Its took a fair bit of planning for a few weeks and Saturday 5th September 2009 finally saw the inaugrial Detectingwales.com Two Day Summer Rally.
The Satruday started bright and early with the campers raising their tents in a section pretty much dedicated to the detectorists. I think Rob had by the far the biggest tent - it was more like a mansion and I probably came at the opposite end of the scale with my tiny dome tent which I had to sleep in an angle in!
As usual the day started with the standard
"where to go and not to go" sort of talk and a brief history of the surrounding area and what was likely to be found. We mentioned Bronze Age, Roman and Medieval and all those eras produced artefacts just as we predicted they might do.
Please note this the chap from RARE {definately not Altinkum - it was someone else} who commented to a mate of mine that I talked a loads of rubbish and basically lied about what might be found there! We can do without that - if you want to say things like that, then say it to our faces. Anyway enough said about all that - We Were Off to The Fields!
About 70 members were in attendance, with 100 acres to share and it was good to see some Newbies present.
A special welcome goes to Gazza who flew all the way over from Spain at some considerable cost and not only proved to be a master chef, but also live cabaret with his never ending supply of jokes - more on that later.The first find of note came from Phil Ynysboeth with a cut half hammered and a silver Joey. He was particularly pleased as he was using a new machine and I believe it was only his third hammered coin - well done mate.
Next I ran into a chap whos name escapes me who was the proud owner of a silver Vicky florin 1898 and a copper penny that had been turned into a ring. Once again a strange coincidence as I had only 10 minutes earlier been looking at one Millsy had just made - how odd!
The next find was an absolute stunner and went to my long standing Detecting partner Mark. It took the shape of a Young Head Victoria Gold Half Sovereign dated 1846I couldn't have been more pleased if I had found it myself. Mark is a really dedicated detectorist and deserved to find his first gold. Well done mate - really happy for you!
The finds started raining in thick and fast now with Casa Dos having a lovely medieval bee hive thimble and short cross hammered.
Back at the tent for a quick refreshment I find Saxon and Viking - (I always get you two mixed up) had had between them a nice early Medieval buckle and yet another hammy.
Into the fields again and I find an exstatic and then devastated TaffLaff who though he had found a Roman coin, only for it to turn out tb a Art Deco button. Your time will come Rob - have patience mate. shortly after Casa Dos was up to his old tricks again with a Tudor hammered sixpence that needs straightening. He then had another Tudor penny - what a day for Kev - well done matey. Not to be outdone Kevs detecting partner Adie had some nice buckles and then into the early evening his own hammered sixpence. Kev won the day though.
Back at the car park, the finds were steaming in left right and centre. Beepy had one of the finds of the day with a silver Republican Denarius which is about 2100 years old.
An absolute stunner and the first denari to date on a Detectingwales rally. To complement it, he also had a bronze Roman finger ring.
Steven King (of the Detecting fame and nothing to do with The Shining) suprised us all with the oldest find so far in the form of a Bronze Age socketed Gouge. I would love to find one of these even more so than an axe as they are pretty rare items - well done Steven! Just to prove it wasn't a fluke he also produced an 1817 silver bull head sixpence.
Standing next to Steven was The Doc who had a James sixpence and someone else (my memoriess gone now - far too many finds to remember - could be Richy) who had yet another hammie. Not far away was Digga with his first Roman - a radiate of some kind and a silver ring. Well done on losing your Roman virginity mate.
They still kept coming with a James 1st folded sixpence and another large tudor hammered dated 1558.
Almost at the end of the first days finds, when late into the evening a lead seal matrix and another hammered coin appeared. that was two seal matrixs found on the first day - the other one was bronze.
I was nackered by now and relaxed with my good friend Stella and talked detecting long into the eveing with Steve Mcgrory and others. there was also at least an hour of joke telling - which in my opinion was won by Gazza with his £1.70 joke - his actions to the joke had us all crying with laughter! A special welcome to two newbies Ewansdad and Cadzy who stayed up and drank the night away with us. Nice to meet you both - be warned the detecting bug will bite you hard.
After many more ales were drunk and a stunning barbecue was munched - I retired around midnight and woke fresh for another day, but I'll be telling the story of the Sunday tomorrow as I am struggling to keep awake here.
Right - be patient and enjoy trawling through the mass of photos. I think the sum total for Day One was 11 hammies, 1 gold half sov, 1 republican deanrius, a fibula, a Roman ring, a silver ring, about 10 milled silvers, a silver watch case {Mellonhead}, numerous other finds, oh and a Bronze Age Gouge. Not a bad day for Wales, eh?
cheers
Neil
