My Rookie Year

[dglantz]

This is my first year metal detecting and it has been an ongoing learning experience. From getting poison ivy, to getting stung by bees, to cutting myself with my digger I did everything wrong until I stumbled onto this forum and from YouTube videos about places to hunt, cutting plugs, safety precautions, etc.

I started the second week of July using a Tracker IV and no pinpointer to see if metal detecting was a hobby that I could get into. I used it for one month and found just over $12 in clad. These were the highlights I found with this detector:

Tot lot find, 10K gold ring weighing 2.7 grams.

Front view of the ring with diamond chips.

Found this neat horseshoe in a dry creek.


After using the Tracker IV for a few weeks I was hooked on metal detecting and I knew I wanted to get a better detector. I wanted something that was in my budget, could ID a target and give a depth reading, so I got a Minelab X-Terra 305. I received it in mid August with a Garrett Pro Pointer and found just over $200 in clad, plus these are my highlights:

Tot lot find, 14K gold ring weighting 5.1 grams.

Front view with diamonds.

Sterling silver Titan Raga women’s luxury watch.

The first ring I ever sold. It’s a .925 silver Irish knot ring. A co-worker liked it so much he offered me $20 for it on the spot.

These two .925 silver rings were in the same hole on a tot lot.


Found this children’s .925 silver ring on school grounds.

The first silver coin I ever found was a 1943 war nickel.

The oldest coin I found (and may never top it) is this New Jersey Copper. The front is completely worn away but it’s either 1786 or 1787.

A few days after finding the NJ copper I found this 1823 large cent.

The next day I found this 1905 Barber Quarter in the same general area as the large coppers.

These are the remaining silver finds for my first year.








The 1917 Walking Liberty is walking no more.


A few feet from the gunned down silver half I found this 1909 VDB penny.

I think this is an old button, I found it on church grounds built in 1870.

You never know what you might find metal detecting.

My clad highlights include these 3 Kennedy halves. Both 1971’s were found in the same hole and then 5 days later I found a 1985.


My first and only dollar coin so far.

Totals for the year:
Clad: $215.98 (1 Dollar)(1.50 Half Dollars)(127.50 Quarters)(65.40 Dimes)(8.55 Nickels)(12.03 Pennies)
Wheaties: 33
Silver Coins: 11
Rings: 10 (2 Gold)(4 Silver)(4 Junk)
Foreign Coins: 14 (10 Canadian Pennies)(1 Cinco Centavos Mexican Coin)(1 Irish Eire Shilling)(1 Euro 50 Cent Coin)(1 Kroner 5 Denmark Coin)
Tokens: 9
Overall I’m thrilled with my finds and love metal detecting. I try going as much as I can between work and family commitments.
My goal for the New Year is to hit $400 in clad in 2011.
I’d also like to find an Indian head penny, buffalo nickel and barber dime but I’ll take what I get.
I’d like to thank you guys who post their finds on this forum. I’ve learned a lot from some of the mapping sites posted and this forum has also generated hunting ideas from some of your posts. I'd also like to thank all of you who were able to ID some of my findings when I could not.
Good luck to all in 2011.

[turtlefoot]

You have had a GREAT year! I love the variety of items that you have found!

Doug

[Rob479]

Wow bud, that might put you up there in the running for R.O.Y... Rookie Of the Year!

Nice work & Nice Finds!

[~Alan~]

Wow !, that looks a pretty good 1st year to me.

Love those rings, and coins

[stewart73]

Nice haul mate. Happy Holidays and good luck in 2011!

[Gorgar]

Congrats. Nice Find. GREAT Pics. Good Project. Thanks for Sharing.

[JBEXPRESS]

Man what an awesome year you had!! Congrats on your finds!

[RickO]

That is a very, very good first year. Well done!!! RickO

[zeemang]

Great job! Looks like you hit the gold quite a bit, well done!

[DigginDoc]

Fantastic year for you Love those rings. Congrats
Doc

[Detector]

Nice group of goods. Looks like a good year to me.

[bmattioli]

Fantastic first year! Love the shot Walker Half Dollar, it's too bad about the condition but atleast you found one.. Best of luck in 2011..

[new jersey andy]

Nice haul for the year! Congrats!

[Trapper]

Take it from me ...you had a SUPER first year!

[Popsgoatee]

WTG!! Keep it up!

:o)=~*

[Lightningjack]

Awesome first year!! Congrats..

[agbkyle]

Awesome finds...WTG!

[Grampy]

Yes really god first year!!
Nice layout of finds w/ pics!!

[NCBounty15]

That's incredible that you found two Standing Liberty Quarters and that one was shot! You have a good jump start into the lifelong addiction. Welcome to the fun! HH
NC

[MrJeep]

Congrats on the great finds in your first year! Can't wait to see your 2011 finds. Good luck and HH!