Favorite Finds - U.S.
MARCH 2013 WINNERS!!!
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WINNER #1
My favorite find for March 2013 is the b class="red">Father’s 1962 Class Ring.
Last spring Brian K. took the suggestion from his father and moved to the old home front which had their 100 year old farm house sitting on 65 acres in Jonesborough, TN. Looking for a new hobby, he watched the show “Diggers” and researched the best and affordable detectors, then picked up the Ace 250.
His father told Brian he had lost his 1962 class ring somewhere around a 2 acre radius and had searched for a long time with a 15 year old kids detector, but gave up. The day his father told him of the ring, the search was on. Brian tells it the best. “My father went to work. I searched for about 4 hours straight. Found some wheat pennies and newer coins and was about to give up for the day. I decided to check the mail and go around the pond and search that area on the way back to the house. Halfway down I got a good hit and started my dig. When I turned it over my dad was pulling in from work to see if I had done any good. As he got right over top of me I flipped over the dig and there it was...nice and shiny. He about flipped out, he kept saying “finally, finally” as he was picking me off the ground like I was a coach that just won the big title game! I never seen my dad so happy. He immediately called everyone he could think of to tell them the good news.”
Brian tells more. “Sadly my dad passed away with stage 4 lung cancer 5 months later. But before he went he begged for me to keep his ring. I was crying with joy. I told him that I will always keep it and promised him I wouldn’t lose it.”
Brian concludes, “Thank you Garrett for giving me that memory with my dad. I will keep on detecting and hopefully find the next best treasure.”
Brian, I express my sympathy of your father’s passing. Thank you for sharing your touching story.
Brian K. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
Last spring Brian K. took the suggestion from his father and moved to the old home front which had their 100 year old farm house sitting on 65 acres in Jonesborough, TN. Looking for a new hobby, he watched the show “Diggers” and researched the best and affordable detectors, then picked up the Ace 250.
His father told Brian he had lost his 1962 class ring somewhere around a 2 acre radius and had searched for a long time with a 15 year old kids detector, but gave up. The day his father told him of the ring, the search was on. Brian tells it the best. “My father went to work. I searched for about 4 hours straight. Found some wheat pennies and newer coins and was about to give up for the day. I decided to check the mail and go around the pond and search that area on the way back to the house. Halfway down I got a good hit and started my dig. When I turned it over my dad was pulling in from work to see if I had done any good. As he got right over top of me I flipped over the dig and there it was...nice and shiny. He about flipped out, he kept saying “finally, finally” as he was picking me off the ground like I was a coach that just won the big title game! I never seen my dad so happy. He immediately called everyone he could think of to tell them the good news.”
Brian tells more. “Sadly my dad passed away with stage 4 lung cancer 5 months later. But before he went he begged for me to keep his ring. I was crying with joy. I told him that I will always keep it and promised him I wouldn’t lose it.”
Brian concludes, “Thank you Garrett for giving me that memory with my dad. I will keep on detecting and hopefully find the next best treasure.”
Brian, I express my sympathy of your father’s passing. Thank you for sharing your touching story.
Brian K. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
FEBRUARY 2013 WINNER!!!
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WINNER #1
My favorite international find for February 2013 is the John Mecke Clock and Watch Maker Plate, discovered by Grant H. from Ridgefield, New Jersey.
Grant and his detecting buddy returned to a productive property in Mount Holly, NJ. His Ace 350 was producing a solid hit in the quarter/dime range. After finding two nails in the same hole, Grant remembered to recheck the hole. Ding! He dug another 15-20 minutes and shares the discovery. "A little more digging and my Pro-Pointer finally started to signal. I was very careful digging all around the target, and then finally saw a piece of metal glaring back at me. I pulled it out with great relief, only tofind myself holding a rectangular, flat piece of metal. Then I flipped it over.The other side had a raised round area. I wiped some dirt away to see engraving. Woah! What is this?" Grant poured bottled water over the heavy piece which revealed backwards text surrounded by a decorative leaf pattern. It read, "John Mecke, Clock and Watch Maker & Jeweler, No 359 North 2nd St., Philad."
