How did the detecting bug bite you?

[Larry (IL)]

I got started back in 81 or 82. I owned a Radio Shack Dealership store and the county courthouse was right outside the front door of the store. It was a pretty slow day and I grabbed the orange $19.95 detector that was often on sale for $14.95 at Christmas time and took it out to see if it really worked. Surprisingly it found some coins so I had to try the $39.95 model and then the "top of the line" $59.95 detector. I suppose I had been "bitten" by then so I went to a local White's dealer and bought my first serious detector, one of the 3900's and after month's of using that one, the bug had really sunk his teeth in pretty deep and I was infected. Wanting to move up to a better machine, I found out I could buy machines at cost by becoming a dealer so that was my next step and I haven't looked back since.

 

[wvrick]

Started detecting in the late 70's with my Father, and with my Uncle in Florida in the mid-60's with a vintage modified mine detector. That was my first taste of treasure hunting, I still remember with my uncle his old army mine detector and the home made coils. It had electrical tape that wrapped the coil. He lived near Vero Beach FL. and he would drive up the beach in his old jeep, I spent a few summers with him and always looked forward to hunting. He would find it and we ( my brother and I ) would dig. Then I hunted with my father in the 70's that carried on thru the rest of his life until 2001, I continued off and on since then never getting "Burn't Out" just something took all my spare time.

 

[Aurium]

Was introduced to detecting in the early 70's watching a guy at a local school picking up some silver coins, and some older stuff. Then had a buddy in the air force that had a Whites which we took to a local park and found a pile of silver (late 70's early 80's). Was busy doing a lot of prospecting in Idaho, and using the Whites on occasion to supplement my prospecting addiction. Really got back into the swing of it again about 15 yrs ago, it's definitely one of my competing passions, fishing or metal detecting.
I had been using my 6000Di/Pro for quite awhile, and it's still a great detector. Upgraded to the V3 last Christmas, and I love it. I just wish Illinois had a longer season for detecting, this year as soon as the ground thawed I was out. So I take my detector with me on business trips, it really gives me a reason to stay away from the hotel and see some new territory I probably wouldn't do otherwise.(that and find some really cool stuff)

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

I bought a White's Classic to use at the beach, but then it sat in the closet for a year. I was messing around with it on my lawn and found a silver Washington quarter and some silver Rosies. Then I found a crotal bell from the mid 1800's. The next day I was at the library looking at old maps.

I was hooked! Ten years and 6 or seven detectors later and here I am!

Here is my most recent goodie from yesterday. This one is Royal Regiment of Artillery button number three for me!

 

[Larry (IL)]

I remember when you found one of your others with the DFX, the War of 1812 if I remember right. It is in amazing condition for being 200 years old.

Congratulations Neil.

 

[jbow]

and as much as I try I cannot remember what got my attention. I think I must have seen something online and it went from there. I bought a Sovereign GT from David Keith @ Dixie with the Dixie mods and it just went from there.

J

 

[j3cwill]

My father started metal detecting in the 70s. He would go every lunch hour during the weekday, and then my mother and I would pile in the car with him on the weekends periodically and he would hunt while we played frisbee or something.

He got away from it for a few years and then purchased an XLT about 10 years ago? He took me out with him one day with a headphone splitter and taught me what to listen for. I then purchased an older 6000di pro (?) with an analog meter from a family friend. My father became my hunting buddy until his death in 2008. Those were the best memories, and I cherish all of those hunts with him.

The bug has been there ever since. I went from that first detector to a DeLeon, then a Coinstrike, and now an Omega.

My father gave me the passion, and this is a great hobby.

