Treasure Tales




Treasure Tale Video

Submitted By: William O'Brien

       My father-in-law had an old log home on his dairy farm and said I could search it with my new XLT.  I searched around the outside for awhile and found a couple of wheaties, a child's silver spoon, and one buffalo nickel.  Half of the building had collapsed, so I was being very careful when I went inside to search.  I located a signal which my detector said was a penny at about three inches into the dirt floor. I tucked my machine under my arm and bent over to dig away the dirt, when my  XLT gave out another signal behind me and up the wall. I looked, but didn't notice  anything, so bent over to dig and again got the signal from behind me.  I turned and  started tapping at the logs, when a chunk fell to the ground.  Inside was a beautiful  Mason jar (blue with metal hinges) and containing a 1911 Indian head $5.00 gold  coin, 14 Indian head pennies, an 1892 and 1896 quarter, and four buffalo nickels.  It pays never to lay your detector down when inside a building, as you never know when something good might be in the walls!

 

 

 

       Submitted By: Robin Beachy

       I finally got the owner to let me hunt the old mill site on the back of his property. He is 80 years old and still chopping wood and keeping up the farm  He seems to have a permanent slight smile on his face.  He took me back to the river where the have a permanent slight smile on his face.  He took me back to the river where the mill use to be, while he talked I hunted.It was about ten feet from where we stopped that I got a decent signal on my XLT.  I pinpointed and the depth read at 7.5 to 8 inches.   The ground was soft black dirt typical of Midwestern forests.  At     8 inches I checked the hole again, still down there, at about 9 inches I found a 1835 Large Cent laying in the bottom of the hole!  My first large cent and my  oldest coin yet!!   And it is in excellent condition. It's something to think that this coin may have been dropped before Michigan became a state. I have read stories about people finding coins this deep but it's much better first hand. Well the owner said he was limiting my time and that's why he stayed with me the whole time.  I only hunted for an hour and one half - but I was very happy. Thanks White's for making a fine machine. 

 

 

       Submitted By: Alan Gross

       While metal detecting with my brother and a friend in a church picnic grove, I

       received a good signal on my White's XLT at four and a half inches.  We were in

       an area where we have metal detected off and on for several years.  As I dug

       down, I noticed something shiny in the hole.  It turned out to be a man's 14k white

       gold wedding band.   Man was I surprised and my brother was even more

       astonished since he had spent a lot of time in this area the last time we were there

       and never found the ring.  As I cleaned the dirt from inside the ring, I noticed two

       sets of initials that read "SFE-LMF 9-30-67.  What a find! 

 

       I took the ring home and polished it and put it in an aquarium where I display my

       finds.  There it sat for nearly a year when I decided one day to try and locate the

       owner.  It didn't take very long (believe it or not).  I called the court house and

       they put me through to an individual in the marriage license department.  I told her

       my story she asked for the initial's and the date on the ring.  She said she would

       search the marriage certificates to see if she could find anyone on file that got

       married that day with those initial's in this county.   45 minutes later she called me

       back with the good news.  She found a couple that were married on that day with

       those same initials.  She told me their names and even had a address and phone

       number.  I called the number and a man answered.    I told him I believed I had

       found a ring we had lost and asked him if he had ever lost a wedding band?  He

       replied "yes."  It took him a couple of seconds and then he replied "In September

       of 1973, I was at a church related softball game and took the ring off to get a

       better grip on the bat.  I tucked the ring in my pocket but after the game, it was

       gone."  He was ecstatic. We made arrangements for him to pick up the ring (he

       only lives a few miles from me). The ring laid in the ground for 24 years until I

       found it and now its back with its rightful owner.

 

       Man ain't life great!

 

 

 

       Submitted By: Alfred Taylor

       I just got my new Spectrum XLT last week.  I couldn't wait to give it a try.  I

       decided to go to this old ball field that I searched many times before with my old

       detector.  And bingo, guess what I found?  4 silver quarters, 3 mercury dimes,

       about 200 clad coins, and 15 wheat pennies.  And on top of all of that, I also

       found a gold pocket knife.  I can't believe my results with the Spectrum XLT.

       When the display on the XLT reads 7.5 inches or better, DIG.  Because this

       detector won't steer you wrong.  And all the good coins I found so far were 7.5

       inches deep or better.  Thanks for making a great machine.

