as not to be discovered. Nope, you give a friendly wave to him and he waves back. Maybe he drives over for a friendly chat and asks you if you have found anything. "Not yet" you reply, "But I'm hopeful". Does the farmer then do 80 miles an hour on his tractor back to the farm house to phone the police. No, of course not, because he has given you permission to be there.

According to a couple of sites I've been reading we are all thieves by taking what we find home with us. Treasure items most of us know must be reported, those that don't know within a very short time they soon find out. The treasure laws are everywhere and can't be missed. Here I am talking about all the odd coins, buckles, buttons, musket balls, pieces of rusted iron, pull tabs, silver foil, anything at all that's found. On one site a farmer tried to class it the same as walking into Tescos, and walking out with some bacon without paying for it lol. Yes I know, we must have laws, and theft laws are important, but how can you class what we do where we have permission from the farmer to hunt on his land. Nighthawking is different, that's breaking the law.

The law regarding all finds are the landowners might exist, but its unworkable. Whats all the fuss about anyway. Those couple of sites are ranting and raving about how much detectorists are stealing from farmers, but they don't mention how many farmers profit  from what we do. Take just myself and I know other detectorists do it, I pay to detect. I pay the farmer on the site I go to £10 for the day, as I go at least once a month, maybe twice, but at once a month nets the farmer £120 in a year from me, my detecting buddy also comes along, its his permission, and he pays £10 a day. So farmer gets at least £240 from us both. Tally up if we sold what we find and its us that comes out the losers. Just look at the amount of treasure finds that are made, the farmer gets half of the total amount and some farmers have done really well out of it. Why shouldn't we as detectorists get the other half, we invested in the equipment and put the time in. Okay, by law its the farmers property, but its stuff he never even knew he had, never even knew existed, even stuff he most likely never lost in the first place.

Plus, and this is the big plus, look at the history we uncover, since the hobby of metal detecting started the history of our country has gone through the roof. new discoveries are being made on a weekly basis, isn't that what us and the general public want, always adding to our heritage. Also a lot of charities have benefited because of our hobby.

So what's the answer, gawd knows as I'm just a simpleton as these couple of sites make me out to be. If all the farmers are like the farmers I have met in my detecting which have been brilliant, then I can't see what all the fuss is about other than some bodies trying to get detecting banned. and stressing out about minute details. To those people I say get your head back into the real world. Far far more worse things going on in the world. My opinion is let it be, nobody really gets harmed, nothing is broke regarding the PAS and FLO as they are set up to govern what's important and we should be proud to have such bodies in our country.

A Reply To The Keyboard Warrior.

Tuesday 29 April 2014.

I came home late last night and logged into my blog here for a buchers and noticed I had received an unusal  large number of hits on my blog. 'WOW' I thought, I'm famous at last. Quickly I checked the stats thingy to see where all this new traffic had come from and low and behold there it was, I was mentioned on a certain keyboard warrior's blog. I call him a keyboard warrior because I have come across people like him before on the net. They like to think that what they say is all that matters and low and behold anyone who stands in their way. They like to slag people off, insult them, try to make them look small and thick without even knowing anything about that person, I normally never respond to them but this one seems a bit different as he sounds a bit more inteligunt than the others, so I finks he should have a reply, just this once. 

The heading he mentioned me under was 'Duh, it' the lore innit'. That was about the only words I understood, wish he would write like that all the time, then I could understand what he writes about.

Then i thinks, I wonder if he has mentioned me before, so I checks back a bit on his older posts and what do I find, he's only gone and stole a pic of me off my blog. I never gave any permission for my pic to appear on his blog. Maybe he should read the 'lores' on copyright, as far as I understand it it don't matter if there is a link back to my site or a mention from where it came from, unless actual permission was granted its breaking the lore.. So if there is one of they lawyer types in, get in touch with me please, we could make some money here.'''('Ang on tho, maybe I'm rong about the law part on copyright, I'm sure someone will put me right, but sounded good din'nit).

