M E T A L M A N 9

M E T A L M A N 9

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September 2, 2026 - Found One on River Lot 175

September 2, 2026 Found One on River Lot 175. Yes, every once in a while, you as a detectorist, get to cash in on some good old fashion luck. No, I’m not talking diamonds on gold and silver rings. No, I’m not talking about a long lost coin cache (although that remains on my bucket list). I’m talking about stumbling onto the site of someone’s homestead. Plain blind luck without the help of an old map or of a homestead documents. My 1870 survey map shows absolutely nothing at this location at that time. I just went about, metal detected randomly on this big open field, until I ran into a debris field. Some homestead sites are just littered with shards of glass and ceramic, iron, and the evidence of human household activity is everywhere. No, not here. This site was a sleeper. All that I saw on the surface were a few bits of broken but colorful dishware, and a few square nails. Oh yes, square nails, my favorites, the indicators of an old site. But my metal detector helped tell a bigger story. Two pieces of cutlery, older shotgun shells, one and a half axe heads, and a 7.3 lbs. clothing iron helps to solidify the idea that this was indeed a home on a homestead a long time ago. This also gives me a research project at the Manitoba Archive during the cold winter months. The clothing iron was buried about 18 inches down. Like many heavy items, it sank to quite the depth. This is the second time that I have recovered a heavy clothing iron at depth. And, Yes… That is a 9 inch shovel, shown for scale, struck in the hole that I had to dig to get to the iron out. In the last post See: August 29, 2026 - A Shot in the Dark. River Lot 173. I talk about how you can’t judge a field or a site, simply by appearance. I suspected that there would have been a homestead house here, somewhere on this River Lot at some point in time. I conducted a number of random metal detecting runs at various locations in the field, keeping away from known low spots where water would collect and away from a natural drainage channel that cuts across the River Lot. Most early settlers would look for higher ground when selecting where to build a home. This specific location is on slightly higher ground and overlooks a wide low area that was forested and close to the river. The Red River served as both transportation and a water source but you don’t want to build too close to it due to repeated spring flooding. The spot was perfect! The find: exhilarating!!! Shotgun Shell Casings, River Lot 175: Eley No 12 London 1896 – 1920’s issue Dominion Canuck 1916 – 1935 issue Roger

September 12, 2026 - Back at Randy’s Place

September 12, 2026 - Back at Randy’s Place

September 12, 2026 Back at Randy’s Place. The last time I went metal detecting at Randy’s place was two years ago. See: September 10, 2024 - Randy’s Lair. It was an overwhelming experience. This time around, I’m better prepared for the task ahead. Be selective. That was the motto going in but of course Randy has access to such a rich site in artifacts that being selective almost becomes a moot point. I had initially planned to mark out a 10 foot by 10 foot grid and work it to the bottom, much like Merrill of Metal Detecting New York had done near one tree in a park. See attached YouTube video. The idea is to be persistent in one given spot and drill down to find the better artifacts by eliminating all the junky stuff that mask the good signals. That was the intent. I even brought flags and a tape measure. Well it didn’t happen! Ok, maybe next year eh! The problem is that there is so much material to be found. Also, I tried to concentrate on two specific signals, 17 and 21 that my two sample Canadian large cents give off in the hope of finding one of my bucket list items: a Canadian large cent. That’s right! After seven years of metal detecting, I have yet to find one. My sample coins were donated to me by Randy and friends. Other than a close call with a slow passing misty drizzle, the day albeit on the cold side turned out great. Found were an interesting selection of artifacts. Remember about being selective? A ceramic doll’s ear showed up along with a bright red glass ornament of sorts, maybe from a lamp or from a piece of jewelry like a broach? Two shell casings were found: One marked D.C. Co 44 – 40. The shotgun shell is Kynoch No 12 Birmingham (Cir. 1890’s to 1918). The ceramics found were incredible, especially the Ginger Beer cap in near perfect condition. The glass and ceramic shards were hard to resist, especially when there is writing on them. I count a door knob and door knob plate, a knife handle, a tiny hammer, and one long square spike. I also see a part of a marble, horse tack rivets and bison teeth. Thank you Randy for the invitation. Roger

September 12, 2026 - Back at Randy’s Place

September 17, 2026 - Metigoshe Beach

September 22, 2026 - Colert Beach, Morden

September 17, 2026 - Metigoshe Beach

September 22, 2026 - Colert Beach, Morden

September 17, 2026 Metigoshe Park and Beach in Turtle Mountain. This is the second time that I actually brought my trusty metal detector with me when Tess and I went on vacation. We were on our way back from a stay in Estevan Saskatchewan, and with the intent to see some countryside, we chose to return via the number 18 highway in Sask. and number 3 in Manitoba. It’s a lot of backtracking north then south then north and south again but the scenery was special and well worth the extra time it took. Driving in from the west, the Turtle Mountain ridge really stands out from above the prairie. On top of this ridge are lakes and forests and an environment quite unlike the prairie from which it rises. Lake Metigoshe is predominantly a lake in the US but its northern tip is in Canada. There’s a campground, a seasonal restaurant/convenience store, numerous beautiful cabins and of course the beach. This stop is a continuation of “My Summer of Beach Detecting” theme. The beach itself is small. I was able to completely cover it with my metal detector, that and the kid’s play structure enclosure in about an hour. Judging by the pictures of the finds, either the beach is not used much or several other people had the same idea and it’s been detected clean. No coins at all, now that was a bit of a surprise. The highlight thus defaulted to a partial Matchbox toy truck. With metal detecting, it’s not always about finding loot and valuables but it’s always the fun of the hunt and the discoveries that one might make… or not. It was a pleasurable hour; a great day, and we saw a lot of rural Manitoba that we otherwise would have missed. Happy trails in all of your travels and bring that metal detector with you! Roger

