If you’re searching for a fun hobby to get your mojo working, you don’t have to look far for ideas. However, I suggest the wonderful world of Metal Detecting.

My journey with treasure hunting and finding gold began at an early age; however, today, I do it in a little more modern way.”

Let me explain:

History shows there were some lean years after the war, and some say up until the 70s. We’ve all heard those stories from our elders about how hard money was to come by; however, most were true.

Most of us youngins if we needed extra cash to go to the movies, take your darling out for a burger, you had to be creative in the money department.
Knocking on doors, asking people who resided in the home if they needed their grass cut or a little garden clean-up for a few extra dollars was the norm.

Which brings to mind this story: when a circus or fall fair came to town, we would look for work erecting and taking down tents. We would do almost anything for a little pocket change.

However, the best part was the day after these events that picked up and gone. That’s where we would really make our pocket money, scouring the premises where the circus tents once stood. We would find lost articles such as change, an odd wallet and maybe a few lost gold rings and jewelry.

Fast forward to today, old habits are hard to break, and new habits begin.

Although the physical challenge of erecting and taking down tents and game centres for the circus is long gone, the habit of scouring the grounds through the park still haunts me today. I can’t even go for a leisurely walk without kicking a mound of grass. I’m forever looking at the grounds through the eyes of my youth.

That brings me to today’s world. Today, the same task is done so much easier with a metal detector. That’s my newfound hobby and the theme of this story.

*** This is where old habits and metal detecting parallels. *** The moral to this story is, after many years have gone by since those fun days as a kid, this is where I plan to do my ‘day after event’ … ‘metal detecting.’

Where are the best places for metal detecting?

As a novice metal detecting enthusiast, here is my game plan: you will find me metal detecting the ‘day after’ any automobile car swap meets, fall fairs, or anywhere there was a large outside gathering. I will go to the library and research old abandoned settlements and farmhouses in the area. That’s another place you will find me.

My other option is that we’re not far from many beaches, and the sand is easy to dig for lost gold rings and jewelry. The waves keeps moving objects in and off the beach, and that lost gold necklace could be lost to the elements. That would be a fun option on a sunny day, finding that gold before it gets lost in time.

A family member used to metal detect along farm treelines. He would find old medicine bottles, coins and even buried treasure by the farmers who distrusted banks.

The reason for that thinken was that when the banks were not trustworthy back in the day, people hid their money in the ground. Spots they dug couldn’t be too deep and reasonably accessible.
However, like most things, time and memory loss, innovation, and the farmers removing fence lines to make your fields larger, they could even forget where they stashed all the worthy belongings.

*** The point of that bit of interest is that metal detecting can be done in your own backyard; you never know what you will find.

As a metal detecting newbie with memories of my childhood and >>>> time on my hands. The old memories are coming back to haunt me, but in a different way.’

Metal detecting looks to be a fun hobby for a summer pastime at the beach, or at the park, and, all the places in between.

So, if you find me metal detecting, doing my thing at some local park at 5 in the morning, >>> pay me no ‘never-you-mind.'<<< I’m just out looking for lost treasures like diamonds, rubies, and if nothing else, lots of can tabs with my newfound hobby, >>> ‘Bounty Hunter metal detecting.’ <<<
**** Old habits are hard to break, eh! 😛
Stay tuned, I’ll let you readers know how I made out, once the snow is gone.

10 Good Places to Metal Detect

1 Swimming Holes

2 Circus (day after)

3 Splash Screen

4 Racetracks

5 Train Stops

6 Flea Markets

7 Boat Landings

8 Concerts (day after)

9 Beaches

10 Playgrounds

Comments

• Fifty dollars metal detector found more than its worth.
  I’ve had good luck hunting old dtivein movie locations. They also had flea markets there in later years. Great top ten list, thanks.
  Gold rings need to be very close to the coil.. like 5 mm to be picked up. Nails and steel you get about 15cm to play.
  I bought my first detector and went to a nearby park. My very first target sounded off. It was a 14k gold wedding band. It probably ruined me for the next two years, LOL.

• I’ve had dozens of detectors from $150 to $1500 and found a lot of stuff. Took a while to find my first gold ring on a beach. One day I was leaving a Florida beach, on the last 50 feet of sand before the parking lot, I usually turn my detector off.
  There was a family coming onto the beach and a 8 year old boy had a $65 detector he was scanning the sand, right near the cement walkway. He got a signal, dug into the sand with his fingers and pulled up a gold wedding band. I almost lost my mind. Lol!

• I found an untouched campsite along a pioneer wagon road. Trime, Seated Liberties, three-ringers, musket balls, old buttons.

And then you find this answer.
Metal detecting on a surface 🤣🤣 What a waste of a time!

Metal Detecting, ‘an inexpensive hobby for fun’, business, or is it a waste of time? You decide?

☕ If you found my story interesting, food for thought, please consider buying me a coffee at this PayPal-secured link. Thank you. Dave ☕