Reality TV!  Has anything ever been so misnamed? 

Twice last year I was approached by reality television producers looking for a host for their proposed treasure hunting shows.

In this podcast, I explain what they wanted to do, and why I turned them down. 

For some REAL reality, read my book, The Metal Detecting Manual (http://treasuremanual.com).

Can a small town library really help you find places to hunt for old coins and relics? 

You bet! 

In this show, learn which parts of the library seem to help but really don't, and which parts can actually lead you to local treasure.

And check out my tips on how to find valuable, useful information in your library that remains hidden to other people.

For more metal detecting secrets, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

Recently (show #83), we looked at the attempt of some members of congress to phase out dollar bills and replace them with dollar coins. 

But in a sudden about-face, the White House has announced that the dollar coins will be virtually eliminated, except for those made for collectors. 

That is, they will not compete with paper money now. 

Listen to this show for the details.

For more articles on metal detecting and treasure hunting, check out http://treasuremanual.com.

I love thrift shops.  They have given me many books and magazines that now occupy places of honor in my treasure library. 

In this podcast, I discuss resale store treasure hunting.  I also describe a magazine I recently picked up at a Goodwill store - a magazine with an article that virtually screams, "Get your old coins here - nothing newer than 1900!"

Well, mostly coins older than 1900, anyway. 

Because this once-prosperous village pretty much died when it was left an orphan by the railroad in 1873. 

And no, it's not in the old west.  Ghost towns can be found in virtually every state, and this one is in Indiana.

Christmas is here, and you probably know someone who would love a copy of my book The Metal Detecting Manual.  Check it out at http://treasuremanual.com.

Two short shows instead of one long one this week. 

First, an addendum to my earlier program about headphones for treasure hunters. And here's some info about the five-dollar headphones I talk about in the show(though they are more than $5.00 here):  http://tinyurl.com/6vc5m2z

Then, a look at a book written in 1860, and why it sparked my treasure hunting instincts.

For more of my articles about treasure hunting, and a look at my book on metal detecting, click to http://treasuremanual.com.

Karl von Mueller was a mystery man.  His real name was Dean Miller.  He sometimes wrote as Deek Gladson.  But he mostly called himself Karl. 

He began his treasure hunting career in the 1920s, and he was still active well into the 1980s. 

Some of his books sell for several hundred dollars nowadays.  Little information is available on Karl, and if you have something to add please click the Comments button below and let us hear from you.

Listen to this show for info on Karl, and some of his insights on keeping your mouth shut.

For more stories and articles about how to become a better treasure hunter, visit my website http://treasuremanual.com.

UPDATE - THANKS TO THE DETECTIVE WORK OF ONE OF OUR LISTENERS, WE HAVE CONFIRMED THE BIRTH/DEATH DATES OF KARL. 

He was born Dean Miller on February 3, 1915, and he died on January 27, 1990 - one week shy of his 75th birthday.

If certain members of congress get their way, the one-dollar bill could soon become extinct.  There is a serious move afoot to replace the paper dollar with a dollar coin. 

Dollar coins have been tried and rejected before.  Compared to the Susan B. Anthony dollar, the Ford Edsel was a roaring success. 

But this time around, the dollar coin would be forced upon us, because the dollar bill would no longer be made. 

And by the way, did George Washington really throw that silver dollar across the Potomac River?  You'll hear that story here, too.

For more articles about treasure hunting and metal detecting, visit my book website at http://treasuremanual.com.

Most of our legendary treasure hunters are gone now.  Karl von Mueller, Bill Mahan, Hardrock Hendricks. 

But one of their cohorts is still with us, as active as ever.  Norman "Indy" Stiles began treasure hunting in 1956, with a metal detector that ran on five radio tubes and a 45-volt battery. 

Indy is still going strong today, and he gave me a few tips on finding small gold and silver for me to pass along to you in this show.

If you'd like to contact Indy Stiles, he welcomes new friends at indystiles@yahoo.com.

For more articles on metal detecting and treasure hunting, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

No, not THOSE kind of strip searches!

Did you know that in most communities, it is perfectly legal for you to hunt those grassy strips in front of homes between the sidewalk and the street?  This is because those strips are owned by the city, not the homeowner.

But does this mean you should feel free to hunt those strips without permission?  Not on your life!

This show explains it all.

For more articles about treasure hunting, visit my website http://treasuremanual.com.

Administrivia:  It is now possible to get automatic downloads of new In theTreasure Corner shows as they are posted, without getting my other shows on old-time radio and softball. Go to http://danhughes.libsyn.com/rss/treasure and subscribe only to the old-time radio podcasts.

