Dear television and movie producers, can you please avoid portraying metal detectorists as uneducated villains, or looking like we came from the backwoods or are buffoons? A few shows did us right, and one that did it the best and showed the nuances of the hobby was the BBC series Detectorists. Thank you, Mackenzie Crook,…
When it comes to skilled detectorists who mastered metal detecting old homesteads and farm fields, I think of Brian Tobias from Michigan. He is one of the best relic metal detectorists I know. To help our readers find farm fields and homesteads to metal detect and best approach how to detect them, I have interviewed…
Sometimes metal detecting permissions are good and fruitful, and sometimes they produce nothing and can be discouraging. This permission had fun finds, and I was grateful I had the chance to detect it. Being in Southern California, with many good detectorists, beaches and parks are pounded, particularly if you are looking for the old coins,…
Laurie Gagne educates detectorists using a Minelab Equinox to go beyond their stock settings. A Minelab Detexpert, she has always been a treasure hunter by nature. Laurie swung her first metal detector at 17 when she found it in her father’s basement, trying it but didn’t know how to use it. Then in 2009, she…
Mark Branton is known for promoting metal detecting, being an ambassador, showing how the hobby is for all ages, and promoting the best practices. He has been detecting for over 45 years and is a current Board Member and former President of Michigan Treasure Hunters. Mark was featured in Chapter 17 of Finders: Secrets of…
I hear from metal detecting clubs regularly that they are struggling to increase memberships. Metal detecting clubs have importance. They educate new and seasoned detectorists on the ethics, local laws, and best practices. One of the common events that metal detecting clubs do is organized hunts, either fellowship or seeded. Recently, I spoke to Andrew Vacco,…
Have you seen posts on social media littered with cool items that others are finding, and thought you could get a metal detector and get into the hobby? It looked easy on YouTube. It seemed like you just swing the coil a bit and find jewelry, old coins, or historic items. Some of you run…
One of Focus Speeds’ readers asked if we could publish some tips for Anfibio Multi users. I contacted Dilek Gönülay, Director of Sales and Marketing at Nokta Makro, and asked her who is one of the best with the Anfibio Multi, she suggested Siren Kimmie. Siren Kimmie has been metal detecting for around 10 years,…
Neil Jones is a recognized name in metal detecting, especially among the detectorists who use Minelabs. He is known for showing detectorists how to program their machines to go deeper and get impressive finds even in iron-infested locations or mineralized soil. One of his well-known Beach to Land programs for the Minelab Equinox is discussed…