I started reading his blog a little while ago and it soon became apparent to me that he was a keyboard warrior. Tho he writes inteliguntly and knows a lot about his stuff,  as soon as I saw what he was trying to do I lost all respect for him and just visit now and again to see what he's up to.

Let me tell you mr keyboard warrior, I left skool at 15 with two certificates, okay maybe one was for only doing 25 yards breaststroke and the other for second place junior boys sack race, but I got two. I don't need anyone telling others  I'm thick, I do a pretty good job of that meself.

So mr keyboard warrior, I have one thing to say to you....

"I may sound like an idiot and look like an idiot, but don't let that fool you.... I really am an idiot.

Anyways, fanks for the hits, ya never know I may have picked up some return traffic to me blog, its all good innit.

What Sort Of Detectorist Are You!

 Monday 28 Arpril 2014.

Really this is a spin off post to the post I made before called 'Finder's Keepers'. There was one reply in the comments of that post that made me think of the question why do we metal detect. Take our hobby of metal detecting, it seems we all detect for different reasons but we all seem to fall into four catergories.

There are the nighthawkers, who every responsible detectorist condemns. This is illegal metal detecting and should not be done.

Some detect for the monetary value of the hobby, finding something they can sell to fund their hobby and even make some extra cash. Nothing wrong with that I don't think as long as they abide by the laws, for example don't trespass and report all possible treasure finds.

Then there are the people who detect more for the history, the thrill of the hunt and to find and own a piece of history that no one has touched since the day it was lost. They like to build up collections of their finds and go out detecting hoping to add to their collections.

There is another kind of detectorist who will detect just for the thrill of it. This kind of detectorist gets his pleasure just from the hunt, and don't mind handing over everything that he finds and is quite happy to walk away with nothing but the pleasure of just the hunt and finding things from the past. I admire the person who does this as it really does show true passion for the hobby.

I grant you some people can fall in between the four sections above but basically those are the four sections as I see it. Myself I fall into section three above. I just love collecting things, have done since I was a kid. As I like history,  metal detecting for me is a way to build up a collecting of things from days past, my private collection of antiques if you like and nothing is for sale. Don't get me wrong, if I found something that could change my and my families life for ever, I'd sell it like a shot. But what,s the chances of that happening so I'm content in my own little world collecting as I go along enjoying my hobby.

Up until the other day I always thought that the finds we made unless classed as treasure was really ours, to keep or to sell. I never realised that there were laws in place about who has the rights to our finds. To be honest I always thought that if it wasn't a treasure find it was up to us if we wanted to hand it over to the landowner or not. Just that it was common courtesy to show or even offer the land owner what I had found and never really thought that these finds belonged to him/her by law. That's the bit that hit me, by law, as I like to keep within the law I will now have to declare everything to the land owner and say words to this effect, "This is all yours, anything you don't want I don't mind taking". I know I hear some you shout, I should have been doing this from the start.

Now being honest again, if I had a permission where the land owner took everything I would knock that permission on the head. I wouldn't get my 'buzz' detecting in those conditions. Don't really know if its because I think of all the money I've invested in my metal detecting equipment, all the time I've invested in the hobby or because I've nothing to show for it all, maybe all those three.
I still believe that it is finder's keepers. I've said before if a coin or other artifact was lost years ago, maybe hundreds of years ago, and the original loser of that object can't be traced, then its mine. Also I still believe that any object lost all those years ago didn't exist until I found it.

..................But at the end of the day, the laws the law.

FINDER'S KEEPERS.

Saturday 26 Arpril 2014.

Just read something on a metal detecting forum that looks like it will turn out to be a good debate. The original poster asked, "Is it wrong to sell your finds". One reply was, "They're yours mate, its your choice". Followed by another reply saying, "Ask the landowner, its their property".
Here is the link to the thread  here...
So it makes for a fine debate about 'who does own it'. I posted a reply myself saying surely if the landowner didn't lose it then it must be ours to keep. In all honesty I really thought this was how it was  until I read a reply to my post which the replier added a link. For some reason I couldn't open that link on my computer but googled a few words from it and came across this article here...

