Should I join a club? And a couple of other questions from a newbie.

[dkcrooby]

Hi,

I'm trying to work out whether I should join a club.  Apart from the social side of joining a club, I can get my FID independently, join rallies through this website and contact my local FLO if I find anything of interest/value.  What are other benefits to joining a club?

Also, what do I need the insurance for?  And, what happens if you search a farmer's land (with permission of course) and you find for instance, a hammered coin.  He won't want it will he? 

Thanks in advance,
Shianne

[geordiefred]

Hi Shianne
Most people join FID independently,  the insurance provids you with cover for worst case scenario etc. Say for example you didn't fill in one of your holes,
the farmers cow breaks a leg and he wants to sue you. As for finding a hammered coin on a rally, you get to keep your finds( As far as I know ) as long as there not treasure. ( some of the more experienced  members will explain I'm sure )
As for searching on a farmers land privately, that all depends on what arrangement you have with the farmer. But most will only be interested in sharing if you find a hoard or something really valuable, again it depends on what agreement you have made. As for joining a club you already have DW lol  , anyway good luck and good hunting.
cheers 
Fred

[Meatslicer]

Joining a club will give you the personal contact with fellow nutters who enjoy wandering silently across farmers muddy fields with a plastic stick and a giant polomint, digging holes in the hope of finding anything shiny.

Seriously though, getting out with fellow club members, on land that sometimes you could never get onto by yourself is really informative. You can get support and advice in real time instead of stumbling around with your machine set incorrectly or using the wrong scanning techniques which will limit your finds and will soon discourage you from a very rewarding hobby.

I am really interested in history and need to know the ins and outs of every thing written about this area, mainly because it is all based on old theories and archeological evidence that has been interpreted by historians sometimes with their own agendas and biases.

Actually handling something that has been in the ground and untouched by anyone for a thousand years or more can be really amazing. And finding something that according to the recognized history shouldnt be there is even more so.

Try attending a local scan club, sit in on the conversations and chat about the one thing you all have in common and see how much more you pick up. You will see the things we find in the flesh and get to handle them, a lot of them in better condition than you will find in a museum.

Rallies run at a local level are a good introduction to the hobby and more accessible sometimes. Some of the DW rallies I have attended have been a bit of a trip. Thats ok if you have transport but may restrict your enjoyment if you havent.

Hammered coins generally are of little interest to a farmer. I find they are more interested in money they can spend or musket balls for some reason! I have always shown the farmers what I have found and offered them any of it if they want it. Thats my way of doing things but you will have your own. It depends on what drives your interest. Just finding stuff like victorian coins and silver rings is enough for me. I wouldnt know what to do with them if I kept them all.

I have a large collection of silver coins that will soon be melted down to go into my experiments with metal casting. Bits of copper and bronze with no historical value will go the same way.

I have shown all of my brooches and roman coins to the FLO who comes to our meetings, and have had them back after identification and indexing. Recording them has helped date and add context to the roman sites I have found.

So you pays your money and you takes your choice. I have found this hobby the best I have had, and I have had a lot believe me. My only gripe would be that my wife doesnt understand why I do it and I have to do loads of DIY to keep her sweet so she will let me out to play.

Eric

[dances with badgers]

i would say its definatly worth join a club of like minded headbangers ,mainly because all the advice and tips you can get from the more experienced members and also you can get to go on rallies to known roman  sites e.t.c and meet some right nutters who will make you feel normal.lol. i personaly have learned a lot from the members of this site especialy on what detecters and coils available for different machines.theres always someone available to answer your questions

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

Welcome to the forum Shianne,  and here here on the comments above,
 also  its the likes of F.I.D and the  N.C.M.D.  that fight to save our hobby on our behalf,  its our contributions that helps them do this,
 your much more respected  and accepted too if your in a club.  if you have your own insurence you don't need to take out another one with a club,

Alan

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

P.S.   sorry, i forgot to say earlier,   whether you keep your coins or not after showing the farmer depends on him,
 some like to keep everything they see,  others would love to keep something like that,  others iv'e found don't want to know, and are not interested in what you find unless its very valuable of coarse
Alan

[dkcrooby]

Thanks so much for your replies Fred, Mike, Alan and Eric. It does seem a good idea to join a club. My closest, which isn't as close as I'd hoped, is RARE or Cardiff Scan Club (unless there's a close one that I haven't found out about yet nearer to Llantrisant).

Eric, I think you're going to have to help your wife find a hobby which might get her out on a weekend so you can go do yours!  My husband has just got into mountain biking and everything is 'bike, bike, biking!'.  I have to admit I wasn't fully 'onboard' with the idea of him going off any chance he had but since getting my detector, it's 'detect, detect, detecting!' and if I'm more than happy for him to go biking, then he's happy for me to go off on rallies while he looks after the children.    

[Val Beechey]

Know what you mean Shianne. Mine flys model aircraft, he can move his thumbs but everything else aches, and is off any given chance. He's lucky that where they fly is only just up the lane.
Wish the Rallies were that close, I'd be there for every one.

Best of luck for tommorrow.

Val

[dkcrooby]

Lol!  I'll only be there till 12.30 but at least it's better than nothing.  Are you going?

[Val Beechey]

Hi Shianne,  No, it's a very long way from Tenby. Got no confidence these days. If anyone gave me a blast on thier horn I'd prob. end up in a ditch.
Be with you all in thought, though.

Best of luck

Val