A Look Back At 2009s Great Metal Detecting Finds

These days, it’s great to be a metal detector. With the advancements in technology, ordinary people can make extraordinary treasure find. As we make our way through 2010, lets take a look back at some of great metal detecting finds of 2009.

1) Housewife Finds £250,000 Treasure

Holy Trinity Treasure

A great example of how patience and persistence really pays off! Mary Hannaby was out one day with her son on a metal detecting walk when she found a stamp-sized, golden pendant with a picture of the Holy Trinity on it. She had been metal detecting for seven years in fields and beaches but she had never found anything as substantial as this. The metal detecting find is estimated to be worth more than £250,000 (Over $400,000 U.S.)! Fortunately for her, this trip has become her dream come true!

2) Man finds Anglo-Saxon War Trophies

Anglo-Saxon Hoard

A British man found one of the largest caches of Anglo-Saxon relics ever discovered when he was out detecting on a farm. The relics, which were dated back to the 7th century and included items such as pommel caps and sword hilt collars, are said to have been war trophies. The estimated worth of this find: millions of dollars!

3) Hoard of Iron Age Coins Found

Iron-Age Gold Staters

A team of archeologists made an amazing metal detecting find of Iron Age coins in the UK. 824 gold staters were found in a broken pottery jar and were estimated to be between £500,000 and £1m at the time of their circulation, but are likely to be worth less now. These gold staters date back the late Iron Age and will help highlight the ancient political, economic, and religious importance of the area.

4) First-time Metal Detector Finds worth £1million of Ancient Golden Jewelry

First-Time Metal Detecting Find

Imagine buying your first metal detector and finding a hoard of Iron Age jewelry estimated to be worth £1million! Just one hour into his metal detecting trip, and David Booth made the find that would change his life! The metal detecting finds date back as far as 300 BC and has significantly helped archeologists on their view of Scotland’s ancient inhabitants. A surprised Mr. Booth can think of no other way to spend his new riches than to pay off his car loan! “‘I’d always fancied buying a metal detector, just as a hobby, and I decided to do it. It turned out to be a pretty good investment.” A very good investment indeed Mr. Booth!

5) Father-son Team Finds Buried Viking Treasures

Rare Viking Treasures

After being turned down from searching two farm fields, metal detecting team David Whelan and his son Andrew made an incredible metal detecting find: a hoard of viking treasures valued to be more than £1million! The treasures are said to be dated back to the Viking era, before Anglo-Saxons had taken control of the area. The last time such a find was made was over 150 years ago. The treasure is so rare that it was only the second of its kind in Britain and among six or seven in all of Europe! Andrew Whelan said: “Being keen metal detectorists, we dreamt of finding a hoard but to find one from such a fantastic period of history is just unbelievable.”

6) Stranger with a Metal Detector Finds Wedding Ring of a Couple Married 68 Years

Mary and Ed Marzec

The last metal detecting find is one that is worth more than all the money in the world. Mary Marzec had lost the wedding ring in a field of overgrown grass; the same ring she had worn for nearly sixty years. She scrambled and searched for her ring and couldn’t find it. Heartbroken and crying, she gave up. Fortunately for her, a sheriff’s deputy had been nearby and contacted George Kollmer, a metal detecting enthusiast. Kollmer came out to the field where Mrs. Marzec lost her ring and found it within ten minutes. Kollmer returned the ring to Marzec and was awarded with $50 dollars. Her ring was not only her commitment to her husband, but was a piece of her heart. “If you promise yourself to someone,” she said, “that’s for life.”

With our look back at some great metal detecting finds, we can look forward to a new year of incredible opportunities to have one heck of a time finding great treasures. If you haven’t already, add “Discovering the most important metal detecting find of 2010″ to your New Year’s resolution. Good luck and Good Hunting!