I came across a few sites that explained the law regarding this in lawyer terms that were hard to understand, but the link above seemed to be the best one to read even though it took me a few reads for it to sink in.
So it seems that all the finds we make on a permission really all belong to the landowner and we only get to keep what the landowner doesn't want himself.
As I said on that forum, your never too old to learn something new.

BRONZE AGE HOARD: UNDERVALUED OR WHAT.

As I expect you have noticed I do a page here on my blog called 'Treasure in the News'. Normally any snippets I get I put them on that page. Today I came across a BBC news article and after reading it I thought it was worth a mention here. Reason being there has been a lot of talk lately around some detecting blogs about why some detectorists do not report finds. This could be and I'm sure it is one of the reasons why.

Its about a man who dug a bronze age axe head and four gold rings and after doing the right thing and reporting it,  the governments Treasure Valuation Committee offered him a valuation of £550 and said it was a fair price. Yet the man who found these bronze age items estimates that the hoard is worth £6,200, which was backed up by the Suffolk Archaeological Service. Now that is one hell of a difference.

 You can read today's article here.

Read the original article that appeared when it was first found 19 December 2012 here.
 .

Would have been nice to make my own mind up.

 Friday 4 April 2014.

I've not been out detecting for a while now due to doing 'in house' things like decorating. It was looking promising yesterday to get out today, but alas, while putting on the final coat of gloss paint down on the skirting boards my back went leaving me hobbling about today. Hoping it eases up so I can get to work tonight.


So as I am 'resting up', I've been doing a lot of reading around the internet and one thing I did notice, (not that I could have missed it),  was that a program I was looking forward to watching concerning metal detecting had been pulled. What makes me laugh is that this program was pulled because of objectors who only watched a one minute clip, no one had seen the program yet, but all that fuss over a one minute clip got it pulled.
I grant you that the one minute clip looked wrong and I think was shown for publicity that back-fired. So what was the rest of the program like, who knows now, may never know, it just would have been nice to have made up my own mind. Lets face it, it couldn't have been any worse than what we watch on our TV screens now can it. At least if we were allowed to watch it we could have made a conscience decision as to the rights and wrongs of it instead of just being left in limbo.

There's talk now of a forthcoming comedy TV program regarding metal detectorists. Already to some there are signs that it could harm our hobby of metal detecting. I'm wondering now if even this program will get pulled lol.

Just one thing I do want to get off my chest is that metal detecting is legal in this country. Its governed by laws, and not only laws made by fellow detectorists, but laws made by our people in power. Now there's another laugh, even some of those in power have been known to break the very laws they make us adhere to as we have seen  recently. But being a responsible metal detectorists and abiding and respecting the laws put in place upon us we are legally persuing our hobby.

In fact, and you may have seen this somewhere around the net yourselves, there's even been 10 Commandments written regarding metal detecting. Now I'm not sure if these Commandments were given by God to Moses, but they came from somewhere:

These are the statutes, judgments and edicts which
must be obeyed by all those who wield detectors of metal:

1. Thou shalt not leave behind unfilled excavations.
2. Thou shalt not trespass or defy in any way the lawful decrees of thy city, county, state, province or country.
3. Thou shalt not harm vegetation, the creatures of the field, natural resources or the personal property of others.
4. Thou shalt not covet the finds of thy companion. Nor shall ye covet his metal detector, digging tool or the hallowed place in which he diggeth.
5. Thou shalt not ignore nor neglect thy family and friends whilst in the endless pursuit of thy hobby.
6. Thou shalt assist the distraught owners of lost goods and the archeologists and the enforcers of law and all others who may need thy skill as a metal detectorist.
7. Thou shalt return found treasures to the proper owners whenever their true identity can be rightfully determined.
8. Thou shalt report to the proper authorities any find relating to criminal activity or of archeological significance.
9. Thou shalt be considerate of others on the beach and in other public places whilst waving thy search coil and digging holes in the sand and the soil.
10. Thou shalt speak out against the unjust laws and stand firm against the Philistines who would cast out all those who would use detectors of metal.