And now, back to your regularly-scheduled program:

This show is about gold. Here are a couple of things I couldn't fit into the program:

1.  If you are going to sell your gold, read this first:  http://tinyurl.com/3fcnhod.  There are a LOT of similar scams going on with the price of gold as high as it is.  

2.  Here's the formula to determine how much your gold ring is worth:

  A. Weigh the ring in grams.  Most men's rings are between 12 and 22 grams; most women's rings are between 4 and 10 grams.

   B.  If a 10K ring:  Multiply grams X .0134 X value of one ounce of gold (found daily at top of this page:  http://goldprice.org).

   C.  If a 14K ring:  Multiply grams X .01875 X value of one ounce of gold.

   D.  If an 18K ring:  Multiply grams X .0241 X value of one ounce of gold.

UPDATE:  Here's a site that will do all that math for you automatically, and it even knows the current-to-the-minute price of gold:  http://www.dendritics.com/scales/metal-calc.asp

Thanks to New Hampshire Bob for this info!

For more articles about treasure hunting, and a look at my book The Metal Detecting Manual, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

I've now got three years of In the Treasure Corner under my belt, and in this birthday show I look at the Top 10 Shows of the series. 

Also, a couple of recent shows that are getting a lot of listens, and thoughts of shows for the future. 

For more articles on treasure hunting and metal detecting, visit my site http://treasuremanual.com.

I'm a treasure hunter.

I'm a metal detector hobbyist.

I'm a metal detectorist.

I'm a  - what?  What should we call ourselves?

In this show, I discuss several appellations and find that none of them are spot on.  Can you help?

Click the Comments button to post your thoughts.

For more articles about treasure hunting, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

Everybody carries business cards, why not hobby cards?  A card announcing you as a treasure hunter can open doors for you.

It can help you make friends with your local police department, it can reassure strangers that you're not a pervert, it can get you business in finding lost objects.

This show takes a look at designing business cards for the treasure hunter, and it offers suggestions for using the card after you make it.

And please visit my website for more of my treasure hunting articles.

Everybody tells you you'll find more if you slow down.  But slow down what? 

Your swing speed?  Your walking speed? 

This program gives you a step-by-step procedure for determining the proper swing speed for your detector, and it also tells you the secret of getting a beep from the deepest coins your detector is capable of finding.

Hey!  Two shows in one!  So pay attention!

And pay attention to this:  http://treasuremanual.com, for articles and a video that will make you a better treasure hunter.

Are you still in high school?  Or college?  Or grad school? 

Are you now, or will you someday be, taking a basic speech class? 

Then this show is for you.

While the other students are giving the same old boring speeches on how to make spaghetti and why we should bomb Granada, you can grab the attention of your audience (and your instructor) and grab that "A" by talking about....treasure hunting!

Listen and learn.

And learn even more by reading my treasure hunting tips at http://treasuremanual.com.

P.S.  The box with coins and pulltabs (bottom photo) is explained in the show.

Most treasure hunters agree that intelligent research is a necessity for increasing your odds of finding older coins. 

But research can be difficult in many ways - it may require travel to libraries and museums, and poring over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, and bothering people, and taking more time than you have to spare.

But there is another way!  "Instant Research" is at your fingertips.  This podcast gives you tips on giving yourself a good head start on researching small towns and communities before you arrive in person.

For more articles on treasure hunting, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

A review of Relic Hunter, the Book, by Ed Fedory.

Ed was for many years the relic hunting columnist for Western and Eastern Treasures magazine. 

This was his first book, and it does a fantastic job of covering all the bases for the relic hunter.

For more of my articles on treasure hunting and metal detecting, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

The first article I ever sold to a treasure magazine was called Photography for the Treasure Hunter.  It appeared in the November 1977 issue of Western and Eastern Treasures.

This podcast is an update of that article. 

Two points I discuss in the show are illustrated by this photo (which appeared in the original article). 

Note how I framed Kathy by shooting through a swing, and also note the use of the Rule of Thirds.  That is, she is in the top third/left third of the picture - approximately where lines would cross if you drew a tic-tac-toe board on the photo.

Also note the error in this shot - she looks like she has a post growing out of her back.  I should have repositioned her a bit before I took the photo.

For more articles about treasure hunting, visit my website http://treasuremanual.com.

What quiz, you ask?  Well, I have a little confession to make.  The last program, called Treasure Hunting Safety, really wasn't about Treasure Hunting Safety.  It was a secret quiz just for those special people who listen to my shows all the way through. 