 

 

 

       Submitted By: Jon Wilson

       My Classic ID was only one week old. The bug bit me when I bought a "cheapy"

       brand.  I did find some modern clad with the "other" machine, but most targets

       ended up being junk!  With my new Classic ID, I started finding deeper, and older

       coins (oldest being a mid 1700 King George copper at 6 inches).

 

       The reason I am writing this isn't about the old coins, relics, and odd tokens I have

       found but of something I lost 18 years ago!  As a Junior in High School I ordered

       my "Class ring".  It was gold (saved for over a year!), and had my girlfriend's name

       on it.  After receiving it, I went swimming and after a long swim I noticed the ring

       was gone!!  I looked for the rest of the summer but never found it.   Last week I

       went there only thinking I would find coins guess what I found?   $14.76 in clad

       coins,12 wheat pennies,one 23 Mercury dime and ONE GOLD RING!!

       Guess who the ring belonged too? ME!!  I remember losing it in the water (at least

       that is what I thought at the time).  After 16 years I remember I got out of the

       water to answer mother natures call then went swimming.  I just assumed I lost it in

       the water. (It was by the restroom).

 

       So thank you White's for helping me find my lost ring I has saved so hard for.

 

       Jon

 

 

 

       Submitted By: James Borcherding

       I have had my XLT for 3 months now.  After almost 700 coins, 2 pendants, 2

       watches, and one silver ring I had my best weekend.  I started off in a schoolyard

       that I had searched before.  I received a beep that was showing foil.  I was

       expecting to see the shiny flash of a small piece of beer can or the dull hunk of foil

       when to my surprise the shine of yellow gold had surfaced and I had my first gold

       ring which was not expensive but a real treasure to me.  I had to cut my hunt short

       because of heavy rains so I went to my Father-In Law's to show off my find.  On

       my way home it had stopped raining and I wanted to go to another school yard

       near my home.  When I arrived the first hole I dug was too muddy.  I thought I

       would just go to the slide/swing/jungle gym area which had a pea gravel surface

       and look for 5 minutes or so to find a few pennies or dimes.  I recovered 2

       pennies when I got a beep that showed pull tab/ring at 2 inches.  I brushed away

       the gravel and out popped a gold bracelet with 10 diamonds.  I never expected to

       find anything like that in an elementary school play area. You never know when or

       where you can strike GOLD!!!

 

 

 

       Submitted By: Curtis Heldenbrand

       I recently purchased a Spectrum XLT after the loss of my brother from

       Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.  A friend of mine suggested that I take up metal

       detecting for I would not be so depressed; so I did.  I tell you what that was the

       best medicine that anyone could prescribe for depression.  My friend let me

       borrow his detector for a while to get use to the hobby.  The detector I was using

       at the time was a White's Eagle with display.

 

       The first week I found a 1937 D 3 legged Buffalo nickel, 1935 silver quarter,

       and several wheat cents in my yard; After that I was hooked.  My friend suggested

       to me that I buy A Spectrum XLT, so I did.  Since having the detector I have

       found several clad and silver coins in local parks and schools.  Recently I found

       some of the oldest coins in my collection. It started out when I was granted

       permission to hunt an area where an old church once stood, erected back in 1891.

       The ground was open and flat.   You could still see where the church once stood

       and where the out houses were located.  The area only had one tree.  The whole

       area was about a 1/4 of an acre.  I started hunting around the tree, within 5

       minutes I found a 1891 Indian Head cent in good shape.  You could still read

       Liberty on the head band.  Another 5 minutes passed and I found  a 1903 Barber

       O dime in excellent shape.  It looked like it had been dropped right from the mint.

       These were not the last coins to be found.   In a 2 hour span I found a total of 14

       Indian Head cents, the oldest being 1883 to 1909, three wheat cents oldest being

       1910 to 195, and two more Barber dimes 1916 and 1904.   There I stood on this

       once solemn and holy ground with 20 coins in my pouch.   The good Lord opened

       a new window for me to look out from and give me peace of the loss of my

       brother.  I can gladly say yes It happened on holy ground.

 

       PS. Recipe for Depression:

       1# One Spectrum XLT.

       2# One digging tool

       3# Goal

       4# Determination

       5# Faith

 

       Good Hunting!

