I’ve been metal detecting for about 14 years now. It’s a wonderful hobby full of twists and turns. Some days you go out digging and find a super cool piece of history and other times you find nothing of value at all. It’s a hobby that keeps you on your toes.
I believe that the good signals are what make the hobby so addicting. Digging a good signal is super exciting. Anyone who’s ever dug a really good signal knows there’s rush of anticipation that comes with not knowing what the item is going to be. Then when you pull the item from the ground you’re the first person to look at in decades, sometimes if your lucky centuries. The first person to hold it in their hand since the day it was lost.
Every item that I find makes me wonder. Who was the previous owner? What did the item mean to them? Were they heartbroken over losing it? Did they search for it for days?
Sometimes, I find something that I have no idea what it is and that makes me wonder even more. I just can’t help but wonder what the story behind each item is. With a little research and help from other people in the hobby you can often learn more about the items you find. I’m still often left with unanswered questions but I guess that’s just part of the appeal.
I also believe that part of my love for this great hobby stems from my love for learning. Every time I go out detecting I seem to learn something new. Sometimes I find an item and learn about a part of history that I didn’t even know existed. Now if that’s not cool I guess I don’t know what is.
For me personally, another huge draw towards this hobby stems from my love of collecting. There’s pride in building a collection. The value of the collection is not necessarily always monetary, but emotional. Adding a new find to the collection brings great happiness. It allows the past to continue to exist in the present. It becomes a lifelong pursuit that can never be completed because there is always something else out there for you to find and add to your collection.
I truly hope this wonderful obsession I have for metal detecting never disappears and I hope that you all have the opportunity to experience this same joy that I have discovered. Happy Hunting!!