That show sure enough started to be about safety, but about two minutes in, it morphed into a general-knowledge quiz. 

Trivia quizzes are like treasure hunts - it takes the same qualities to ferret out the correct answers as it does to find a hidden treasure - research, perseverance, and some solid detective work.

The winners have already been announced, but if you missed the quiz and would like to give it a try, go back and listen to show #70 before you listen to this one, because this one has all the answers.

Check out my articles on treasure hunting, and my video on how to dig a coin, at http://treasuremanual.com.

I've been hesitant to write on this topic, because, frankly, I think most treasure hunters will find it boring.  Who amongst you enjoyed Traffic Safety Class in high school? 

Treasure hunters want action and excitement, not lectures on how to stay safe in the field.

But I've been asked, so I have answered.  I'm predicting this episode will have fewer listeners than most - let's see if you prove me wrong.

And if you want to send me a note, pro or con, about this episode, I'm at danhughesmail@gmail.com

For more articles on treasure hunting and metal detecting, and a video on how to dig a coin, visit my web site. 

This week's program finds us out on a tangent from our regular treasure hunting topics. 

Flashlights probably aren't on the "A" list of metal detecting tools for most people. 

But as you'll hear in the show, I've always been excited by flashlights, and I always have one with me. 

In this program, I explain my fascination with them, and offer a couple of tips as to how they can come in handy in treasure hunting.

For other articles that probably make more sense to treasure hunters, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

Here is a list of popular treasure hunting and metal detecting forums (in alphabetical order).  They are all clickable links!  If you have a favorite that I have left out, please email me at danhughesmail@gmail.com so I can add it to the list.

GENERAL FORUMS

American Detectorist

Find's Treasure Forum

Friendly Metal Detecting Forum

Lucky Dan's Metal Detecting Forum

My Treasure Spot

THunting

Tom's Treasures

Treasure Depot

Treasure Digging

Treasure Hunter Forum

Treasure Quest Metal Detecting Forum

World Metal Detector Community

 
REGIONAL FORUMS (Most of these welcome anyone, whether you live in the area or not)

Canadian Metal Detecting

California Metal Detecting

Great Lakes Metal Detecting

Metal Detecting Maine

Metal Detecting New England

New Hampshire Bob's Metal Detecting Forum

Northeast Metal Detecting Forum

 
MAGAZINE-SPONSORED FORUMS (You do not have to subscribe to participate)

Lost Treasure Magazine Forum

Western & Eastern Treasures Magazine Forum

 
SPECIALIZED FORUMS

Geotech Technology Forum (Mostly technical discussions by technicians/engineers)

Nuggethunting Forum (Mostly prospecting, but this is their treasure hunting page)

White's Electronics (discussion of White's detectors only)

 
NEWSGROUP FORUMS (These use email addresses, because you send your notes via email)

(Go to http://groups.google.com/ or http://groups.yahoo.com/ to join)
alltreasuretalesusa@yahoogroups.com (mostly concerned with Big Finds)
alt.treasure.hunting@googlegroups.com
metaldetecting@yahoogroups.com (lots of spam)
metaldetecting2@yahoogroups.com (lots of spam)
metaldetectingfamily@yahoogroups.com (excellent group)
treasurehunter@yahoogroups.com (lots of spam)

For more of my articles on metal detecting and treasure hunting, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

Does the fact that you have to pay extra for a coil cover for your metal detector indicate that the manufacturers think you don't really need one?

Or are they hoping you'll wear a hole in your coil and have to buy a new coil from them?

In this show, I discuss some reasons you should use a coil cover, and some reasons you may not want to use one after all.

For more articles about metal detecting and treasure hunting, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

Sure, anyone can find coins and rings.  But what are some of your stranger finds? 

Most every treasure hunter has an assortment of uncategorizable odds and ends, often accompanied by good stories.  Here are some of mine.  What are some of yours?

Please tell us your story by clicking the Comments button ((bottom right-hand corner of this episode listing). 

We'd love to hear from you!

For more of my articles about treasure hunting, and information about the new edition of my book, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

What's the best way to dig up the coins you find with your metal detector?  That's a trick question, because even the experts disagree on the answer.

This show discusses digging tools and techniques, and it names by name one tool that is highly respected, and a copycat tool that probably won't hold up for you.

Here is the video that goes with this program.

After you watch the video, scroll down that page and click on the first article, Recommended Metal Detecting Accessories. 

There you will find photos of a couple of the tools mentioned in this podcast, and more information about detecting accessories.