       CBH

 

 

 

       Submitted By Gene Hubbs:

       I have wanted to join the metal detecting ranks for about twenty five years.  I

       finally surfed the web and decided that of all the detectors on the market, White's

       was the one for me.  I contacted my local White's dealer and purchased a

       Spectrum XLT.

 

       I have about 15 to 20 hours experience now and am getting better every day.  I

       started by retrieving everything that I hit on, but now can tell the better targets  (I

       check almost all targets anyway since I'm not positive).  Anyway, I have retrieved

       about 50 pennies,a few nickels, quite a few dimes and quarters, but my last two

       trips out I found a gold medallion and yesterday a 1893 barber dime (very fine).  It

       made me feel pretty good.

 

       The XLT is very easy and accurate.  I look forward to mastering the machine.  I'm

       sure I made the right choice.  I have only just begun!

 

       Thank you!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Coreena Ross:

       I'm the Cubmaster for a pack in Fontana, Ca. We went to Huntington Beach

       beach with the parents and boys of the pack.

 

       I took my White's Spectrum XLT with a Bigfoot coil. When I received a loud

       signal, I started to recover it with the sand scoop when I looked down and saw

       the outline of a ring in the sand.  The ring I found was a ten carat white gold class

       ring. The date of the class ring was 1999.  All I could think of was returning the

       ring back to its rightful owner.  I found the name of the owner inside of the class

       ring. I found the ring on July 25,1998.  On July 28th we notified the school

       Riverside Poly out of Riverside,CA.  The school notified the owner and we made

       arrangements to return the ring.  On August 7,1998 we returned the ring  to the

       owner at the Riverside Treasure Hunter's Club Meeting.  Again Matthew, thanks

       for losing the ring so I could find my first gold ring!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Mark Harris:

       In Salinas, California there is an old historic high school. In fact, John Steinbeck

       graduated from this school. When I bought my White's Spectrum XLT in 1996, I

       was told by the top people in the local metal detector club that Salinas High

       School was "all hunted out" and was a waste of time. This info seemed reasonable

       since the structure sits on Main Street and was built in 1922. I searched various

       places on the grounds and came up with nothing on my first 3-4 trips to the school.

       Then I began to read various XLT users' tips on how to adjust the machine to find

       the deeper coins. After taking their advice and making the adjustments, I found a

       total of six Mercury dimes during my next two trips. One of them

       was a 1936s in mint condition. My depth indicator read 7.5 inches for all the

       coins. I also found a buffalo nickel and a 1949 Eisenhower dime. I'm convinced

       now that the area was indeed "hunted out" for those machines that did not go

       down as far as my Spectrum XLT!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Matthew:

       I was really interested in Metal Detectors since I was 10.  I am also really

       interested in Electronics.  I was in Ottawa about 3 1/2 weeks ago and saw the

       commercial for them.  I took down the website address and as soon as I got back

       I ordered their catalog.  In no time at all I bought my first Metal Detector!!   It was

       a White's!  I love it.  So far I have found in my own backyard an old bucket used

       for milking the cow's (My house is built over an old dairy farm).  How do I know

       it's for milking the cows?  I took it to the Historical Society.  I even found 5 old

       1912 coins!!  My parent's say I may be rich somday!!  You never know!

       Besides I am only 11!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Deanna Baxman

       I went on vacation in Hawaii and brought along my White's Di Pro 6000.  In order

       to TH on Waikiki beach, one has to get out early as the sunbathers and swimmers

       fill the beach up early.  I was there 4 days and had not used the metal detector

       because I didn't want to get up early!  One morning, I saw a fellow TH'er returning

       to his hotel with his White's metal detector.  I asked him if he'd had any luck.

       Proudly, he pulled out a gold and diamond man's ring.  This was enough

       encouragement to start early the next morning.

 

       The next morning, I got out to the beach about 6 a.m. I was detecting for about 15

       minutes and had found a few quarters and nickels when I got a signal for gold.

       With my beach scoop I picked up a beautiful diamond and sapphire women's ring.

       I wasn't sure if it was real but it sure was beautiful.

 

       When I arrived home, I had the ring appraised by a jeweler.  He estimated it's

       value at between $1400 and $2400.  A friend bought the ring for $1000 and I

       plan on using the money for another metal detecting trip to Hawaii.

 

 

 

       Submitted Jay Riedl:

       Although I have detected off an on for fifteen years, I have recently chosen metal

       detecting as my main hobby. Metal detectors have come a long way since I last

       used them. After much research, I chose the White's Spectrum XLT.

