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Thread: American Detectorist Contest Giveaway Starts NOW!!!

  1. #1
    Elite Member coinnut's Avatar
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    Exclamation American Detectorist Contest Giveaway Starts NOW!!!

    We decided to change things up a bit this time around. Metal detecting is what brings all of us together here, but we all know life is the real journey. So with that in mind.....Tell us about something wonderful that has happened in your life. It could be your best metal detecting find, or the birth of a child, the job of your dreams, or just life itself. But remember, this is the internet, so be frugal with personal information. We really don't want to know the details of your first date with the person of your dreams

    Rules: Member must have 20 significant posts, Contest starts now and runs until Friday May 20, 2014 at midnight, one entry per member. Winner will be drawn at random sometime on the weekend of May 21-22, 2014.

    Thanks again John from JMT Metal Detectors, for donating a brand new Tesoro Silver UMax detector

    Good luck everyone and post your stories below!!!
    Finding relics is in my blood

    GPX 5000, CTX 3030, E Trac, Vista Gold

  2. #2
    Owner/Administrator Epi-hunter's Avatar
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    I will add to this that we need at least 30 entries for this contest in order to hold the drawing.
    Minelab E-Trac/Sun Ray X-1 -- Minelab Sovereign GT/Sun Ray S-1 -- White's v3i/Sun Ray DX-1
    Fisher CZ3D -- Tesoro Tiger Shark -- Garrett ACE 250


  3. #3
    Veteran Member Skamaniac's Avatar
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    A wonderful life changer for me was going on a Christian work trip to Mozambique in 2000. Seeing how people there lived with nothing and were happy anyway. I saw a small boy and his brother sharing a pull-toy made from wire and crushed soda pop cans for wheels. They were having a great time. They told me it was their only toy. I gave a woman a gallon sized ziplock bag with personal items like soap, toothpaste, deoderant, chewing gum, etc. for her and her family and she started crying over such a wonderful gift. It cost me about 10 bucks at Walmart. Most of the people I saw there were smiling and laughing all the time. It made me realize I didn't need to sweat the small stuff, and almost everything is small stuff.

    And on the way home we got to spend 2 days viewing and photographing African widlife in South Africa!
    Land of Two Seasons - Snow and Fire Danger.

  4. #4
    Owner/Administrator Epi-hunter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skamaniac View Post
    A wonderful life changer for me was going on a Christian work trip to Mozambique in 2000. Seeing how people there lived with nothing and were happy anyway. I saw a small boy and his brother sharing a pull-toy made from wire and crushed soda pop cans for wheels. They were having a great time. They told me it was their only toy. I gave a woman a gallon sized ziplock bag with personal items like soap, toothpaste, deoderant, chewing gum, etc. for her and her family and she started crying over such a wonderful gift. It cost me about 10 bucks at Walmart. Most of the people I saw there were smiling and laughing all the time. It made me realize I didn't need to sweat the small stuff, and almost everything is small stuff.

    And on the way home we got to spend 2 days viewing and photographing African widlife in South Africa!
    Thanks for sharing this skamaniac. Seeing how appreciative people are to receive gifts of items that we just take for granted is so incredibly humbling. Especially when they seem even happier than we are with all of our material advantages here. The closest I have come to that was a 2-month clerkship with the Indian Health Service in Zuni and Gallup, NM just after graduation. Seeing the state of health care there was a huge wake-up call for me. My goal is to do Doctors Without Borders some day.

    What a great experience for you!
    Minelab E-Trac/Sun Ray X-1 -- Minelab Sovereign GT/Sun Ray S-1 -- White's v3i/Sun Ray DX-1
    Fisher CZ3D -- Tesoro Tiger Shark -- Garrett ACE 250


  5. #5
    Administrator del's Avatar
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    my best or most satisfying "detecting moment" has got to be the on going volunteer work I do for the Pequot Indian Museum and the U.S. National parks and service departments . When I started this project I admit the reputation or stereo types for archaeologists , the hostility , the animosity for us I heard about was fresh in my mind. I was curious and leery of what to expect from these men "from the opposite spectrum". I soon found out that these professionals weren't that different from me at all and in fact more "alike " in many ways . They made me feel comfortable , confident and even as an equal on many levels , I also felt that I was doing a great service to the local , state and even national history to this country whenever i discovered a piece for the lab to scrutinize and show. The friendships and camaraderie is priceless among these individuals and I would highly recommend volunteering to a museum or project near you , it might be awkward at first (only until you gain their confidence and respect) but after the rewards it can be so fulfilling on many levels .

