The PAS is a voluntary programme that is run by the UK Government to record the numbers of small finds, or finds of historical and archaeological interest made by members of the general public. It began in 1997 and covers the most of England and Wales. Jewellery cleaner from a jewellers can be used. Submerge in the provided container, leave for the given amount of time, remove the coin(s) and gently wipe dry. Footpaths are a great place to metal detect though, as for many years people have been walking up and down them and perhaps taking their dogs for walks along them. Before going out to detect metal, prepare a plan of action of where you plan to go and for how long you plan to metal detect. Another crucial thing, always make sure that the battery last that much and you have anywhere from 1 to 4 hours left. Some common places to metal detect Insurance is usually required for rallies but comes inclusive with the FID or NCMD memberships. You should also consider insurance for your equipment. We will elaborate further on Metal detecting insurance in a later post.

I hope I have given you a few ideas now, and some information on how to get permission to detect land. So you finally get on some land and you discover something that you think may well be classed as treasure? Choosing a Metal detector that is right for you can be a task on its own, with so many options available and so many conflicting opinions on what is the best for a beginner. While researching land for metal detecting you will see that it can be very beneficial and can pay off in more ways than one.The Portable Antiquities scheme is not a legal requirement however it actively encourages use and highly recommends recording your finds. Depending on how simple it is going to be to get there and on how many people are usually there then I know for sure if it’s a great area to metal detect.

In my years of detecting, I have also seen some very beautiful sunsets and witnessed some incredible views. Sometimes in life we forget just how beautiful the world can be. I would suggest you look at your friends, and families houses and see who lives in an older house, with a larger garden ask them politely (with maybe a bribe) for permission. The Garden is also a great place as a beginner detectorist to practice with your metal detector, and get used to the tones and settings. Lay out some different items, you could even bury some. It is good practice to adhere so the hobby of metal detecting can continue to be successful and so we do not get a bad name. Ask your friends and family to help you, It’s always a head start if you have someone vouching for you and a connection. Having a public liability insurance helps to give the land owners peace of mind when you are asking for permission to detect on their land.For the special treasures, the ones are hidden underground from a long time ago I suggest doing research. Look at your library and online in history books and look for hints where actions took place, there was a market and from which directions people came into that area. There’s a big chance that you’ll find hidden treasures. Purse spills, and smaller groups of coins that may have been lost, misplaced or dropped. Ritual or votive deposits. These rules are not so much laws however they are what you should try at all times to follow, they are a guideline.

Some people also like to sign an agreement with the land owner to begin with, in case you make any finds. This will just be an agreement of how any money or finds are split. Woods and footpaths As with coins I do not like to clean or polish silver because of the natural patina, however if it is in a right old state and you are sure it is silver you can use a higher concentration of ammonia say around 25% drop the button into a container with the solution in. Leave fully submerged for around 10 minutes at this point you can gently swill the container which will help break the dirt away. Remove the silver button from the container and rinse thoroughly under running water. Very gently use a cotton bud to remove excess loosened dirt and dry the button. Rinse thoroughly again. Cleaning Musket Balls When a field is ploughed the ground is rotivated, bringing things from underneath closer to the surface, the only negative being that sometimes the machine will damage the artifacts beneath. HANDLING AND CARE: We strongly recommend that you learn about the handling, care and storage of any historical or archaeological finds while you are out metal detecting. You can learn more at http://finds.org.uk/ You will be digging a lot of “ junk” signals until you learn to determine how to “ discriminate” and determine the target sounds.If it is in “holiday maker” season then I would advise getting there at sunrise so you have plenty enough time before people start to arrive. Gardens This will help make your day a little more pleasurable as you do not have the worry of getting tangled, or tripping over any cables. The scheme funds the posts of Finds Liaison Officers at county councils and local museums to whom finders can then report the objects they found to. The Finds Liaison Officer is qualified enough to analyse, research and examine the find and then give the finder more information on it. Don’t break the laws as you could end up in some hot water, with your equipment and finds confiscated, and at worst end up in a prison cell. The Treasure Act is a legislation that was created to primarily define what would need to be declared, and to deal with finds mainly made by the detectorist’s in England and Wales.

From what I know, the permit is for foreshore only and does not include a permit for the seabed, riverbed or any other Crown Estate owned land.A little tip I have learnt is to always offer a service in return when asking them for permission to detect these places, for example you might offer to clean up litter along the way.