I have been metal detecting since I was 9 years old. First starting out with my Grandfather’s old Garrett machine from the 70’s. Every time I went out detecting I would always come back with a new coin or piece of trash and my Dad and Grandpa would always say “ keep it up! You’ll find a gold coin some day!” I’m 33 now and my passion has never surpassed me. My Grandfather passed away in December of last year and the last thing he asked me was if I had found my “gold coin” yet. Unfortunately I had to tell him no, but I would never stop looking. I have searched relentlessly. Driving, walking, hiking through the rain, snow and mud just yearning for that next target. I went out searching with my Minelab Equinox 800 this past May. I was detecting for about 3 hours and hadn't found much besides a 1957 Canadian penny. For the first time I looked up in the sky and said jokingly. “Grandpa! Let’s finally find that gold coin we always talked about!” The next day I went to a spot I’ve been over probably hundreds of times with all of my detectors. This particular day I had my new Minelab Equinox 800. I was searching for about 7 minutes or so when I got a solid “18” signal from my detector. Normally this would be a bullet casing where I’m from in MT. I pulled a plug about 4” deep and much to my surprise I looked down and saw the edge of something gold!! I don’t remember much of what happened next, except I grabbed the golden object and was running and yelling like a little kid who had just discovered a mass treasure! When I finally looked at the date “1901” and then the reverse. “5D” I could not believe it! I called my Dad to tell him I had something to show him. When I dropped it in his hand the emotions surpassed him and I and we both wept. When the term “the find of a lifetime” comes around, in my mind this is it. The emotions and excitement my Father and I shared when I showed him this will live in my memories forever. I can’t help but feel that my Grandpa led me to this and I know he would have felt the same way when I could drop it in his hand and say “We finally did it!”