If you would like to leave a comment or tell us what tools you prefer, click the Comments line and leave your message.

If you enjoy these podcasts, you will doubly enjoy the new edition of my book, The Metal Detecting Manual.

Three reasons to use headphones, and which headphones to use. 

One thing I neglected to emphasize in the show is being sure your headphones are comfortable. 

No matter how good your headphones are, you won't enjoy them much if they squeeze your head or hurt your ears. 

Worse, you'll quit detecting sooner and thereby miss a lot of finds.

Here's a set I like:

AudioPhoneII

What about those super-expensive headphones?  Here are links to both sides of the argument:

PRO:  expensive headphones
CON:  expensive headphones

And if you don't like to read, check out my Metal Detecting Manual.

Do you have friends who question your sanity because you are a treasure hunter? 

Do you wish you had a snappy comeback when they heap scorn upon your beloved hobby? 

This show gives you some good answers for those idiot friends of yours.

The second edition of my Metal Detecting Manual is out now. Buy your copy here.

I made a New Year's Resolution that has earned me over $30,000 so far - and it keeps earning more every day!

Here's the story of the only New Year's Resolution I've ever kept, and some suggestions for some resolutions of your own that you can actually follow for the entire year.

Check out the new edition of my Metal Detecting Manual.

And so another year comes to an end. 

In this wrap-up program, I talk about a REAL treasure park (write Mike Post at info@allaroundashevillenc.com), and I bring you up to date on my attempts to retrieve my childhood treasure.

I also talk about my new book.  Well, actually, the second edition of The Metal Detecting Manual.  Check it out at http://treasuremanual.com.

Come one, come all, to Treasure World Park!

No, it's not open yet, but we're working on it. 

Well, thinking about working on it. 

Well, thinking about getting someone else to work on it. 

Here are some off-the-wall ideas for a dream park for treasure hunters, especially those who are looking out windows at ice and snow and frozen ground for several months of the year.

Join the fun - tell us what you'd like to see in a Treasure Park.  Click the comment button (lower right corner) and add to the craziness.

For more articles about treasure hunting, see http://treasuremanual.com.

P.S. Here's the newsletter that Bob didn't like and thereby started this whole idea:

Dan's Christmas Newsletter

Wherein your brave correspondent sticks his neck out and dares to make specific recommendations. 

Four entry-level detectors are compared feature-by-feature, to help you make an informed choice. 

The machines in question:  Fisher F2, Garrett Ace 150, Tesoro Compadre, and White's Coinmaster.

P.S.  Here's the site that offers the Fisher F2 with the 4" coil, AND a pinpointer, for $215: 

http://tinyurl.com/27xmy4v 

Also, several internet dealers are offering an F2 package with the 4" coil and the 10" coil for $275.

For more articles about metal detecting, see my website.

A program especially for newbies.  Thoughts on picking your first metal detector. 

What if you buy an expensive machine and then find you don't like the hobby? 

What if you buy a cheap machine and then find that you love the hobby? 

With dozens and dozens of brands and models available, at prices from under a hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars, where in the world do you start?

This show helps you begin your search.

For more articles on treasure hunting, visit my website http://thetreasurecorner.com.

In 1958, I buried a treasure in the back yard of this house. 

Here's the story of what it was, how it came about, and why I've had so much trouble trying to recover it for the past half-century.

For more articles about treasure hunting and metal detecting, visit my website http://treasuremanual.com.

Old, abandoned drive-in movie theaters can be a coinshooter's paradise.

This is a look at the history of drive-in theaters, their rise and fall, and the two main reasons they are now nearly extinct.

And some suggestions on how to find those old, dilapidated screens and concession stands that lie forgotten, patiently waiting to be rediscovered by the persistent coinshooter.

For more treasure tales and helpful articles on metal detecting, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

What you see here are the innards of a Long Distance Locator that sells for $1595. 

According to an engineer who disassembled it, the circuit board comes from an AM transistor radio that sold at Radio Shack for $6.99. 

He also says this pricey machine detects nothing but AM radio stations. 

Here's a full report:  http://tinyurl.com/2br2hrb

This podcast discusses the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of these expensive machines.

For more articles about treasure hunting and metal detecting, visit my website: http://treasuremanual.com.

Everybody hunts modern schoolyards, but what about the old, abandoned schoolhouses out in the country?  In this show we offer some tricks to help you find these often forgotten rural schoolyards.  We also tell you how to discover where in those schoolyards you are most likely to find the good stuff.

For more tips and tricks in treasure hunting and metal detecting, check out the articles at http://treasuremanual.com

You've done your research, planned your recovery, and one fine morning you find a stash worth millions!  Easy Street forever, right?