    Dan
    "Honesty is an expensive gift ,
    so don't expect it from cheap people"

    XP Deus II , DFX ,TDI sl -

    Click here to view my finds album


  6. #6
    Well, since I've never experienced the birth of a child, and I definitely have never had the job of my dreams, I guess I'll go with my best metal detecting find, which coincidentally is still fresh in my mind.

    I will never forget the shear excitement I felt when I found that 1877 Indian Head Cent last weekend. I am so glad that my brother was there to share the moment with me. He wasn't aware of the significance of an 1877 Indian Head, but he could tell by my over-the-top reaction that it was something really good. I'm just glad that nobody else was there to see me yelling and raving like a maniac. My brother immediately called his wife on his cell phone to tell her what we had found. In fact, in the video you can hear him talking to her in the background. As nice as the find was, it just wouldn't have been the same if my brother hadn't been there to experience it with me.

    And that's the "something wonderful" that has happened in my life.
    Lifetime totals:10 Large Cents, 422 Indian Heads, 2 Two Cent Pieces, 1 Capped Bust Half Dime, 1 Seated Half Dime, 10 Shield Nickels, 68 V Nickels, 125 Buffalo Nickels, 31 War Nickels, 16 Seated Dimes, 133 Barber Dimes, 407 Mercury Dimes, 252 Rosies, 4 Seated Quarters, 18 Barber Quarters, 21 Standing Liberty Quarters, 90 Silver Washingtons, 1 Seated Half, 3 Barber Halves, 17 Walking Liberty HalvesYouTube Channel: Tony Two-Cent https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmz...RlHTBIU42bUORg

  7. #7
    Elite Member giant056's Avatar
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    Yesterday I did find my oldest ever dug coin and it's a Connecticut copper right here in Kalamazo

  8. #8
    Elite Member coinnut's Avatar
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    I guess there are many things I could come up with that have changed my life for the better, but this one is one that shaped my life at an early age. When I was around 10 years old, my cousin (once removed) took me under his wing. He was 10 years older than me and got me interested in collecting stamps. We would drive to the post office the minute a new stamp design came out, and buy plate blocks of stamps. I say "WE" but we really know it was his money Then we started to buy old wood furniture and wood framed mirrors at tag sales and refinish them. Finally he kick started my interest in coins by giving me a 1925 D wheat penny. Then one day he said: "This machine here can find money in the ground." I was like .................. It was a $19.95 Radio shack detector Right after that I noticed this box he bought, that was an amplifier kit for the detector and we would carry it above the machine. It wasn't long before we had a "Real" machine from Bounty Hunter called the Rebel. Back in them days you had to adjust between mineral and metal and it was a BFO (beat frequency oscillator) machine. The machines continued and got better with time but by then I was hooked for life. Even guitars and girls in high school could only derail my interest for a while So to my cousin Danny, I owe a great deal of gratitude for keeping me out of trouble and opening the door to an adventure that I still travel today.
    Finding relics is in my blood

    GPX 5000, CTX 3030, E Trac, Vista Gold

  9. #9
    Elite Member Digger Don's Avatar
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    One of the memorable things that happened in my life happened 14 years ago. My son was born on April 6th and 3 days earlier I adopted my daughter.
    She was my step daughter for 5 years. I was determined to adopt her before my son was born. It was a little more complicated than I thought, but obviously well worth it. So on April 3rd I became a dad for the first time and on April 6th I became a dad for the second time. BEST week of my life.
    Oldest Coin: 1699 William III Halfpenny


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  10. #10
    Owner/Administrator Epi-hunter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Digger Don View Post
    One of the memorable things that happened in my life happened 14 years ago. My son was born on April 6th and 3 days earlier I adopted my daughter.
    She was my step daughter for 5 years. I was determined to adopt her before my son was born. It was a little more complicated than I thought, but obviously well worth it. So on April 3rd I became a dad for the first time and on April 6th I became a dad for the second time. BEST week of my life.
    Great story Don... thank you for sharing... congratulations! Those kids are lucky to have you.
    Minelab E-Trac/Sun Ray X-1 -- Minelab Sovereign GT/Sun Ray S-1 -- White's v3i/Sun Ray DX-1
    Fisher CZ3D -- Tesoro Tiger Shark -- Garrett ACE 250


  11. #11
    Owner/Administrator Epi-hunter's Avatar
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    GREAT find Tony - you should have texted me and I would have celebrated with you!