September 22, 2026 Colert Beach, Morden. As a child, and every so often as an adult, I have a recurring dream of finding coins all over the ground and I try to pick them all up. Well I think my dream came to be today at Colert Beach here in Morden Manitoba. The day started off like many of this summer’s beach detecting days. This has been an exceptional year for me regarding beaches. It is the down time between when the field crops are up and subsequently harvested. Where do I go metal detecting during this lull period. Last year I spent my time metal detecting a parcel of land that was designated for a road extension, thus not seeded. Our detectorists club and I were able to salvage a lot of material that would have otherwise been covered over by a new road. The year before, I was metal detecting in a number of city parks and school yards. The year before that… well you get the idea. But this year, I decided to dedicate my time to beaches…St. Laurent, Delta, Steep Rock, and Metigoshe, amongst others. I’d had my eye on this beach for some time. It’s located a bit west and south of Morden, and finally the occasion to present itself. Randy was good to go, the weather was fine so off we went. But what I didn’t know is that contractors had been hired to rip up and replace the boardwalk all along the beach front and in front of the burger stand too. When we first arrived, I combed the water’s edge all the way around and my first find was a nickel, then a small aluminum pipe, then a quarter. Then, someone associated with the boardwalk project came over to me and said “Hey, if you really want to find stuff, go check between the joists of the boardwalk. I must have picked up 5 to 6 bucks just walking around.” I was dumbfounded, I couldn’t believe my ears. I asked if he could check with the workers to make sure it was ok with them as this is an active construction site. He did and said just stay out of their way. Wow… really! I had a good chat with this fellow, and I’m sorry I didn’t get his name but he had owned and used a metal detector years ago but lost it in a house fire and hadn’t bothered to replace it. He was well aware of a metal detector’s use and limitations, especially in a tight area where wooden beams are fastened together with iron nails and decking screws. I must thank you for the tip and the assist. You made my day! If you’re reading this, come on over and join us at the club meeting on November 15th. Details will be posted on this website’s home page in early October. Randy was having a bit of luck metal detecting out in the water but I made sure that he was aware of the offer. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m guessing that it will be at least thirty to forty years before this process repeats itself. Most of the earlier coins I found were from the late 1980’s. In front of the snack shack, under the joists was a cement pad that extended out about four or five feet so many of the coins were trapped in a four inch layer of sand and debris. Talk about shooting fish in a barrel. In some of the corners, I’d collect five to seven coins. Total haul: 104 coins ($46.28) and 3 rings…One gold with small diamonds, one silver with a dazzling opal which at first I mistook as plastic or glass and the last is plated bling. Yes, this was truly a dream come true. It makes for a great detectorist story. I left Morden happy but reluctantly as I couldn’t get to all of the open spaces. The workers were busy covering them up. And in my head I could hear the 1964 tune by The Drifter…. For those of us who are old enough to remember… Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah… (Under the boardwalk) We'll be havin' some fun… Roger Reference: https://genius.com/The-drifters-under-the- boardwalk-lyrics

September 27, 2026 - Beach Bonanza - 4

September 27, 2026 - Beach Bonanza - 4

September 27, 2026 Beach Bonanza 4 at Birds Hill Provincial Park. Here we are again, back for a sunshine filled day at the annual Beach Bonanza seeded hunt. Special thanks goes out to Robin Pare and his family who selflessly put on this special event. It takes a lot of work, planning and dedication to pull this off as seamlessly as this family group does. Kudos to all of you. Also good on all of the participants who attend and make this day so much fun. Yes, the cost has gone up significantly from past years but this is still a great deal to be had. All is provided. The food, the many prizes, and don’t forget all of the coins and keys and rings that have been acquired for your metal detecting enjoyment. A day at the Red River EX or a movie pass with spouse and two kids will run you the same if not more, so yes, this is still good value for the money. Get out there and enjoy yourself and that is what we all did! An extra selection of Beach Bonanza 4 photos can also be seen on Robin’s Facebook site: https://www.okjohnmetaldetectors.com/ For those of you who are not familiar with a “Seeded Hunt”, the idea is to give metal detectorists an opportunity to meet together and go metal detecting in a defined area where you should have an equal opportunity to find coins, and keys, and jewelry, and bling and marked coins that yield you a prize. The numbers on the keys are numbers that open four locked treasure chests that contain, as the name would imply, treasure or very special gifts. Seeded throughout the marked beach area are probably 30 or 40 of these keys. Only 4 open the chests. In these photos, you will see pictures of these keys and some of the prizes too. You will also see a large coin bearing a Beach Bonanza sticker. This one shows the number 2. This corresponds to a series of about 30 other smaller prizes. Your entrance fee also provides you with lunch and refreshments. There are also games and events for kids. The real joy and fun of the day is meeting other like-minded detectorists and the sharing of stories. Seeded hunts are as much a social gathering as they are a competitive event. Even the local deer wanted to play and left their mark on the sand. We also paused to commemorate and remember Louise R. and John N. See you all, next year and hopefully many more new and returning faces. Roger