After two weeks of extensive research and assistance from helpful detecting forum members, he was able to identify the piece as a plate used to make watch papers, which are very rare. He reached out to the American Antiquarian Society, who wanted images of the piece in their national archives. Grant tells more. "A week or so after reaching out to them, I got a return call from the National Watch & Clock Museum in PA, who asked if I wouldn't mind donating the plate to the museum to be part of their jewelry store display. My first museum piece! I was very excited and happy to donate it."
Grant concludes, "So the Garrett Ace 350 and Pro-Pointer helped me to unearth a wonderful piece of history that is now both part of a national antiquarian archive and a museum collection. This has been a thrilling experience for me! I unearthed something cool; something historical. Even better, thanks to my discovery, John Mecke, a watch and clock maker from the 1800's, perhaps forgotten altogether, will now live on amongst his peers as a distinguished part of his craft's history.
Congratulations Grant! Historic find and a wonderful donation in kind. May your name be placed next to your discovery in the museum.
Grant H. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
Grant and his detecting buddy returned to a productive property in Mount Holly, NJ. His Ace 350 was producing a solid hit in the quarter/dime range. After finding two nails in the same hole, Grant remembered to recheck the hole. Ding! He dug another 15-20 minutes and shares the discovery. "A little more digging and my Pro-Pointer finally started to signal. I was very careful digging all around the target, and then finally saw a piece of metal glaring back at me. I pulled it out with great relief, only tofind myself holding a rectangular, flat piece of metal. Then I flipped it over.The other side had a raised round area. I wiped some dirt away to see engraving. Woah! What is this?" Grant poured bottled water over the heavy piece which revealed backwards text surrounded by a decorative leaf pattern. It read, "John Mecke, Clock and Watch Maker & Jeweler, No 359 North 2nd St., Philad."
After two weeks of extensive research and assistance from helpful detecting forum members, he was able to identify the piece as a plate used to make watch papers, which are very rare. He reached out to the American Antiquarian Society, who wanted images of the piece in their national archives. Grant tells more. "A week or so after reaching out to them, I got a return call from the National Watch & Clock Museum in PA, who asked if I wouldn't mind donating the plate to the museum to be part of their jewelry store display. My first museum piece! I was very excited and happy to donate it."
Grant concludes, "So the Garrett Ace 350 and Pro-Pointer helped me to unearth a wonderful piece of history that is now both part of a national antiquarian archive and a museum collection. This has been a thrilling experience for me! I unearthed something cool; something historical. Even better, thanks to my discovery, John Mecke, a watch and clock maker from the 1800's, perhaps forgotten altogether, will now live on amongst his peers as a distinguished part of his craft's history.
Congratulations Grant! Historic find and a wonderful donation in kind. May your name be placed next to your discovery in the museum.
Grant H. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
JANUARY 2013 HAS TWO WINNERS!!!
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WINNER #1
My favorite find for January 2013 is the 1792 Silver Spanish Real Coin. Christopher E. from Providence, Rhode Island was searching with his brother in New England where a colonial house once stood. Christopher had been told that the site had been previously hunted out, but that didn't stop his desire to check it out with his new Garrett AT Pro. Christopher elaborates, "When deciding what machine to buy for my first detector I tested many machines from various manufacturers. I can say in all honesty the Garrett AT Pro is a very simple to use and is extremely effective."
Christopher shares his discovery. "I heard the slightest ping from the detector and swung over it again and got closer to the ground until I got a nice high ping. I started digging and popped the plug out and checked the hole with the detector. Nothing was ringing on the AT Pro whatsoever. I turned to check the plug and saw a shining silver Spanish Real coin staring me in the face. I am perplexed at how such an old coin could be in such beautiful shape! I carefully pulled it out of the plug. My heart was racing and I was speechless. The date read 1792!"