    I loved the story George. Your cousin created a monster
    Minelab E-Trac/Sun Ray X-1 -- Minelab Sovereign GT/Sun Ray S-1 -- White's v3i/Sun Ray DX-1
    Fisher CZ3D -- Tesoro Tiger Shark -- Garrett ACE 250


  12. #12
    I remember when I used to work at a bank and I was up to my usual hijinx and I accidently locked myself and our bank president, Mr. Mooney in the vault for the entire weekend...Oh wait, that was an episode of I Love Lucy!

    I guess the best thing that ever happened to me was when I realized the best way to get ahead in life and be successful is to work hard, get an education, and don't break the law.
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe) ☺Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria ☺Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent ☺Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France, 1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria ☺Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6) ☺YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger ☺Instagram: Full_Metal_Digger ☺

  13. #13
    Veteran Member Bell-Two's Avatar
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    I have had many memorable moments but one that always comes to mind is from about 15 years ago. A friend was a teacher at a school that had many children from low income families as their students. So he told us about this family in particular that the dad was in prison, the mom worked and the four kids were doing well in the school because the mom despite working many long hours was fully involved in their lives. He said they keep food on the table but that was about it and that there would not really be any Christmas for the kids other than a meal. So another couple from our Bible Study group and my wife and I got a list from him for what the kids could use and for the mom as well. We gathered the gifts and I called my friend and said I would drop them off to him so he could give them to the family. He told me "No you need to take them there personally", I demurred saying we did not want any thanks for them the thought that we were helping was enough. Well he insisted so we went. The house was small but it was warm and we could see the kids were eyeing the packages but I could tell that the mom had told them to be calm and polite. As we talked I could look around the small house and I could see where the termites had eaten out the window sill, and that the rug was worn and patched. The rest of the furnishings seemed worn as well but everything was neat. We watched as the kids opened the presents and we could see the look of joy and I could see tears in the mom's eyes as she was getting the most joy from seeing her kids happy. They thanked us politely and as we talked I could tell that despite the surroundings they were happy and would have been happy even without the gifts. The fact they knew despite all the struggles that they had a loving mother and a teacher that cared for them beyond their educational needs was comforting. We prayed with them and then wished them all a Merry Christmas. As we were leaving and getting into our cars I stopped my friend and I said "Now I know why you insisted that we come, it was not that they could thank us but rather that we learned that we do not need all these things to be happy." He smiled at me and then I said "We were not the one's showing the meaning of Christmas to them, it was they showing us the true meaning of Christmas and this meeting was for us all the time." He smiled and wished us Merry Christmas and all the way home we felt a peace in our souls. I have never forgotten this moment and treasure it till this day.
    Psalms 24:1 ¶ The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains...But God shares with us who search!
    Member Dayton Diggers CTX 3030- Minelab E-Trac


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    THe best day of my life was the day I met my beautiful wife Stephanie. Sept 17, 1990. I still have the slip of paper she gave me her phone number on. We were in college relaxing in the rec center playing pool at separate tables. I looked over and she was looking at me so i shyly looked away but i couldnt take my eyes off of her. So before i left we struck up a conversation and to my surprise she asked ME out for a date. Well here we are 24 years later with two wonderful daughters and a brother of mine who is 25 that we raised since he was 7. Good times indeed.

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    Senior Member rsarge1's Avatar
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    Mine is when I retired from got law enforcement after 28 years of dealing with many types of criminals from the worst to the least kinds a big relief came the day I retired and I was able to concentrate more of my time to this great hobby with a much better outlook to life's daily pleasures.
    Be Safe And Happy Hunting All


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  16. #16
    The most fulfilling day I've had MDing was the day I found a lost pin for the property owner who cried when I presented it to her. Our town named a day in her honor because she is such an outstanding resident. They presented her with a pin in the early 1980s. She dropped it in her yard. 30 yrs later I found it. Not 10 minutes after I gave her the pin I found my first colonial coin!
    On Instagram- oxshoedrew

  17. #17
    Senior Member MIKE54's Avatar
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    The best day of my life was in 1992, 3 years after I was diagnosed with a rare and mostly fatal form of anemia. I was scheduled for a bone marrow transplant (non-related donor) which gave me a 20% chance of surviving past 5 years. In 1992, just 4 weeks from getting the transplant, the anemia just decided to go away and within a year, all blood counts were normal. Still no explanation from the doctors why it left, but obviously we were pretty stoked that it did and I got to see my son grow up, the best part of the whole ordeal.

