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I have used White's metal detectors since 1974. I still have the old Coinmaster, a 5000-D, 6DB, 6000-D, 6000-Di, 5900-Di Pro
and the Spectrum XLT, DFX 300. I also have a few other oldie detectors like
the Compass Relic Magnum 6 and Compass 94B Automatic and a Relco.
I bought a Garrett Ace 250 for hunting along the canal banks because it
is so lightweight. |
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My "specialty" is coinshooting.
My favorite areas for coinshooting are old schools, old churches (my favorite), and
parks. I also like to hunt for civil war relics. I have an uncle in
Virginia who has a home on 14 acres. The home was in use during the civil
war. I have found 31 pounds of civil war bullets, a few buttons and saddle
pieces on this property. When I arrive at a hunting site I usually begin
with a random search method to kind of give me a feel for the site. Once
that is established I work a good tight pattern and then crisscross the
same area. If it is producing old coins I will crisscross from another
direction. I am very persistent at coinshooting and you can count on your
hands the number of times I didn't find silver when out coinshooting. I
will not hunt an area if there is no chance of finding any silver coins.
By this I mean I don't hunt new schools or churches for modern coins. I
want old coins so I hunt old sites!
My very first coin I ever dug up was
an 1894 Indian Head cent at my grand-mothers one room school house. It is
in poor condition but has a lot of sentimental value. Some of my better
finds include a 1796 and 1797 large cent, a Roman silver denarius from
Emperor Nerva (96-98 A.D.), 1833 and 1837 half dimes, jewelry and lots of rings.
One day I was out metal detecting the front of a school yard and found a 6 diamond 14K
engagement ring. When I first dug to retrieve the object I found a pull
tab and then covered the hole back up. Just for the heck of it I ran the
detector head back over the hole and got another hit. To say I was
surprised is to phrase it lightly, but there is a moral to the story and that is
to check your hole a second time, before you cover it back up. This was a
lesson I learned early on.
Returning high school rings is almost
as much fun as digging them up. I returned a ring that was lost for 8
years, one was lost for 16 years and the record...48 years! Searching for
the owner is often as challenging and rewarding as finding the ring.
Being in the military afforded me the
opportunity to metal detect in all parts of the country and overseas.
Huntsville, Alabama had some great detecting sites, one is particular an old
drive-in movie playground. Salt Lake City, Utah was also a good coinshooting area. I hunted a park called Liberty Park and got to coin shoot
Brigham Young's front yard. The best place state side that I ever went metal
detecting was in
South Dakota. Not only did I find a lot of old coins but the people there
are very friendly.
The best tips I can pass along for
metal detecting is to slow down, hunt a tight pattern and make sure you cover your
holes back up. Remember, the only thing you want to leave behind are your
footprints!
Authors of "Diamonds in the Surf"
Bob Trevillian, left and Jack Carter on the right.
This picture was taken in their Glen Burnie, Maryland shop.
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