 

       I have only had my Spectrum XLT for a month, but I have had some wonderful

       luck with it. I have found two gold rings, a sterling silver ring, over 200 clad coins,

       a Mercury dime, two buffalo nickels, two V nickels, and two Indian Head

       pennies. The best find of all is an 1885 Seated Liberty dime that came out of the

       ground looking as bright as the day it was minted.

 

       According to a coin dealer and a few experienced detectorists, the coin must have

       been dropped wehn it was new due to its excellent condition. All of the raised

       details on the surface of the coin are clear and defined. I have not gotten it graded;

 

       but no matter what its numismatic values is, it will make a wonderful

       hand-me-down for my 5-month-old son.

 

       Good Hunting,

 

       Jay Riedl

 

 

 

       Submitted By Dave Mork

       I have found many items in my 22 years of Treasure Hunting, half have been with

       the help of a White's Metal Detectors. My strangest find was along the coast line

       just below the Presidio of Monterey Battle field. With the solid 'BEEP' of a coin at

       5+ inches, I uncovered a 1785-88 coin from India (my oldest coin that I can

       positively date). I showed it to others including a couple of our local coin dealers

       and several Treasure Hunters that I ran with all the time. One of them informed me

       that it was used as a trade coin by the Spanish as they occupied the area until the

       US went to war with Spain and took California away. I just wish my coin could

       talk & tell me who had lost it & when. Happy Hunting and Remember: Don't leave

       it in the ground!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Jim Lukehart

       Every year we go on vacation to the beach down in North Carolina.  I've always

       wanted to try metal detecting on the beach, so this year my wife bought me an

       early anniversary present, a White's Spectrum XLT that I've been looking at for

       months.  Well the first night at the beach I wanted to try the backlite feature of the

       Spectrum, so I went out behind the beachhouse and after about five minutes had

       my first find, a penny.  Well the bugs were biting pretty badly so I started detecting

       back to the back steps of the house and about five feet from the steps I got a good

       signal so I dug down in the sand and found a wide silver ring which wasn't bad for

       fifteen minutes of trying out my new metal detector.

 

       Two days later was our 25th anniversary and I didn't get my wife anything because

       the vacation was supposed to be our present, but jokingly she said take the

       detector out and find me a diamond ring.  So I took the detector and walked up to

       the public beach access and started hunting.  Well after about 2 hours I had about

       50 cents in change and I was getting ready to quit when I got a good tone.  I dug

       down and found a gold ring with 2 small diamonds and 2 small sapphires.  I

       hurried back to the beach house and gave my wife her anniversary present.  It fit

       perfectly.   I'm very satisfied with the spectrum XLT and I look forward to many

       more years with my new hobby. 

 

       Thanks for a great machine.

 

 

 

       Submitted By Richard and Rebecca Eves

       My new husband and I decided to begin a new hobby together by using his

       White's 6000 DI Pro at the beach on our first vacation together. Our first

       weekend at the beach turned up over $6.00 in coins and two silver pieces of

       jewelry. We loved the coins but we still jokingly kept looking for our "buried

       treasure".

 

       Our fourth day at the beach, while scanning the sand by a volleyball net, we heard

       that wonderful solid sound..and dug about 8"...and then...we hit it....we kept

       digging..and there it was- a small "treasure chest" with gold foiled chocolates, a

       plastic necklace, and a one dollar piece from a casino in Las Vegas. We did find

       about $7 more dollars at the beach, but the "buried treasure" was our favorite hit

       of the day.  It sits on our shelf with the coins of that weekend.  We still laugh over

       our great find.

 

 

 

       Submitted By Chad Regoli

       I have a story I would like to tell. It was the summer of 96, my grandpa and I were

       hunting at a friend's house. We were using my White's detector and had not found

       much. The area was full of trash items, but then we got a strong signal. I thought it

       was just more iron until he brought over a large coin. I scrapped the dirt off with

       my finger. I could not believe it, we had found a 1846 large cent, our oldest coin

       so far. We have also found many silver coins including a 1919 dime, and a

       standing liberty quarter along with some rings and clad coinage. I enjoy this hobby,

       and go when I get the chance.

 

 

 

       Submitted By Brent Smith

       A friend and I decided to go detecting on a ridge where a major battle took place.