  18. #18
    I have a type of arthritis that even with medication kept me in constant pain and was slowly blinding me. A few years ago I was able to start taking a fantastically expensive biologic drug which has relieved most of my pain and stabilized my vision. This has allowed me to actually do things like metal detecting. It was kind of a big deal to me.

  19. #19
    Most memorable in my life is the way I live my life, in that, I am able to help others in their needs. I've worked/been employed since I was 12 yrs old, where I worked at the local theatre, owned by a distance relative. I worked there for 13 yrs, and held as many as 3 jobs at a time, as a teenager and early 20s. I was very money-saving driven (and still am). I've done my fair share of employment in the office environment, but always knew I was better suited to be outside and with animals. I should have been a veterinarian. But that would have required too much inside time (school). Instead, I worked my way up to eventually becoming the farmer that I am today. I've ditched the outside employment, and have created my own business, where I take care of other folks house/farm/animals while they are away. I maintain lawns, pastures, fences, cut/bale/sell hay, work cows, feed horses, baby sit dogs and cats, paint, look for lost items, run errands, and the list goes on. I will pretty much do what anyone needs. I stay busy, and I have fun. I have taken in sick and injured farm animals from farmers that don't have time to mess with it. My pay has been to keep the survivors and by doing so, I've built my little farm. I've birthed calves, bottle fed calves and goats, rescued chickens from hawks and foxes and possums and coons, hatched and raised a couple of geese whose mom got attacked/killed while setting her nest, shot a rattlesnake before it bit me and a client's dog, tamed many feral cats, and I volunteer for the local dog/cat rescue. I love my life and what I can contribute.

  20. #20
    Veteran Member Lowjiber's Avatar
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    I'm a Shriner. As many know, we are dedicated to supporting the Shriner's Hospitals for Burned and Crippled Children. I've spent many days working to raise funds to help support that cause.

    Early one morning about fifteen years ago, I was on my way to a fund raising event and stopped for a quick breakfast at a local restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida. I was wearing a ball cap that simply said "Morocco Shrine" above the bill. After ordering my breakfast, I was approached by a middle-aged lady, who I later discovered was a cook in the kitchen. She apologized for interrupting me, but asked, "Are you a Shriner?"

    I smiled; showed her my cap; and said, "Guilty as charged, Madam."

    She began to tell me a story about her daughter who had just given birth to a child with a club-foot. Unmarried, unemployed, no insurance, living with a widowed grandmother, and a missing father to the baby. The lady cried as she relayed the details, but said she had heard rumors that Shriners might be able to help. She explained that she just didn't know what to do. I said, "Lady, you just did it."

    Offering her a seat, I took some quick notes with contact information and told her that someone would be in contact with her on Monday.

    A Shrine Temple is a wonderful place. We have members from every walk of life… every skill imaginable is buried in the membership. We have a special unit whose role is to check out stories like this and arrange for an initial visit to the nearest Shriner Hospital where the doctors can examine the child for admission. In this case, the nearest hospital is in Tampa. It's a crippled child center. A burned child is flown to our nearest burn center in Dallas. (Yes, we have pilots who fly our corporate jet with the child and family.) No, there is never a charge of any type; and once-admitted, we provide care and follow-on surgeries as needed until the child is eighteen. Each hospital (there are twenty-one) provides free lodging for the family while the child is undergoing care.

    As the member making the initial contact, I'm considered the "sponsor". However, my role is actually finished once I've started the "wheels turning" within the organization. I passed the contact information over to the proper folks the following day.

    To shorten the story… one month after this lady asked me about the Shrine, the child had her first operation in the long process of helping her walk. I don't know about such things, but there are follow-up procedures and operations as the child grows. Again, my only involvement is my name on the bottom of the initial application as the sponsoring Shriner.

    This was the first child I had actually "sponsored" into the hospitals, so I naturally followed the progress for a few years (behind the scenes, so to speak). Some five years later, I happened to be in that same restaurant, and "grandma" approached me holding the hand of the cutest little girl I'd ever seen… the child, who was now walking. She introduced "Shannon", telling her that, "Here's the man who helped you walk." I cried like a baby.

    That's it. However, it was one of the most gratifying experiences in my life. I've travelled a long way, and not all of the roads were paved, but I'll never forget this little detour.

    "There is nothing so dear to a Shriner's heart as the little girl's prayer, "God Bless the Shrine."
    I've traveled a long way, and many of the roads weren't paved.

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