<p><strong>I took up metal-detecting in November 2009 and joined the Essex Detector Society.</strong> I started off by purchasing a Minelab X-TERRA 305 and soon started finding coins. These were both copper and hammered silver coins. I decided after about nine months to upgrade my metal detector and purchased a second hand Minelab E-TRAC, which has proved to be an excellent choice. One weekend early in August 2011 I took a friend out with me to a field where I had previously found approximately ten hammered silver coins.</p> <p>My friend also has a Minelab E-TRAC. I was trying to show him how to keep his detector level as he moved it from side to side. It was quite frustrating, so I put my detector down and walked alongside him for about an hour. He very soon detected and retrieved a nice Victorian silver threepence. I decided to carry on detecting and after spending five hours on the field we had some buckles, copper coins and plenty of buttons but not much else. We then decided to call it a day.</p> [split] <p>The next morning I was up very early and decided to return to the same field on my own. I had marked the position on the field where we had finished the previous day. I set up my E-TRAC and carried on. After about an hour I got a strong signal and began to dig. I was excited to see a glint of gold and there was a really pleasing George III guinea. I continued on but after about an hour and a half, with some more buttons and cooper coins, I decided to go home for breakfast.</p> <p>I walked to the far side of the field to an area where I had never detected much in the past and proceeded to walk towards where I had parked. I had only walked about 6m down the field when a got a good signal. As I turned the earth over I could not believe my eyes; there in the hole was a beautiful Anglo-Saxon Thrysma, which turned out to be from around 620AD.</p> <p>Two gold coins from the same field, on the same morning, within two hours of each other. A very successful morning.</p>