Christopher shares personal thoughts. "My brother asked what is it worth? To me, the value is in the finding of it, the story that I will tell the rest of my life. That coin physically represents history and that is as close as I will ever get to life in the 1700's. Now that is what I call cool. Without the AT Pro, I may have never found my greatest find, and for that I am truly grateful."
Thank you Christopher for sharing your wonderful experience with Garrett.
Christopher E. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
Christopher shares his discovery. "I heard the slightest ping from the detector and swung over it again and got closer to the ground until I got a nice high ping. I started digging and popped the plug out and checked the hole with the detector. Nothing was ringing on the AT Pro whatsoever. I turned to check the plug and saw a shining silver Spanish Real coin staring me in the face. I am perplexed at how such an old coin could be in such beautiful shape! I carefully pulled it out of the plug. My heart was racing and I was speechless. The date read 1792!"
Christopher shares personal thoughts. "My brother asked what is it worth? To me, the value is in the finding of it, the story that I will tell the rest of my life. That coin physically represents history and that is as close as I will ever get to life in the 1700's. Now that is what I call cool. Without the AT Pro, I may have never found my greatest find, and for that I am truly grateful."
Thank you Christopher for sharing your wonderful experience with Garrett.
Christopher E. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
DECEMBER 2012 WINNER!!!
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WINNER #1
My favorite find for December 2012 is 1964 WKU Class Ring belonging to Mr. Terry Jones. Avid Arkansas treasure hunter Bill F. was detecting with his AT Pro on a lake in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas and found a WKU (Western Kentucky University) class ring from 1964 in beautiful condition! With the initials TGJ engraved on the side and a B.S. logo, Bill F. contacted the WKU Alumni Association.
The WKU Class Notes Newsletter states, “After an in-depth search by the WKU research team, we were able to find that the ring belonged to Terry Jones (’64) of Bowling Green, KY. After contacting Jones, we discovered that he had lost the ring while fishing at the same lake more than 44 years ago! Thanks to Mr. F.’s honesty and integrity, we were able to reunite the ring with its owner after four decades."
Commendable deed Bill for reuniting a class ring with its owner after 44 years.
Bill F. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
The WKU Class Notes Newsletter states, “After an in-depth search by the WKU research team, we were able to find that the ring belonged to Terry Jones (’64) of Bowling Green, KY. After contacting Jones, we discovered that he had lost the ring while fishing at the same lake more than 44 years ago! Thanks to Mr. F.’s honesty and integrity, we were able to reunite the ring with its owner after four decades."
Commendable deed Bill for reuniting a class ring with its owner after 44 years.
Bill F. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
NOVEMBER 2012 WINNER!!!
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WINNER #1
My Favorite find for Nov 2012 is the 10k Gold Tri-Colored Diamond Masonic Ring.
This stately ring was found by Charles G. from Woodland Park, Colorado near Cripple Creek. Charles shares his story of discovery. “On my second day there, our friends let us detect their empty city lots. After about an hour, my GTI 2500 gives out a solid repeating signal that stayed right in between foil and nickel. Well I dug it and out comes this 10k tri-colored gold Masonic ring with a diamond! Needless to say my pacemaker was put to the test that day! I took it to a local jeweler and he said it dated to the early 1900’s, and appraised it at around $700 to $800 in its present dug condition, and with a little TLC from a jeweler the price would double.”
Charles shares something more personal about the ring. “The ring has more worth to me than money. My grandfather, his father, and his father were all Masons. I offered it to my friends as it was found on their property, and they said NO it is yours, you found it. Now my new ring is with my grandfather's Masonic ring that he always had on as long as I can remember. My grandmother gave it to me when he passed away. If he was still with us, I would have given it to him.”
Charles has a closing comment. “I just love my GTI 2500. It has helped me find many treasures throughout the years. Always dig those low end signals. You never know when gold will come out!”
