Another Discovery Proves that Metal Detectors Are Not Toys

Recycle Precious MetalsSmelting and RefiningRecycle Refine Platinum

Jan 17

Some people dismiss metal detectors as toys.

They shouldn’t! Every few months someone discovers something truly incredible when using a metal detector. We can’t think of another inexpensive device that has the potential to put so much money in your pocket.

An Incredible New Discovery in Denmark

Here’s yet one more jaw-dropping story about someone who made an big discovery using a metal detector.

“Danish man found buried treasure from the Iron Age using metal detector, just hours after turning it on,” an article that Aylin Woodward wrote for Business Insider, reports, “Ole Ginnerup Schytzlast had never used a metal detector before. He first gave it a shot on a former classmate's land in Vindelev, Denmark in December. Within hours of turning his detector on, Schytzlast stumbled across one of the largest treasure hoards ever found in the country.”

The treasure dated from the Bronze Age. And what a find it was. The initial “hit” that Mr. Schytzlast found was only the beginning. When a team of archaeologists moved in and searched the field around the initial discovery, they uncovered a total of 22 golden medallions, coins, and pieces of jewelry that date back at least 1,500 years. All in all, it added up to more than two pounds of gold.

Did we mention how beautiful the items were? They included an intricate, beautifully crafted bracelet, a collection of gold medallions, one of which showed a likeness of none other than Emperor Constantine the Great, who was Emperor of Rome from 306 to 337 A.D. Constantine, you will recall, was the first Roman Emperor to become a Christian.

That all leads to some intriguing mysteries. (Hey, buried treasures always have something to do with mysteries, don’t they?) How did this treasure end up buried in a field in Denmark? Who buried it? Why would anyone not just bury a treasure, but spread it around an open field?

Answers may never be found to those questions. But setting that aside, we have a question for you. . .

Why aren’t you using a metal detector to find valuable lost precious metal items?

If you live in North America, you are not likely to find a golden treasure that dates from the Bronze Age. But after you fire up your detector and head outdoors, you could just find lost or buried items like these, which are often found in North America:

Lost jewelry
Lost coins and currency
Silver knives, forks and spoons
Firearms and ammunition (they rarely contain gold, silver or other precious metals, but often have high collectible or historic value)
Buried boxes of coins or other valuables
Sites of old mines, factories and other buildings where gold and other metals can be found
Gold nuggets, chips and powders that collected in streams

A Note about Ownership

One caution? If you find precious metals on public or private land, it’s up to you to contact the individual or government that owns the land before you claim ownership. The last thing you want is to be accused of stealing property, so be sure to proceed with care.

Another good thing to do? Contact local historical societies, museums or colleges, because the items you have found could have historical significance.