       We have been on this ridge before and every time I go, something comes out with

       me. On this particular trip my machine was a White's 4900 while my friend's was a

       White's Spectrum. On previous trips to this site, we had found some dropped

       bullets which indicates a good spot when hunting civil war relics. We also had

       found some square nails which is also an indication of crates being opened which is

       good. When we first got there after a mile walk, we started hunting along a rock

       barricade and worked our way down toward a cliff. We found several dropped

       bullets below the cliff on a flat spot. My friend was looking just below me when I

       decided to search in some rocks at the base of the cliffs. I swung my loop and got

       a good signal. I kicked back the leaves and saw a pile of rocks about the size of a

       basket ball; so I reached in between where the signal came from and raked the

       moss out. I then checked the hole again and the signal was still good. I  proceeded

       to clear out more dirt with my hands because my shovel wouldn't fit and I saw

       something rusty. I reached down and grabbed the rusty object and tried to lift it

       out but realized that I just had the end of a long object. At that point I still didn't

       realize what it was. I   pulled the object out and it was a bayonet. I just couldn't

       believe what I had found when this place was supposedly hunted out. I then yelled

       at my friend and he came and looked at it.

       Happy hunting, Brent.

 

 

 

       Submitted by John Gant

       My wife and I just purchased our first detector,a Whites Classic ID. We can't

       begin to tell you how much fun we've been having. July 4th was the first day we

       tried it out. We could not believe how easy it was to start finding treasure. The

       target ID is amazing, it really lets you know what down there.

 

       Anyway we were at my sisters house for our July 4th picnic. We thought this

       would be a good place to start hunting treasure since her home was built around

       1843. Our find for the day was 1-1909 wheat,1-1916 wheat 1-Kennedy half,

       several newer quarters and pennies.A great first day, but the real find that day was

       my sisters wedding band. She had never mentioned that she lost it 19 years ago,

       she thinks she lost it while washing her car. Needless to say thanks to our White's

       metal detector she now has it back.

       THANK YOU

 

 

 

       Submitted By Walt Diener

       I had the ultimate coinshooter's high about a year ago when I took my 6000 DI

       Pro to the yard of my sister's farm just before it was sold. The new owners were

       planning to gut the house. A friend of mine found an 1869 Eagle Cent without a

       metal detector a few years ago. On my first sweep with normal settings I received

       a strong penny reading and thought I had located  a piece of drain spout but just

       below the surface of the ground was an 1721 Hibernia English Penny with a

       picture of King George. It is hard to believe this coin was minted before the birth

       of George Washington. The dated side is clear, the opposite very worn but you

       can see the outline of King George's face and wig. This general location has

       yielded an 1801 US penny and lots of arrowheads. Of course I couldn't use my

       6000 DI Pro for the arrowheads! Thanks for making a fine and dependable

       product--the best!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Ted Hayes

       I started detecting in winter 1997 with a White's Classic III, but have since moved

       up to the XLT. Though I've found some nice things ( half a dozen large cents,

       Spanish and English pre-revolutionary coinage and lots of US Silver), I think my

       favorite find is a humble medallion. I was hunting behind a circa-1840s school in

       Bristol, RI, when I found a bronze political campaign button made for the 1844

       Whig party presidential candidate Henry Clay and his vice-presidential nominee,

       Theodore Frelinghuysen. Why is it my favorite? Because, more than coinage, it

       gives a glimpse of the social aspects of the 1840s, and the political fervor of the

       time. It's a romantic piece of our nation's history.

       In case you're wondering:

       My oldest coin? 1723 King George Rosa Americana penny

       My oldest US coin? 1812 large cent

       My oldest silver coin? 1776 Carolus III one-reale

       My oldest US silver coin? 1831 bust half dollar

       The Spectrum XLT is a great machine!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Jeffrey A Fountain

       I have been an avid metal detectorist for 15 years. Last year I bought a new

       White's Spectrum XLT before moving to Las Vegas. I wish I had bought it

       sooner!  Recently I went coinshooting in a public park (with permission). This was

       my first time at this park. When I arrived I encountered three other detectorists

       using different machines. They often worked the park and had already

       accumulated a lot of clad coinage. Two of the gentlemen told me my machine was

       a waste of money as all old coins had been found a long time ago. Not to be

       discouraged I started sweeping an area they had already worked. To make a long

       story short, I worked a small area for 2 1/2 hours and recovered $37.21 in

       clad coins (mostly quarters), 17 wheat back pennies, 1 necklace with a yet to be

       identified pendant and 1 buffalo head nickel. My competition wasn't talking

       much anymore. I have not seen two of my competitors since and as for the third,

       he showed up last Sunday with a new XLT.