Thank you for sharing your story Charles. My grandfather Smith was also a Mason.
Charles G. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
This stately ring was found by Charles G. from Woodland Park, Colorado near Cripple Creek. Charles shares his story of discovery. “On my second day there, our friends let us detect their empty city lots. After about an hour, my GTI 2500 gives out a solid repeating signal that stayed right in between foil and nickel. Well I dug it and out comes this 10k tri-colored gold Masonic ring with a diamond! Needless to say my pacemaker was put to the test that day! I took it to a local jeweler and he said it dated to the early 1900’s, and appraised it at around $700 to $800 in its present dug condition, and with a little TLC from a jeweler the price would double.”
Charles shares something more personal about the ring. “The ring has more worth to me than money. My grandfather, his father, and his father were all Masons. I offered it to my friends as it was found on their property, and they said NO it is yours, you found it. Now my new ring is with my grandfather's Masonic ring that he always had on as long as I can remember. My grandmother gave it to me when he passed away. If he was still with us, I would have given it to him.”
Charles has a closing comment. “I just love my GTI 2500. It has helped me find many treasures throughout the years. Always dig those low end signals. You never know when gold will come out!”
Thank you for sharing your story Charles. My grandfather Smith was also a Mason.
Charles G. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
OCTOBER 2012 WINNER!!!
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WINNER #1
My favorite find for October 2012 is the Battle of the Bulge Sharpshooter’s Medal. Michael F. from Madison, TN, was aware that a really old house was torn down just around the corner from him, and that the whole residential block had recently been sold. He got acquainted with a former lot owner, an elderly man, who lives two houses down from the demolished house, and has to move due to the sale of the block. Speaking with him, Michael learned of the possibility of treasure nearby.
Taking his Ace 250, Michael tells us, “I go back today for a short hunt. Just a few minutes in I get a really nice silver beep! I dug up this WWII Sharpshooters Medal! I took the medal down to the elderly man to look at. He says, “That’s my Uncle’s, he won it at the Battle of the Bulge! Can I take it in the house and clean it? His wife comes out and asked if her husband can have it. He follows with tears in his eyes saying that his mother was 99 years old and she did not have anything of her brothers. So being the big softy that I am, and trying to do the right thing, I gave him the medal, my name and address."
Congrats to Michael F. for sharing this exciting medal and story with Garrett and for your kind deed.
Michael F. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
Taking his Ace 250, Michael tells us, “I go back today for a short hunt. Just a few minutes in I get a really nice silver beep! I dug up this WWII Sharpshooters Medal! I took the medal down to the elderly man to look at. He says, “That’s my Uncle’s, he won it at the Battle of the Bulge! Can I take it in the house and clean it? His wife comes out and asked if her husband can have it. He follows with tears in his eyes saying that his mother was 99 years old and she did not have anything of her brothers. So being the big softy that I am, and trying to do the right thing, I gave him the medal, my name and address."
Congrats to Michael F. for sharing this exciting medal and story with Garrett and for your kind deed.
Michael F. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
SEPTEMBER 2012 WINNER!!!
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WINNER #1
My favorite find for October 2012 is the Battle of the Bulge Sharpshooter’s Medal. Michael F. from Madison, TN, was aware that a really old house was torn down just around the corner from him, and that the whole residential block had recently been sold. He got acquainted with a former lot owner, an elderly man, who lives two houses down from the demolished house, and has to move due to the sale of the block. Speaking with him, Michael learned of the possibility of treasure nearby.
Taking his Ace 250, Michael tells us, “I go back today for a short hunt. Just a few minutes in I get a really nice silver beep! I dug up this WWII Sharpshooters Medal! I took the medal down to the elderly man to look at. He says, “That’s my Uncle’s, he won it at the Battle of the Bulge! Can I take it in the house and clean it? His wife comes out and asked if her husband can have it. He follows with tears in his eyes saying that his mother was 99 years old and she did not have anything of her brothers. So being the big softy that I am, and trying to do the right thing, I gave him the medal, my name and address."
