The Yanks are Coming

Ardent American detectorists – or should I say ‘relic hunters’ or even ‘coinshooters’ – used to swinging in tot-lots and searching on sidewalks – have a dream. And that is to visit England to do some real detecting. Canadians and Americans are lured – and here I am quoting one of the organisations organising the tours – by phrases like …

“With your metal detector you will have opportunities to discover gold, silver, lead, or bronze antiquities thought lost forever. Touch history by finding clues in the fields . . . or discover the whereabouts of an unknown Roman villa.

Detecting expeditions search private land, in archaeologically interesting places, to uncover many spectacular finds including ancient coins and artefacts, dating from the Bronze Age through to Celtic, Roman, Medieval and. the present day.“

And so on. After reading some of the claims, I wish that I were American or Canadian and eligible to go on one of these trips. Good finds are almost guaranteed. Alas, I could never afford it …