And if thou dost not abide by these Commandments,
may you be plagued with mineral-bearing rocks,
hard packed soil, pestilence, serpents, locusts,
poisonous vegetation and great multitudes of pull-tabs,
bottlecaps and rusty nails. May ye spend
the remaining years of thy wretched life digging
signals of false origins. For thy iniquities shall
surely bring the overzealous wrath of the ignorant,
heathen bureaucrats down upon those of us who are innocent.
For we are the righteous and the just and ye who do not obey the
Ten Commandments of Metal Detecting are doomed to bad luck.

- by Jim Lewellen


So there you go, enjoy your hobby and Happy Hunting

Permissions: Would You Pay.

-Thursday 28 March 2014-

As we all know 'Money Talks'. Ask someone for a favour and most people shun it, they feel put out, have other things they sooner be doing, can't be bothered, etc. Dangle a few quid under their noses and their eyes light up and their ears grow longer than a donkeys. After all, were only human and this is how we have been programmed. There are a few where this is not the case and will do anything for anybody for no gain but for the pleasure it gives them. For the masses though money talks and can open their doors.


My nephew has been metal detecting quite a few years now and God only knows how many letters he has sent out to farms asking for permission to detect their land. All came to nothing. OK, I know the best approach to obtaining permissions is to go up to the farmer's door and knock, but like me, he is very uncomfortable with this. Bless him, he did try it once and the door was slammed in his face which put him off it altogether. Would have done so to me too.

Now one day he had an idea as to offer a detecting fee of £10, that's how desperate he was to get a permission. Why £10 and not £5 I don't know, but £10 is a bigger carrot to dangle. Lo' and behold, a couple of replies came in and he had his first permissions. I go with him myself on these £10 farms as I have very limited sites of my own and it makes a nice change. Yes, I also pay  £10 as well, so the farmer gets £20 in his pocket. Farmer loves it when we go more than once a month

It is a bummer after paying the £10 and all I find is a grotty coin or a button but it's the anticipation of what might come up. That's the greatest buzz of this hobby. I justify paying this money by thinking about other hobbies where one pays, like golf, fishing, shooting, etc.Also some detectorists pay to go to club digs and rallies, so this is a bit like that really.

I can hear some of you thinking NOOOOOOOOO.....that will open the gates to other farmers to charge a fee and before you know it we'll all have to pay. It may make your blood boil but its our way to be able to go detecting somewhere. After all, most detectorists see the farmer all right at Christmas with some booze and maybe chocs for his missus, we see the farmer all right on a visit by visit basis during the year. Lol,, sometimes it works the other way as last Christmas we both received a couple jars of pickled beetroot off a farmer.

Anyway, I am interested to hear if any of you would pay to detect or you have the same problem about door knocking yourselves. Before anyone says it,  I know I should just grow a pair and get out there door knocking.... but can't see that happening as its like a kind of phobia,,,, is there such a thing as door knocking phobia?,,,if not, I've just invented DKP.

Archaeologists and the Disturbance of Burials.

Sat in front of the TV earlier with my tea on my lap I searched through the TV channels to find something to watch. I came across an episode of Time Team and thought that will do me. Only managed to catch the last 15 minutes or so but something has stayed with me since I finished watching it.

Now I know this topic has been brought up many times, I've even read some articles on it myself, but due to reading lately of stiff debating about archaeologists and metal detectorists about who does what right or wrong, which I have tried to keep out of, I feel that I just have to write this post.

Those few minutes of Time Team I watched showed them examining the contents of four Anglo Saxon graves they had come across. I quietly sat there watching them tear these skeletons to bits, (although carefully), placing the skulls in one box, limbs in other boxes. Then proceed to remove the grave goods. Yes I've seen clips of this happening many a time before, but tonight I saw it in a different light.

For some reason it looked so sinister, so very wrong. Here were laid four people, carefully laid to rest by their loved ones, goods placed carefully to assist them on their journey into the unknown. I bet the mourners never thought for one moment that these dead family members would be dug up and their skulls sat on a museum shelf and their limbs stored in a drawer while their goods are taken away.