Congrats to Michael F. for sharing this exciting medal and story with Garrett and for your kind deed.
Michael F. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
Taking his Ace 250, Michael tells us, “I go back today for a short hunt. Just a few minutes in I get a really nice silver beep! I dug up this WWII Sharpshooters Medal! I took the medal down to the elderly man to look at. He says, “That’s my Uncle’s, he won it at the Battle of the Bulge! Can I take it in the house and clean it? His wife comes out and asked if her husband can have it. He follows with tears in his eyes saying that his mother was 99 years old and she did not have anything of her brothers. So being the big softy that I am, and trying to do the right thing, I gave him the medal, my name and address."
Congrats to Michael F. for sharing this exciting medal and story with Garrett and for your kind deed.
Michael F. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
AUGUST 2012 WINNER!!!
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WINNER #1
My Favorite find for April 2012 is the 1810-1812 U.S. Navy button. John V. from Island Park, New York, searched the grounds of an abandoned building using his new AT Pro and found this gorgeous brass button at just three inches, still in very good condition. The Navy takes shore leave in New York, so it is possible this button was lost during leave.
Congrats to John V. for discovering this 200 year old Navy button!
John V. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
Congrats to John V. for discovering this 200 year old Navy button!
John V. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
JUNE 2012 WINNER!!!
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WINNER #1
My favorite find for June 2012 is the Platinum Diamond Ring Set.
John M. from Florida discovered this gorgeous Platinum and Diamond set on a popular S.W. Florida beach with his Garrett Sea Hunter MkII detector. John said the ring is appraised at $27,800! John expressed, “The ring set was found on 3-21-12 and my wife’s birthday was 3-22. Wouldn’t you know it! LOL”
Congrats to John and his fortunate wife. Thanks for submitting your story and photo.
John M. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
John M. from Florida discovered this gorgeous Platinum and Diamond set on a popular S.W. Florida beach with his Garrett Sea Hunter MkII detector. John said the ring is appraised at $27,800! John expressed, “The ring set was found on 3-21-12 and my wife’s birthday was 3-22. Wouldn’t you know it! LOL”
Congrats to John and his fortunate wife. Thanks for submitting your story and photo.
John M. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
MAY 2012 WINNER!!!
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WINNER #1
My favorite find for May 2012 is the 1906 Barber Half-Dollar discovered by Cody M. from Hunt, TX.
Cody is a very young man with a new hobby... treasure hunting. His father, Chris, is involved in his son’s life and shares this story with Garrett. “My son Cody wanted to go metal detect at a friend’s ranch in Kerrville, TX. He was using his late grandfather’s Garrett Treasure Ace 300. We spent around 45 minutes looking around two very large oak trees that were next to an old homestead. My son got a strong signal. I came over with my shovel and with one dig a 1906 Barber Half-Dollar coin popped out! Needless to say everyone was very excited and the ranch owner couldn’t believe it. You now a have a little boy completely hooked on metal detecting!”
Way to go Cody! I know your father is proud, and I’m sure your grandfather is rejoicing. Cody, you are the “Treasure Ace”.
Cody M. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
Cody is a very young man with a new hobby... treasure hunting. His father, Chris, is involved in his son’s life and shares this story with Garrett. “My son Cody wanted to go metal detect at a friend’s ranch in Kerrville, TX. He was using his late grandfather’s Garrett Treasure Ace 300. We spent around 45 minutes looking around two very large oak trees that were next to an old homestead. My son got a strong signal. I came over with my shovel and with one dig a 1906 Barber Half-Dollar coin popped out! Needless to say everyone was very excited and the ranch owner couldn’t believe it. You now a have a little boy completely hooked on metal detecting!”
Way to go Cody! I know your father is proud, and I’m sure your grandfather is rejoicing. Cody, you are the “Treasure Ace”.
Cody M. WINS a Garrett PRO-POINTER®!
