<p><strong>Having taken early retirement I was keen to extend my hobbies and my wife conspired with my friend Steve Wright, a very active detectorist with the Coventry Heritage Detector Society, to purchase me a machine.</strong></p> [split] <p>Steve chose a Minelab X-TERRA 70 and I subsequently joined the Club in 2010 and soon became familiar with my new toy. I loved my X-TERRA 70 and felt that I could sniff out anything.</p> <p>Why lucky me? My first hammered coin was a Harthacunt silver penny dated 1035 in very good condition. A very rare coin which can be seen on UKDFD, entered there by Mike Evans, a newly aquired detectorist pal.</p> <p>By the end of the year I had found another fourteen hammered coins, two gold George III 1/3 guineas a very nice seal matrix and a whole range of unusual finds.</p> <p>Because my own sites had been detected for many years I decided to upgrade to the Minelab E-TRAC for the increased sensitivity and reluctantly turned my back on my beloved X-TERRA 70. After persevering for a while and avoiding the temptation of using my X-TERRA 70, the E-TRAC did me proud during 2011.</p> <p>Apart from an interesting variety of hammered coins, I turned up Roman dinari, sesterius and a perfect Charles II Twopence. Artefacts included an interesting Medieval Harness pendant, seal matrix, vessica seal and then the combination of my luck and my E-TRAC struck gold. A 14th century gold Ring Brooch as shown in the latest copy of "Digging Deep" which went on to win artefact of the year at club level and also 1st place in the Rob and Karolyn Hatt Memorial Trophy competition.</p> <p>I can't wait to see what my Minelab E-TRAC will uncover for me in 2012.</p> <p>ps. Brooch currently held by the British Museum for evaluation</p>