My wife who was sat there on her laptop must have been watching it herself and piped up and said, "They should leave them be".
Now I for one can say if ever I came across a grave I could never disturb it. Its just feels so wrong regardless of how much historic info we could get from it.

Just my opinion, I'm not calling archaeologists grave robbers,  as they disturb the graves for historic info as regards profit, but at the end of the day, they seem pretty close to the same.

History of Early English Coinage Re-Written by Detectorist.

An excellent news story has just been published about an ordinary chap, a joiner by trade, just out enjoying his hobby of metal detecting, where he finds a single coin that will rewrite the history of early English coinage.

You can read the article here by clicking www thestarcouk

What I liked about this story apart from the find its self was how it shows just how much metal detectorists contribute to our history. There's been a lot of bad remarks concerning detectorists lately. Yes, there is a bad element in the hobby of metal detecting. In all walks of life you usually find a bad element somewhere. So this story came at a very good time for detectorists. This chap did everything right, he had permission to be on that field where he found the coin. He recorded the find to the authorities. He even got in touch with experts.
Thanks to him we now have another piece of the puzzle concerning early English coinage.
Its possible the coin could sell for£10,000, going 50-50 with the land owner he stands to receive £5,000, nice one, but in terms of discovery and the history of the coin, well, that is just priceless.
What a find and congrats to him.

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Also, another news report published today of another gold coin hoard found by detectorists.

Click headline below to view. 
EXCLUSIVE: ANOTHER gold treasure hoard is found near Tamworth.

The Sweetman Hoard.

WOW....What a row kicked off regarding the 'Sweetman Hoard'. If your wondering what is the Sweetman Hoard you can read about it here.

To be honest I can't help feeling sorry for the finders because of all the flack they are getting from a minority of people, and can't help thinking what I would have done, or even what most of us would have done differently as to how they handled the hoard. Its all very well sat back now and reflect on what they should have done,  but at the time of its discovery its hard to imagine as a metal detectorist the excitement as these valuable pieces were coming to light. At the end of the day the right thing was done and the objects were reported. But come on, put yourself in their shoes, on seeing that first find of a saxon pin, and then finding a saxon brooch your instincts would be to search further for other finds. Thoughts of a hoard may be in the back of your mind but as regards to stopping and thinking I shouldn't be doing this and should stop is overridden by thoughts of wow, excitement, party in my pants time, etc.
In my eyes they did what most of us would have done in the same situation.

All we can do now is reflect on what lessons can be learn't from this experience and reading around on different reports about this hoard there are plenty of 'should have done this' or 'should have done that' flying around. So only good can come from it.
As for the lads who discovered the hoard,  well done, an excellent find to be shared with the world.

Finders Fee...Accept or Reject.

Picture this. Your unemployed, or in work but on a low income on the basic wage. You have decided that you would like to take up metal detecting as a hobby. You don't want to go into debt so you put aside a couple of quid here and a couple of quid there and after 12 months you have enough saved to buy your first metal detector. You find you have developed a real passion for metal detecting and get out when you can with it in all weathers. After a few weeks of finding the odd musket ball, a couple of buckles, a few buttons and a few old copper coins you have a signal, dig it, at it turns out to be an old rare gold coin. After your excitement you carry on detecting and close by you find another gold coin, and another. Now you have a hoard and know you have to report it which you do. Once the Flo has recorded it and its gone through all the other stages and its declared treasure trove worth £5,000, you get offered couple of options. Donate it to a museum and receive a certificate to put on your mantlepiece or take the £5,000 finders fee.

If that was me its a no brainer, I'd take the money.

Why, because of a few reasons. For a start the above first paragraph  is me, the only thing that wasn't me is the three gold coins. I've yet to find a hoard but if I do its free money, I invested what money I had saved in a legal hobby, (ok, I know metal detecting is illegal on some land), but overall it is legal. I follow the code of practice by reporting my find, thus recording a bit of history. If I never walked over that area the coins would not have existed, they would have still been lost. So in a nutshell I did everything I was supposed to do, so why not take the money. By taking the money I'm sure I'm not breaking the banking system in this country, no one is being harmed, its just like having a good win on the lottery.