Probably not. 

This show reveals what has happened to people who have become suddenly rich, and it ain't pretty.

So listen to this program, and you may decide that coinshooting is great, but treasure hunting is maybe just a little bit scary.

Or would YOU be able to handle that much money with no problems? 

Sure you would.

For more treasure tips, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I turned 63 on Tuesday (August 17), and this show is two years old today.

Listen and learn which shows over the last two years have been the most popular, and a few inside comments on the structure and the maturation of the program.  (Wow!  That sounds boring!  It's not - honest!)

For more treasure tips, see my website http://treasuremanual.com.

Many treasure hunters are pretty close-mouthed when it comes to their favorite hunting spots, and for good reason.

But if you're a coinshooter looking for those older coins, it really pays to talk, talk, talk. The more people who know about your hobby, the more places you are going to be able to detect.

This program discusses how YOU should discuss your hobby with friends, relatives, and all sorts of strangers. 

By following the simple instructions in this show, you will learn about hidden prime coinshooting areas right in your own backyard (or your Uncle Leonard's back yard).

If you enjoy these podcasts, please visit my website http://treasuremanual.com for more articles about metal detecting, and a sales pitch for my book, The Metal Detecting Manual.

What's a 1926-S penny worth? 

Could be three hundred dollars, could be six bucks.  It all depends on the condition of the coin.

This program explains why the coins you find with your metal detector may not be worth as much as the books say, and it also tells you which coins don't lose value while in the ground.

For more articles on metal detecting, visit http://treasuremanual.com.

In program #008, we discussed the three keys to selecting homes with yards that are likely to hold the most coins, and the oldest coins. Now we talk about how to hunt a private yard, and where the older coins are likely to be found.

For more articles on metal detecting, visit http://treasuremanual.com and click the Articles link at the top of the page.

In program number 006, we discussed the most likely places to find coins and rings in parks. 

In this program, we go a step farther and talk about how to find the older (and hopefully, more valuable) coins in parks. 

Where exactly to hunt, how to find the hotspots for older coins, and how to find fewer coins on purpose - because you're concentrating on coins that were dropped decades ago, not yesterday.

I've just revamped my website, making it easier to read and to navigate.  Check it out at http://treasuremanual.com.  And click on the Articles link for more treasure hunting secrets.

In Depth Secrets 1 (podcast 004), we looked at four simple ways to get better depth from your metal detector.  Now in part 2, we examine another four ways to increase your depth.

For more tips and tricks of metal detecting and treasure hunting, see my website: http://treasuremanual.com.

There are three main ways to ask permission to hunt private property.  Two of them you should never use.

In this show you'll learn the best way to get the okay to dig in private yards, with a suggested "script" to use when you are seeking permission.

(NOTE:  Program #002 discusses getting permission to hunt public property.)

For more metal detecting tips, see my web page:  http://treasuremanual.com

How you can use golf tees to your advantage in treasure hunting,and a story that might help you find a LOT of dimes.  This episode is a bit more light-hearted than most.

For more tips and tricks, see my web page http://treasuremanual.com.

If some of this week's program topics sound familiar, it's because I am plagiarizing myself.  Several of the tips here appeared in earlier programs.  No, I'm not recycling old shows out of laziness.  My earliest shows are a bit overlong, and I'm in the process of recording new versions of them. 

I'm dropping all those music intros and outros from those early shows, and limiting each program to just one topic.  That means I'll be removing all the tips and tricks from those shows. 

And rather than just discarding them, I'm recycling them in this show.  Today's tip topics include ideas about shoes, toothpaste, bars of soap, and nail apron fashion.

For more tips, see my web site http://treasuremanual.com.

What exactly is treasure trove, and who owns it?  You'll be surprised!

This program looks at some of the laws concerning the finding and legal ownership of treasure trove.

For more articles on treasure hunting, see my website:  http://treasuremanual.com.

Split-the-loot contracts between treasure hunters and property owners are a popular topic with treasure hunters.  Here's why you should never (well, hardly ever) use such a contract.  And if you decide to use one anyway, please be aware of the one clause you should NEVER, EVER put into a contract.

For more articles on treasure hunting, see my website, http://treasuremanual.com

Some basic tips and warnings for the newcomer to the treasure hunting hobby.  Old-timers may want to review, too.  My coin-digging video mentioned in the show is at http://tinyurl.com/yhumr7u.