 

 

 

       Submitted By Oleh Rymar

       My friend Tom and I have been metal detecting for 28 years ever since he let me

       use his White's metal detector.  Last year we found a historical marker which

       indicated a fort from the Revolutionary era had stood at this location.The site

       looked perfect overlooking a valley, so we received permission from the land

       owner to search the area. As we searched the field we didn't seem to get any

       signals or even see any indication of a fort. Then Tom found a trace of an old road

       so we split up and started walking acres of fields. About an hour or two later as

       we were closing in on the last field Tom stumbled on to a button and yelled over to

       me. I worked my way over to his side of the field and started finding more buttons.

       By this time Tom had already dug up a King George.  The action really got going!

       I found a British half penny and Tom a Spanish quarter real. That's when a large

       dark cloud moved in and the rain ended the searching for that day. Tom and I go

       back every chance we can and have found a lot of goodies. Well the farmer just

       got done plowing. Gotta Go!!!!!!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Bill Grochowalski

       When I purchased my first White's detector I was in the park hunting about 3

       hours a day. In that time I would find 30 to 40 coins in areas which had been

       worked well. The Spectrum Eagle is a machine you just have to believe. When it

       indicates a particular find believe your machine.

 

       As a child I wanted a dragon ring more than anything, but never had one. One day

       last summer as I was hunting when my detector indicated that I had found a silver

       ring. With great anticipation I dug down  6 to 8 inches, my heart pounding in

       anticipation of the"big find". I saw a glimpse of silver through the crumbling pieces

       black dirt as I continued my search. Finally I had unearthed my childhood dream,

       a silver dragon ring.

 

       In the 25 years that I have been treasure hunting with my various Whit's machines I

       have found many other ring with greater monetary value, but none to compare with

       that dragon ring I found that day.

 

 

 

       Submitted By Joyce Renteria

       We bought our first metal detector last year and decided to go with the XLT. We

       mainly used it in our yard until we felt comfortable and then went on our first hunt.

       Within a couple of hours we had found numerous wheat backs and 3 silver dimes

       ranging in age from 1927 on up. We were hooked. Since then we go out every

       chance we have.

 

       My favorite finds though have been an 1899 nickel, an old soap token dated in the

       late 1800's and 2 old U.S Army buttons that we have not dated yet. Needless to

       say we think that the XLT is great, even in the mineralized soil that we have in our

       area.

 

 

 

       Submitted By Nick Panofsky

       I was hunting for an old ghost town in west Nevada. I inquired at a nearby local

       store and was directed to a field about two mile away. I drove out to it the next

       day, or drove to where it was supposed to be and saw nothing.  A more extensive

       search indicated that there had at one time been a few buildings near there. I got

       out my White's 5900 DI Pro and started searching. I had the discriminator turned

       way down, and was getting plagued by old square nails for a long while. After

       almost giving up, I noticed a small indent a few yards from where I was searching.

       It must have been an old well or mine shaft that had caved in. I worked my way

       over to it, and just in the middle of the indentation was a gold coin. An 1867 $1

       gold coin!  It was the first gold in my collection and to this date it was my best

       find.  I only wonder the story of how it got there?

 

 

 

       Submitted By Dale Hidy

       I purchased a Whites DI 5900 Pro metal detector from a Whites dealer and have

       been very pleased with the results that I have experienced.  I purchased a Whites

       because of success with an older model and was pleased with the durability. I tend

       to abuse things when I get excited.

 

       To get along with this story, I started checking out some of the places around our

       little town and after a little research I found the site where carnivals were held

       during the heyday of this town.  After receiving permission to search the area I

       discovered several coins and other relics.  I wandered over to where the chapel in

       the woods was and started looking.  To my surprise I got a signal locked in at

       around 9" down.   It was a solid signal so I started to dig.  The metal detector put

       me dead on to the spot and when I reached the 9" depth, that unmistakable shine

       that silver gives off caught my eye. This really excited me because my other

       detector didn't go that deep and I knew that this coin was going to be a keeper.

