Silent Satisfaction

As more people learn about my detecting, I've been asked what I do with the finds.  Well, quite frankly, I keep 'em!  I just had the conversation again today.  It's possible I would sell a $1000 wedding ring if I found one, but I think I would dump the money right back into the hobby.  Because that's just it...it's a HOBBY!!!

I'm not detecting to make money.  I'm detecting because it's fun to see what's below the surface!  It's enjoyable.  It gets me outside, the very place I'm happy to be!  It's my version of collecting cards, restoring cars, or carving wood.  It's an activity that I just love...for, well, it!

My finds started to accumulate rather slowly.  A few pennies here, a nickel there, a quarter and pennies here.  But I've now been detecting for a little over a month, and I've watched this pile across from my kitchen table steadily grow.  It started small, but after each dig it grew bigger and bigger, and it started to looked more and more like something you would find in a treasure chest!  So I started shopping...for a treasure chest!  :)

I went to Goodwill, Wal-Mart, and Hobby Lobby.  I looked on eBay.  I needed a treasure chest to place my booty in!  I have found a few, but I just wasn't overly impressed with the quality (cheap wood) or the looks (not pirate-y enough!).  Well, I was perusing craigslist this morning when I saw an ad for something totally different...a display cabinet.  Hmm...that would be kind of neat.  I wonder what my finds would look like in an open-air display rather than just a pile...

So I cleared off a table in my dining room and started to take apart my pile piece by piece!  The finds had previously just been sitting in a lump on top of a paper towel on the table.  But now I decided to see exactly what I had.  So I started spreading them out on the table, and 10-15 minutes later, I was pretty happy with what I saw...

My finds from the first five weeks!

It's been quite fun!

Valuables are flanked by intrigue.  Were any of these bullets aimed at someone?!

Coins galore!  But you won't find a single silver in there!  Aggggghhhhhh!!!

I'm starting to find old coins!!!  Woo hoo!!!

I could tell you all about my finds, but they didn't have much life sitting there in a pile.  If you asked me about any of the rings, for example, I could tell you when and where I found it.  The same with the Wheatie pennies.  But I guess I didn't really know how much I had found until I made this display.  And I must say...I am quite happy for my first month!

I realized two things after looking at my display...

#1--I still love this hobby even though just a month into it.

#2--I am going to need a bigger table.

(I said no to the display case, although I am going to keep looking!)