 

[a4wdguy]

Several years ago, I lost a platinum ring somewhere on ten acres. I rented some kind of no-name beep machine to look for it, with no success. So I bought a White's 5900 Di Pro SL off ebay for pretty cheap and found the ring within 10 minutes (really!). I was so amazed and impressed that I decided to hunt other areas. I bought a 6000 Di Pro SL off ebay and hit all the tot lots and schools in town over a period of 6 months or so. Lost both detectors in the divorce (as well as everything else). So i saved up to buy another 5900 (blue box, much cheaper) and detected every single day, rain, shine, or snow. Bought another 6000 Di Pro SL and gave the 5900 to a friend. Went to the XL Pro, Eagle Spectrum, Spectrum XLT (gave Eagle to a brother), bought a Classic ID5 for another brother, bought an M6 for my girlfriend, Prizm 2 for her son, DFX for me, traded XLT for Beach Hunter ID, and now have V3i. I think I'm hooked!

 

[Larry (IL)]

It sure sounds like you are hooked.

 

[nw1886]

As a kid, there were no coin shops where I grew up. So....the biggest coin shop on the planet (Hold it.....it was the planet itself!) was my only choice. All I dreamed about was getting one of these wonders in my hands and on my 11th birthday, my parents put one in them!. (I was on a near 24/7 tear for months!) The volume of cool things found was amazing and before too long, those finds added up to being able to purchase a "Top of the Line" box and have been detecting ever since. (There was a slowdown during the cars, girls and raising a family years, but still kept at it some.)

Such a fun and challenging pastime that still keeps some of that enthusiastic 11 year old alive and well! Great hobby we all share huh?

 

[tab-nabit]

long story short - years ago I was taking down a large tree. A fella was walking around detecting and I knew then what I'd rather be doing.

 

[bswift35]

I can remember as a kid, seeing treasure hunting magazines laying around, and never really thought anything about them. Then as i got older started watching anything with treasure hunting on tv, movies etc. Then i got lucky and bought a MXT, and my first month i found a CANNONBALL ,1901 BARBER QUARTER, AND 1899 INDIAN. Iwas hooked, line and sinker. I then got lucky and met LARRY AND NANCY, AND MY PASSION FOR THE HOBBY GOT EVEN STrONGER. You cant help yourself once youve been bitten its for life.

 

[Butch in Colorado]

n/t

 

[TC-NM]

I have alway's been interested in electronics as a kid and made some interesting projects from the Popular Electronics mag. projects. My friend in school also got me into coin collecting and so from mid 70's I truely enjoyed both hobbies. I use to save my money from doing yard work to buy coins for my collection and buy electronic parts and schematics from Radio Shack. I bought a metal detector kit which I assembled. It was approx. 4 x 7 inches in size and you had to wrap the bare copper wire around the red box. It worked, but only detected coins from an inch or so. From there, I purchased a Jetco Mustang metal detector. I found a few coins and alot of trash. From then on, I was hooked!

In '77 I bought my first REAL detector, a Whites 5000/D. I really took off in detecting. I use to find all kinds of coins from Indian Head pennies, wheaties, Buffalo nickels, Mercury dimes, Franklin halves. That 5000/D use to go with me everywhere. It was on of the deepest detectors for sure. Also found alot of really cool relics. I use to go to places that are now considered off-limits today. For years, I used two types of detectors, Garrett's Master Hunter 7 ADS and GTI 2500 <and> Whites 5000/D, 5000/D ser. 2 and 6000/D ser. 2. Presently I use a 6000 Di professional (blue box), XL Pro (Love those analog meters) and Whites Vision w/upgraded ver. 1.3 software. Kinda of undecided in upgrading to V3i.

When my 2 older boy's were between 10 to 13 years of age about 8 to 10 years ago, I tried to get them into detecting, but they showed no interest in this hobby. I suppose times have changed where the kids have other interests (including gaming). I have to say, they like to go fishing with me. I always go out detecting by myself 2 to 3 times a week for a couple of hours at a time. Even now you can detect here in New Mexico where the weather is mild and the ground is not frozen. This winter, the prediction will be dry and warm.

I enjoy this hobby as you guys and gals well know. There have been alot of restrictions placed on us in where to hunt and the good finds are getting scarce. I like some of the new detectors coming out in the past 4 to 5 years with greater depth detection and target separation. This may help all of us just to get another couple of inches deeper just to get silver or an old I.H. penny.

I've been detecting since '74 and hoping that I can continue til I can no longer walk or stand.

TC-NM