       I wiped it clean and to my surprise it was a dime (seated liberty) dated 1875, and

       in really good shape.  I checked that whole area and this is what I found: 1-1875

       seated liberty dime, 1-1876 seated liberty dime, 8 other silver dimes, 5 buffalo

       nickels, 1 silver quarter, 2 V nickels, and 30 or so wheat pennies. This was the

       most I have ever found in one area. That excitement has kept the treasure hunting

       flame burning brightly!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Jean Ida S.

       I own a Spectrum XLT metal detector and I love the hobby. About a month after

       purchasing the XLT, I found a man's wedding ring that was 18k gold and

       contained 10 diamonds. The man's wife was so happy, she offered me a $40

       reward! In addition to the ring, I have found 11 silver coins and an 1899 coin. I

       also located our property pins and my husband found two of his hunting arrows

       with the XLT. My total change found in three months is about $50.

 

       Another special item I found was a gold angel charm that had been a baptism gift.

       I was able to return it to the baby's grandmother. I have my own 20 month old

       baby daughter who I sometimes take along in my backpack! She like to see what

       I have found.

 

 

 

       Submitted By Jim Hanzakos

       Over the last 20 odd years I have found several exciting and interesting finds. A

       few of which I will mention here. I obtained permission and info about a

       Revolution era church site. With my White's 6000 I recovered a large King

       George II penny, and not long afterward, a shiny silver King Charles

       [Carolus III] of Spain 1788 half Reale coin. It is still my oldest coin. In another

       area of MD I found a Colonial naval button with eagle and shield bearing a foul

       anchor. My best Civil War button found in nearby VA is a small NY volunteers

       button with most of the gilt still in tact. I have recently upgraded to the White's

       Spectrum XLT. It is the first detector I have had that picks out nickels while using

       tab discrimination without a problem and when it says I have found a quarter, it

       has yet to lie to me. The oddest thing I ever found was a gold tooth cap lost by a

       neighbors mother on her front lawn while pulling weeds. I found it in deep

       grass after about 20 minutes and she had it REINSTALLED! The XLT is just as

       great when it comes to finding what most of us really want: gold and silver.

 

 

 

       Submitted By Craig Andrichuk

       I own a White's XLT which has proven to be an exceptional machine...I cannot

       write about all of my finds but will share a memorable one. I did research at my

       local library and learned of a site of a water tower which was erected in the

       late 1800's....comparing of old maps to new, revealed that there was now a small

       park over the same site. Armed with my XLT I combed the area. Within the first

       day I had few found numerous coins in the 40's and 50's. The following week I

       combed the same area again going a different direction and found, among other

       old coins, a 1903 dime in great shape. I am impressed with the XLT and I enjoy

       the programability...It makes for an exciting hobby....

 

 

 

       Submitted By Aaron S.

       A few years ago, I saw a friend using a metal detector and I got curious. He let me

       try one of his, and I was hooked. Later on that week I bought my first detector, an

       Eagle Spectrum.

 

       Shortly afterwards, my friend and I went detecting around an old bank to break

       me in so he said)and started pinging along the sidewalks and walkway going up to

       the bank. The "outing" was only supposed to last about an hour or two since we

       had other plans. About 20 seconds after I started detecting, I found my first target,

       which turned out to be a 1919S penny at about 4". It went on from there. About

       half an hour later, my friend decided that he was going to put his detector away,

       (not a whites detector), because I was now finding stuff that he had passed over

       and was going to help me dig my finds! Five hours later, (unanimous decision to

       can the '"other" plans) we had to quit because it was getting

       too dark to really see any more. Our find for that day, 21 silver dimes, about a

       50/50 mix of rosies and mercs and 44 wheaties. Not to mention clad coinage too.

 

       Next weekend we didn't go detecting because we were making a road trip upstate

       so that he could buy a new detector from the White's dealer up there!

 

 

 

       Submitted By Mona P.

       I have a metal detecting story that I found to be unusual. About 9:00 pm the other

       night I got a call from our youth pastor at church. He said that he was trying to

       save on a chest xray and wondered if I could help. I had purchased a White's

       Spectrum XLT some months back and had bragged about what it could do but I

       was not thinking metal detecting at the time. Since I am a dental hygienist, I was

       thinking xrays and wondering why he was calling me. I couldn't do chest xrays if I

       wanted to. But much to my surprise what the pastor wanted was the use of my

       metal detector. It seems that his two year old son had been playing with pennies

       and they thought that he may have swallowed one. He wanted me to scan Nathan

       and see if any pennies showed up. So he brings Nathan over, I meet him in the

       front yard and I placed a penny in his hand to see how the scanner reacted and

       sure certainly wouldn't advise this method but thought that it was unusual.

