Profitable Detecting Sites: How to Make More High Quality Finds!

By David Villanueva

For over five decades, I've been immersed in the captivating world of treasure hunting, and I've always been driven by a single burning question: How can I unearth more treasures in less time? Not that I lack patience or fail to savor the thrill of the hunt itself; it's just that finding more, and doing so faster, undoubtedly paves the way to success. While I've absorbed the wisdom from countless books and magazines, where sage advice abounds—invest in the finest equipment, hone your skills, conduct thorough research—it often left me wondering: What, precisely, should one research?

Perhaps through a stroke of serendipity rather than calculated intent, I've stumbled upon several types of sites that consistently yield remarkable results. Within these pages, I unveil these treasure troves and share my insights with you.

For readers venturing beyond Europe, you may need to employ a touch of lateral thinking to discover analogous sites. Roman roads may not grace the American landscape, for instance—unless you happen to chance upon one and alter history's course! Nevertheless, ancient tracks and trails abound, promising their own rich rewards. I find particular fascination in Spanish mule trails, once traversed by heavily laden pack mules brimming with gold and silver. When a mule fell ill or met its fate, there existed no destination for its precious cargo but the earth beside the trail. Similarly, while the New World may not boast medieval manor houses, any expansive, aged property can suffice as a promising locale for your pursuits.

Having explored and researched the sites I discuss, and subsequently embarking on quests to uncover similar hidden treasures, my success rate in the realm of treasure hunting has soared. I've not only secured numerous annual trophies from metal detecting clubs for several years running but have nearly lost count of the treasure finds I've reported since the UK Treasure Act came into effect in 1997.

Within the pages of this manual, I generously share my wealth of experience in the art of site research. This is a pragmatic guide that unveils the most potent strategies to supercharge your treasure hunting endeavors. Implement these insights, and I assure you that the results will leave you astonished. So, fellow treasure seekers, it's time to embark on your quest, equipped with the keys to unlock hidden riches. Good Hunting!

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Villanueva
• Release date: Oct 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215313992

David Villanueva

David Villanueva (1951- ) was born in Birmingham, England, where he grew up. In the early 1970s his mother bought him a copy of Ted Fletcher’s book A Fortune Under Your Feet, which, together with David’s great interest in history inspired him to buy a metal detector and take up treasure hunting as a hobby. Family stories about the origins and history behind David’s Spanish surname also spawned the hobby of genealogy. A career move brought David to Whitstable in Kent, England, and it was here that David’s love of history research developed into great success both in metal detecting and family history research. A little later David felt the urge to put pen to paper and started writing articles for the two British metal detecting magazines - Treasure Hunting and The Searcher – which have published more than two dozens of David’s articles between them. Success in writing articles soon led to David’s first book: The Successful Treasure Hunter’s Essential Dowsing Manual: How to Easily Develop Your Latent Skills to Find Treasure in Abundance, published in both digital format and paperback. To date, David has written a further nine books in the metal detecting, treasure hunting and family history genres.

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Profitable Detecting Sites

How to Make More High Quality Finds!

By David Villanueva

Smashwords Edition

Copyright : 2016, revised 2023 David Villanueva

All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced from this work or stored in any form of information retrieval system without the express written permission of the publisher.

The author and publisher issue this manual on the understanding that while every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all the information presented, no liability will be accepted for any loss or profit, direct or otherwise as a consequence of using any of the information presented. The opinions given are those of the author who is acting in good faith according to extensive research undertaken by him and who confirms that he himself uses the principles described.

CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION

2 MEETING PLACES

3 MEDIEVAL MANORS

4 TRADING PLACES

5 MILLS OF GOLD

6 ROMAN ROADS

7. MEDIEVAL ROADS

8 TREASURE HUNTING BASICS

9 BOOKS IN PRINT FROM THE SAME AUTHOR

1 INTRODUCTION

Since becoming involved in treasure hunting some 50 years ago, the burning question for me has always been: How can I find more treasure in less time? Not that I am impatient or don't find pleasure in the pursuit itself; it is just that finding more, faster, is surely the route to success. I read the books and the magazines and there is plenty of good advice. Buy the best equipment you can afford. Develop your skills. Research thoroughly. Good advice but what do you actually research? I guess that more by luck than judgment I have stumbled onto several types of site that have consistently produced good results and present them to you here.

If you are reading this outside Europe you will probably need to apply a little lateral thinking to find similar sites. You won’t be finding Roman roads in the USA for example − if you do you will change history! But there are many old tracks and trails likely to produce good results. I am quite fascinated by the Spanish mule trails, travelled by pack mules the Spaniards had loaded to maximum with gold and silver. If a mule got sick or died there was nowhere for its load to go but into the ground beside the trail. Similarly there are no medieval manor houses in the New World but any large old property will suffice.

As a result of searching the sites discussed and then going out to look for similar sites, my treasure hunting success rate has improved remarkably to the extent that I have not only held one or more metal detecting club annual trophies for a number of years but I have all but lost count of the number of treasure finds I have had to report since the introduction of the UK Treasure Act in 1997.

Through this manual, I relate my own experience in site research. This is a practical guide to the best ideas for supercharging your treasure hunting; use the ideas and I guarantee you will be amazed at the results. Good Hunting!

2 MEETING PLACES

Three fields around a suspected Roman road were among the first to be harvested. As I hadn't set foot or metal detector on two of the fields I was quite excited as I started detecting in one of the 'virgin' fields nearest to a hamlet. Finds were typical of other fields I had searched on the farm − Georgian to modern. The solitary exception was a nice little fourteenth century buckle, although no great surprise as the farm had descended from a Domesday manor but nevertheless rated the oldest find to date.

Having given the first field due attention, I moved on to the second of the previously unsearched fields. This was even worse, not only did I not find anything earlier than Georgian but nearly everything was broken − a great pity really as many of the fragments would have been desirable finds had they been in one piece. I imagine the artifacts were being smashed as a result of being churned up by the plough in amongst the huge amount of stones in this field, which may have come from the Roman road.

Finding fragments is almost worse than finding nothing and as my second day's searching was coming to an end, unusually for me as I normally stick at it, I decided to move on to the third field, which was supposed to contain the lost gold watch of a farm worker. This field I had searched before and it had been remarkably lacking in finds for other than modern spent ammunition cases I had only found a small Tudor belt fitting. This new short search wasn't looking any better until as the light was failing I headed for the gate to be stopped in my tracks by a crisp signal. I dug up a small green disk. 'Roman at last,' I thought, although the coin didn't really feel Roman. Carefully washing the coin under the tap at home I could