What sparked me to write the above is that I have been reading lately of some good finds being donated and the finders declining any 'finders fee' for them. To the finders who do and have donated good luck to them if that's what they wanted to do. I can imagine the good feelings of seeing your finds sitting in a museum for all to see. But what I don't understand is why not accept the finders fee, after all your finds will still be sat in a museum for all to see.

Time to enjoy my metal detecting.

Like a lot of middle aged  people I once had a dream of retiring at the age of 50 - 55. For some it did come to reality but for me, nope, nowhere near it. I've always had this vision that retiring at the age of 65 seems very late in life to enjoy the fruits of all those years of working. Well, I'm nearly there now and at the age of 60 I can see me working up to the age of 65. So no early retirement in sight unless I win the lottery or dig up a life changing find with my metal detector.

As plan A has gone down the drain, I've now turned to plan B, semi-retirement. I did have a try at semi-retirement last year but it all spiraled out of control and I ended up working just as many hours as I always had. My problem was I was a 'YES' man. I just felt guilty about turning work down. But this time I am going to stick to my plan. I've started the ball rolling by giving in a weeks notice where I work now and I have already started with a new employer on a contract of 3 hours a day, 6 days a week. Due to my maths that will bring in enough to live on with a little extra.

No way am I mocking work, its just that I don't want to be working my Autumn years of life away, I'd sooner be doing other stuff that I really enjoy, and am lucky enough to be in the situation where I can slow down. Fair play to those who want to keep on working, take my mate who is 63 and working all the hours he can get. It suits him, he loves it and good luck to him, but that's not for me.

You may think its alright for me, you may think I have a good well paid job and have loads of savings so I can semi-retire. Nothing could be further from the truth. During my working life I suppose you could say I have had one trade, that of bricklaying, but I only did a Goverment training course and never did feel confident doing it. All my other jobs, and there have been loads of them have been unskilled jobs like shelf stacking, labouring, factory work, cleaning, etc. My currant job now and has been for the last 5 years is a cleaner on minimum wage. I always say there is plenty of work out there if you are prepared to do anything.

My secret to all you youngsters out there, stay as debt free as you possibly can and never never live beyond your means. If you can't afford something, leave it until you can. Debt is a killer, a stressful thing to be in. Looking back I have seen many examples of how debt ruins lives.

What's all this got to do with metal detecting I hear you ask....booger if I know, I've forgot.

......... oh yea, I remember now, what I'm trying to say is from next week, I'm going to have lots more time to go out hunting with my metal detector.
All I need now is some permissions.

Saturday Night.

Its Saturday night, and I'm all ready. I've have had a couple of beers while I was cleaning my teeth, showering, drying my hair and putting on my best clobber. On the table beside me is my wallet, comb, keys. I'm all excited about the time ahead and planning how I will go about things. Maybe a couple more drinks in the local pub, then a taxi into town and onto a club later. Hope to meet a nice girl and maybe take her home.

I'm good to go, all is well in my world.


....ok, maybe that's how it was like 30 years ago,,, now....well, I still have the same feeling of excitement because I'm going metal detecting tomorrow and only a few things have changed. For instance, I've had a couple of mugs of tea, have not showered because by the time I come home from detecting tomorrow I most likely will be covered in mud and need a shower then. No need to clean the few teeth I have left as I won't be kissing anyone..saying that, if i find a silver hammered coin or bit of gold I just may kiss my detecting buddy, but no tongues. Comb for my hair...what hair. As for best clobber no need as no one will see me out in a field, except for my detecting buddy and maybe a farmer, which is ok because my detecting buddy and the farmer will be dressed like me. As for planning, I'm still doing that. Like which field to start in, settings I hope to use, shall I cherry pick or concentrate on a small area.
On the table beside me now lay my metal detector, a pinpointer,  headphones, digging tool and finds pouch. The only thing I hope to take home is a nice find.

I'm good to go, all is well in my world.