Snow is still falling in some parts of the country (just like “it’s happy hour somewhere“), so there’s still time to share my favorite metal detecting finds from 2025. I only had 2 months to dig this summer during my short trip back to the States, but I found some real keepers!
Early 2025 Totals
Digs: 13
Coins: 66
Silver: 2
Oldest Coin: 1937
Most Interesting Relic: 1937 Nazi coin
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Coins
Despite spending 9 months overseas this year – most of them without my Minelab Equinox 600 – I was still happy to get out and get dirty and find some coins!
my first silver coin off the year (WI)
in situ (WI)
Paul von Hindernburg,
Hitler’s predecessor
silver; reverse
After pulling this confusing Russian coin and my first silver (the 1946 Roosie) early, I had to wait another month before I got the most shocking find of the season. The 1937 Nazi coin was in the yard of an abandoned house. When I saw the large silver-white in the dirt, I knew I had something special, but I was not prepared for this! True history that some G.I. likely brought back from the War.
Jewelry & Accessories
Although rings are my favorite thing to find, I recovered only one this season – but boy, what a story!
found in horse-country (UT)
I’m being held underwater to “dig” (WI)
My watercolor dramatization
Following my short hunts in Utah, where I found a few historical relics like this Bridle Rosette, we ventured up to Wisconsin, where I got some real time to dig. One opportunity Up North was searching for my friend’s gold wedding band which he’d lost off the boat dock several years prior. With 5 kids helping (and an anticipatory crowd watching), I made several dives and finally found it in the muck. To celebrate (and to thank my friend for his hospitality), I painted the memory. His niece helped me title my small business. Gotta love it.
Toys
While this wasn’t a season for toys, one park that has blessed me abundantly over the years was productive once again. I don’t know how many Tootsie Toys are still underneath that tree, but I can’t wait to get back!
ca. 1930-1940s (WI)
ca. 1950s (WI)
Tiny at less than 2″ (WI)
Toy cars are my third-favorite thing to find in the earth (after rings and coins), so anytime I find an oldie is a good day. Pistols never come up whole for me, but I often find them in pieces like this Top-Gun-Jr. model. And that tiny chicken‘s about the size of a 50-cent-piece.
Other Relics
Two locations were rich in relics this season: one yard in Leeds, UT, near the Wells-Fargo museum (where I found the Rosette above) and a park in Western WI.
fragments, ca. 1890-1910 (UT)
Sun-colored (UT)
ca. 1860-1880 (UT)
brass and iron (UT)
compact case, ca. 1940s-60s (WI)
ca. 1940s-1960s (WI)
My favorite piece from this series is the Henry Rifle cartridge, a shell casing that’s been stamped with an “H” and stomped into the ground. History tells us that Wells-Fargo stagecoach guards used the .44 caliber, lever-action rifle to protect assets along their dangerous routes. Frontiersmen also often stomped on spent cartridges to prevent reuse by Native attackers.
Because I enjoy mixing art into my other hobbies, I created this shadowbox display for the new friends who hosted my family during our stay in Utah and who allowed me to detect on their historical property. While I was really hoping for some 1800s coins, I struck out but was still pleased with the relic-rich location!
Conclusion
It’s hard living in an area where I yearn to detect but can’t, so whenever I get a chance to travel back to the States, the first thing I want to do is get out and get dirty! So this first half to my short season was a great salve to me.
Have any insights to share about these initial finds? I welcome your comments below. And stay tuned – finds from the second half of summer are coming soon!
©2026 E.T.