For more tips on using metal detectors, see my web page at http://treasuremanual.com

Nobody knows quite what it is, but most every treasure hunter has experienced it at one time or another. I'm talking about what is called, for want of a better term, the Halo Effect. In a nutshell:  You get a good beep, you dig, but nothing is there.  You swing your loop over the hole, and the beep is gone.  But if you dig a bit deeper, you find a coin. What happened?   This program discusses the controversial "Halo Effect".  For a more detailed discussion of the science behind this phenomenon, read this discussion thread: http://tinyurl.com/ykdwn95

For more articles on treasure hunting and metal detecting, visit my web site http://treasuremanual.com.

A listener to the last show wants to know more about how to find out what his local park regulations are, and how to keep from being told he can't hunt by officials who don't know the law.  I offer several suggestions as to how to get your ducks in a row before you take your metal detector into a park.  And the listener himself comes up with a wonderful way to work for change from the inside rather than the outside.

For more articles on metal detecting, see my homepage at http://treasuremanual.com

You're digging a beep in the park when a policeman approaches you. What should you do? Former police chief (and current field editor for Lost Treasure magazine) Anthony Belli offers tips on how to handle yourself in an encounter with the law.

Tony goes on to outline the investigative techniques he learned as a police officer, and how you can apply them to metal detecting.

Enjoy the program, then read more of my articles on treasure hunting at my web site, http://treasuremanual.com.

City Directories are a treasure trove of information about your town as it used to be.  By going through old city directories in chronological order, you can learn when particular houses were built, all the people who owned or lived in them over the years, the occupations of the tenants, whether the houses were ever used as businesses, and a lot of other fascinating facts that can help you judge whether or not a particular property might be worth detecting. I did a study of my own house from old city directories, and in this podcast I take you through the history of my home and its residents over the years.

For more articles about treasure hunting, see the bottom of my web page http://treasuremanual.com.

When people want to hide valuables nowadays, they seldom dig a hole in the backyard.  Instead, they find a hiding place inside their house.   This programs lists and discusses some of the more common indoor hiding places. The two books mentioned in the show are SEARCH! by James Warnke, and THE STASH BOOK by Peter Hjersman. And speaking of books, please check mine out at http://treasuremanual.com

By the way, for those of you who are technically inclined, this is my first show with my brand-new microphone (a Christmas present to myself).  It's a Heil PR-30, and I love this mike!

When it comes to treasure hunting, are you a loner?  In this show, we take a brief look at treasure clubs and offer five reasons you should consider joining - or starting - a club.

Read some of my articles about metal detecting, at the bottom of my web site:  http://treasuremanual.com And if you enjoy reading treasure magazines, I'm selling a ton of them here: http://treasure-magazines-for-sale.htm

Relic hunters are a different breed. Unlike coinshooters and beach hunters, they are seeking history rather than money.  True, many relics - especially Civil War items - are worth big bucks, but many relic hunters are more interested in finding clues as to what happened when. And they hunt in more isolated places than those of us who frequent the parks and schoolyards.  They even face dangers that we coinshooters cannot imagine. In this podcast, I offer some tips - and some warnings - to the beginning relic hunter.

If you enjoy the program, check out the articles at the bottom of my web site:  http://treasuremanual.com

Most caches are found by people who are hunting for something else, usually coins or relics. This podcast offers some tips on where you are likely to find caches.

For more articles on treasure hunting, see the bottom of my web page http://treasuremanual.com.

I'm going through my old magazines, hundreds of them dating back to 1969, noting what stories are in what issues because I plan on selling them.   Old treasure magazine ads are fascinating, and they let you trace the history of the metal detector, from BFOs to TRs to TR-Discriminators to VLF to TR/VLF - each in turn being touted as the greatest detectors ever! And the stories!  Lost mines, sunken ships, buried robbery loot, ghost towns, and lots of people dying (naturally, or by the rope) before revealing where they hid their treasures.... Who needs modern-day thriller novels when we have these (perhaps) true stories to enjoy? Check out my stash at http://treasuremagazines.info.  

For more of my articles, see the bottom of my book page:  http://treasuremanual.com.

Sure, it's fun to find coins - free money and all that - but most treasure hunters dream of finding a cache.  A jar of silver coins, an old tobacco tin stuffed with  five-dollar gold pieces, or a metal box full of diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. Cache hunting is unlike any other form of metal detecting, and this program has some tips to get you started in the right direction.