 

 

 

       Submitted By Ruth M.- Washington

       We have owned a White's Spectrum for about a month and we just love it. My

       first day out was successful (in my humble opinion). I got a strong signal and dug

       about 6 inches when I hit a big rock. I thought maybe I had read it wrong and

       almost aborted the dig. Well, I dug out the big rock and underneath was a copper

       rouge compact in VGC. It has a neat geometric design on it and says Princess Pat.

       I thought it was a snuff box so I took it to our local antique shop and they

       identified it as a rouge compact dating back to 1920.

 

       Just wanted to say how happy we are with our detector. Thanx

 

 

 

       Submitted by Jim E.

       Location Ghost Town Cemetery

       In May of 95 a hunting buddy and I stopped at a small farm house in the general

       area of a ghost town we were hoping to locate. A young man in his teens

       answered the door and we asked our questions. He was too young to know much

       of the history or specific locations, however, he did have a story or two about the

       ghost town's cemetery ! According to him this cemetery was the frequent site of

       gatherings for devil worship. As a matter of fact, just recently the sheriffs

       department had broke up a meeting down there. He concluded his story by saying

       you could still see the burned out tree stump they had set on fire which was near

       the back of the cemetery. Close to the bush that resembles a Christmas tree and

       the sink hole with old pieces of dishes or clay pots. We decided to hunt the

       cemetery. I unpacked my Eagle Spectrum and I headed for the Christmas tree and

       the sink hole. My partner was a little apprehensive and hunted outside the

       cemetery fence. That is until he heard those words "It's a barber dime !". A 1894

       dime at 5" deep. Later in the day I also recovered a 1926 Standing Liberty Qtr. at

       3-4" deep. Only two thirds of the cemetery was mowed. Later we discovered a

       fellow TH'r had mowed and hunted there recently without much luck !

       P.S. We didn't stay for the worship service or the sheriff !

 

 

 

       Submitted by Steve L.- Irving, Tx.

       I have two favorite hunts to share with you. The first occurred the third time I

       hunted (about seven months ago, now). I borrowed a new White's detector from a

       local dealer and went to some vacant lots in Irving, TX. We had hunted there

       before, and some of my friends found silver, but I had not. I found my first silver

       coin ever that day (1948 quarter), but I also found my best coin on the same lot. I

       found a 1878 Silver dollar about 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep. I did not realize how

       special that find was until my friends, some of whom had been hunting 20 years,

       told me that they had never found a dollar nor had they been with someone who

       had.

 

       To this day I believe that someone, who shall remain nameless, planted that coin to

       sell me thousands of dollars or equipment because that's what I have done! I am

       totally hooked on the hobby and have been since that day!

 

       The second most interesting coin I found is a 1918 2 franc coin from France. It

       has raised edges and is about a quarter of an inch thick. This coin was also found

       in Irving on the same vacant lots. The previous owner of the lot was supposed to

       have come from France and has had visitors over the years. A French coin dealer

       who I contacted through the internet informed me that the coin is known as "La

       Semeuse", a woman seeding corn under the rising sun. The coin is silver and a

       version is still in circulation today.

 

 

 

       Submitted by Gary M.

       One of my interesting finds was made in Hebron, Nebraska in the winter of 1983.

       I had traveled there to do some pheasant hunting and as always had my detector

       with me (a White's 6000 Series 3 at the time). My hunting buddy and I got into

       town around noon and were not going to bird hunt until the next morning so I

       decided to check out the old highschool football field. While working close to a

       fence near the concession stand, I got a good strong reading and removed a plug

       of dirt about four inches deep. Silver quarters started popping up, several being

       stuck together like they had been in a wrapped coin roll. There were 34 U.S.

       silver quarters in that hole dated from 1928 to 1958.

       The 1958 quarter was like new. My theory is that after a football game in 1958,

       the concession stand operator placed the full rolls of quarters in a bank bag for

       deposit and kept a partial roll separate for some reason and dropped it. I call this

       find my mini cache!

 

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