For more tips on cache hunting, see my book, The Metal Detecting Manual

I have just heard from another disappointed treasure hunter who finally got a chance to search an old country homesite that you'd think would be teeming with choice finds. But aside from a couple of zinc pennies and a clad dime, he was pretty much skunked. Sadly, this is the rule rather than the exception for old homesteads. Why?  This podcast covers some of the basic reasons old coins are hard to come by at rural homesites. But we all like happy endings, so this show ends with a tip about hunting one particular area of the old homestead where you might actually find several coins bunched together.

And don't forget to check out my book, at http://treasuremanual.com

So you've got a few hours free, and you want to go metal detecting.  Is it really worthwhile to hit that nearby park or schoolyard that is already pretty much hunted out? This podcast discusses the secrets of hunting those "hunted-out" areas.  How to find coins that others have missed.

Visit my website for free treasure hunting articles: http://treasuremanual.com

They say experience is the best teacher, but they are wrong.  Why should you make the same mistakes others have made before you?  Philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Similarly, when it comes to treasure hunting, those who have gone before you have made the mistakes, so you don't have to.  Just listen to what they have to say! In this program, I make some book recommendations.  Books that will help you find more coins faster, books that will give you new ideas on likely hunting places, and books that will tell you what you've found and what it's worth.

I was tempted to do a review of my own book in this show, but I decided that wouldn't be fair.  So instead, I'll let you choose whether or not to click here.

On the first anniversary of In the Treasure Corner, I look back at what I did right, what I did wrong, which topics were the most popular, why my book doesn't sell as well as it could, why that's fine with me, and how I was able to combine my treasure hunting hobby with my other favorite sport, slowpitch softball.

My Birthday Quiz and In the Collector's Corner articles mentioned in this podcast appear every month in The Active Seniors and Boomers newspaper.  You can read them online at http://theactiveseniors.com.

For some free articles based on chapters in my book, go to the bottom of this page:  The Metal Detecting Manual

Twelve years ago, I came very close to getting a class ring back to its owner.  A month ago, I began anew to try to find the girl who lost it 23 years ago. I struck out with Classmates, and now I've stepped up my quest with five new attacks.  Enjoy the latest episode of "How Hard Can It Be To Get Rid of a Gold Ring?"

And if you enjoy the podcasts, read my book, The Metal Detecting Manual

There was a discussion in one of the treasure forums recently about the feasibility of making a living with your metal detector by becoming a full time treasure hunter.  Think of it!  No alarm clocks, no early-morning commutes to the office, no suits and ties, no office politics, no boss! Can it really be done? In this program I examine the possibilities.

I've written a book on treasure hunting called The Metal Detecting Manual.  It's for sale here

After polling several metal detecting and treasure hunting forums about whether or not I should continue trying to return a class ring, I've reached a decision.  Did those who responded to my question think I should keep the ring, or try again to return it?  Hear the results here, and see if you agree with my decision.

And check out my book, The Metal Detecting Manual

The Clue in the Old Book!  Sounds like a Nancy Drew title, doesn't it? Old books and newspapers can be wonderful sources of clues to treasure.  Just this week, this notice appeared in my local paper:  --------------------------------  

Area history
   In 1909, during the hot summer months, camping on the Sangamon River in Mahomet seems to be all the rage.  Last summer, nearly 300 families camped around here, and from present indications there will be twice as many this year. -------------------------------- Mahomet is a small town ten miles west of here, and there is still a county park along the Sangamon River.  I've detected that park several times, but only in the play areas, never by the river.  You can bet where I'll be hunting next time I'm there! This podcast discusses reading old books and other publications with the mindset of a treasure hunter.

As always, there's a lot more information in my book.

How far should a treasure hunter go to return lost property?   Listen to my story of how I found a class ring and located the now-distant owner.  And then, because the owner never got back with me to make arrangements to receive the ring, I lost the owner.  The ball is in her court now, right?  Or not? What, if anything, should I do now?  Please hit the COMMENTS link and post your thoughts here.  Your advice will help me decide.

And, as always, I invite you to read about my book, and, if you are sufficiently intrigued, to purchase a copy.

Have you found your first gold ring yet?  No? What?  You don't dig pulltabs?  That's why you're leaving those rings for me.  Pulltabs are the ringfinder's best friend!  Here's why.. A discussion of how to find gold rings by digging pulltabs, without losing your sanity. Also - Have you found more dimes, or nickels?  You don't know?  Tips on keeping a coin logbook.

I sell a book I've written called The Metal Detecting Manual.  Available nowhere else but here:  http://treasuremanual.com

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A few odds and ends on research and finding older coins, including a story on how yours truly missed a fantastic opportunity for old coins right in front of my own house.

Here's my book, The Metal Detector Manual.  Buy a copy so I can feed my dog Max.

Many treasure hunters read the treasure magazines cover-to-cover, but they don't use a much more profitable - and free - resource:  their local library. This show gives you some valuable tips about what you can find in your local library.

Much more in my book, The Metal Detecting Manual, available only from this site

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Finding fifty coins in an afternoon is great, but disappointment can set in when their total value is a dollar, and none of them are old. This show offers tips on finding the older coins, with a story of how one treasure hunter zeroed in on a locale that offered up coins dated 1850 and earlier.

Order the book here

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Some people swear by alkaline batteries for their metal detectors, others use rechargeables.  What does the manufacturer recommend?  Hear the answers in this podcast.

Check out my book:  The Metal Detecting Manual

Is coinshooting really worth the trouble, when your finds seldom come anywhere near to earning you minimum wage?  How to answer your skeptical friends.

More about my book here:  http://treasuremanual.com.

How your club (or you as an individual) can offer treasure hunting seminars to the general public.  Make friends (and money) as you spread the word about metal detecting in your community.

And be sure to check out my Metal Detecting Manual

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Tips on getting started correctly, gridding an area, two five-dollar gold pieces beneath a pulltab.

See more metal detecting articles at the bottom of my webpage, http://treasuremanual.com

The most popular type of treasure hunting is coinshooting, or using a metal detector to find coins in the ground. In this first show of a series on coinshooting, we outline the steps a beginner should take to learn to coinshoot like a pro.

How deep does a metal detector go? 

Well, it depends.

This program looks at several factors that affect the depth of a metal detector.

Check out my book:  http://treasuremanual.com

In this podcast, we discuss where to hunt on baseball diamonds and football fields.   We also offer some suggestions on how to find those older, abandoned sports fields that may offer up coins of silver rather than clad, and copper rather than zinc.

For more tips and tricks in metal detecting and treasure hunting, see my articles at http://treasuremanual.com.

There are times for treasure hunters to talk, and times for them to keep quiet.

In this show, we talk about when you should clam up, and what might happen if you don't.

(For the times you should talk, listen to program #051).

More articles on metal detecting and treasure hunting at http://treasuremanual.com.

The mania for collecting things seems to have evolved from a lifelong hobby (stamp collecting) to a short-lived fad (Cabbage Patch Dolls, Beanie Babies).

But thanks to metal detecting, coin collecting is stronger than ever. 

This program is a light-hearted look at some of the collecting phases your podcasting guide (that's me) went through as a child.

For more articles on treasure hunting, see my website http://treasuremanual.com.

How to determine which houses have yards that will give you the highest odds of finding old coins.  Three keys to look for.

After you've listened to this show, skip to #049 for tips on hunting these older yards.

If you enjoy these podcasts, check out my book, The Metal Detecting Manual

Do you post a lot of notes on your favorite internet treasure boards?  Why not get paid for those words, and see your name in print at the same time?

I've written for several of the treasure magazines, and in this show I reveal the "secrets" of getting published.  And it's a lot easier than you think!

For more articles on treasure hunting and metal detecting, visit my page http://treasuremanual.com .

Parks can be pretty big places.  This program examines where to start when you're looking for coins and rings in public parks. 

After you've listened to this show, check out the "advanced" program on park hunting show #048.

Lots more in my book, at http://treasuremanual.com.

Here's a list of accessories you might consider for your treasure hunting trips, and why you need them. 

URLs mentioned in this show:

Digging a coin video:  http://tinyurl.com/yhumr7u

Harbor Freight $17 pinpointer:  http://tinyurl.com/cdemkl

AudioPhone II headphones:  http://tinyurl.com/yjtn88z

For more articles on metal detecting and details about my book, visit my web site.

Four secrets of getting better depth from your detector, no matter what brand or model you are using.

More depth secrets are included in my book The Metal Detecting Manual.

A discussion about how to handle onlookers when you're trying to detect.

For more articles on metal detecting and details about my book, visit my web site.

Here's a program on what is often the most important, and the most difficult, single thing to do in metal detecting.

And that is....getting permission to hunt.  Without permission, you could be thrown out of a park, or even arrested.

Listen to this short (under four minutes) show for tips on getting permission to hunt public property.

(NOTE:  Show #039 gives some other views on this topic, and show #046 discusses getting permission to hunt private property.)

For more articles on metal detecting and details about my book, visit my web site.

An interview with Vlad and Carol Kononov, founders of the Friendly Metal Detecting Forum, http://metaldetectingforum.com.

For more articles on metal detecting and details about my book, visit my web site.