DetectingWales.com - Rally Number One - 15/02/09 Report and Photographs!

[Neil]

What a day! The first Rally is over and I think we can say it has been somewhat of a success! 

It was like a meeting of the Welsh clans, with representatives from Swansea, RARE, SCAN , Llanelli, Newport and even a couple of Bristolians (did I miss any one?).

A Breakdown of the day.
From early in the morning the signage was up and nice and clear and nearly everyone found their way to the site pretty quickly.

Parking was no problem as most people used the verges, although I did get sprayed with mud pushing the only van in the field out at the end of the day (why were you braking!  ).

Everyone paid up and was rewarded with a username sticker to help people recognise each other and that worked really well (nice one Geoff).

We started en-mass after a group photo (about 35 of us) in the ploughed field which was quite heavy going and then slowly but surely we all flocked to the pasture, following early report of a cut half and a love token (courtesy of the hoover). To say there were some outstanding finds on the pasture would be an understatment!

The finds that I personally heard of and photographed included 6 hammered silver, 5 milled silver, 4 Roman grots, 2 Roman fibulas, an angel coin weight I found it) and believe it or not (I held it so I definately believe it ) a gold quarter stater! As far as I am aware there have only been 7 gold staters ever found in Wales. Its a historical find and needs to be reported! I think you would all agree thats a pretty good day, and we all owe Mike (Altinkum) a huge debt of thanks for arranging the land.

Two people came up to me seperately and said that they so enjoyed the day that they wopuld be interested in using their land for another DetectingWales rally! Thank you so much for that - its the kind of support we need, and will only help make the club stronger. Please PM me or Geoff to confirm if this is possible.

Thank you for supporting DetectingWales.com. there is another Rally on the horizon, so please check regularly for updates.

Enjoy the photos!

Cheers
Neil;

 

[Neil]

More photos

[Neil]

First finds

[Neil]

More Finds

My coin weight that I think is for a Gold Angel

Jaydoggs Fibula

Nicks folded hamster - did you unfold it mate?

[Neil]

Digger's (Stan) Edward hamster! Well found young man.

Millsy then weighed in with a silver mans ring. Not hallmarked and felt pretty old to me! A great find for a newbie and I hope thats cemented the idea of detecting and finding treasure into you! It goes to show, its not necessarily the machine or the experience, just the determination and a shed load of luck! It was right at the end of the day as well! Well Done mate

[Neil]

Ladies and Gentleman can I have some silence please for the Find of the Day.

A gold quarter stater - tribe unknown - finder Llanelli Club member - forgot your name sorry in all the excitement! Can anyone confirm the chaps name and what machine he was using? An absolute cracking find and as rare as rocking horse pooh in Wales! What a way to start Detectingwales.com rallies!

May there be many more. Its up to you lot to make it happen! Geoff and I can do the Admin side of it, and make sure you all know how to get there, its signed, flagged and thats it safe etc, but without the land we will struggle to make this a regular event. So ask yourself, did you enjoy today, and do you want to go to more Rallies like this? If the answers yes have a word with one of your farmers. They get £100 for letting us on their fields.

Thanks to everyone today for making it a memorable day - I am sure theres a lot more to come.

Enjoy the last photos
Neil

[The Doc]

An excellent day and great photo's Neil

I've been looking through the books for an ID on the gold coin, but not found a match yet.

[James]

great report neil!! ahhh ive been framed!!  and i think you can call that my dads good side haha,  great finds all

[DIG IT! (ADIE)]

You will do well to I.D that one peter i cant make anything out,its a challenge i will say that!

[Neil]

More photos . . .

[llanelli club]

mick found the stater user name mickycoin.
weighed coin it is 1.4g so thats about right ..wow man .
hope it gets i.d soon.

[ancientpat]

Great First Rally look forward to the next one Thanks to the finder of the site well worth a visit to the ploughed fields if they are in stubble in the future as they were difficult to search I can't believe they would not be as productive as the pasture field. My finds were cartwheel penny and two other copper coins, two bag seals, watch winder , chaffing dish handleand several buttons.
                                        Pat.

[BottyBurp (Kris)]

It certainlt looks as if you all had a great time, loads of great finds throughout the day too.

What a brilliant report Neil, congratulations to all involved with the Forums 1st Rally. I only hope I can make the next one !

Well done everyone 

[coleggwent(phil)]

may i say wat a great day the sun was out met some great guys and seen some nice finds thanks to all that aranged it cant wait for next one the vac

[proconsul]

Excellent report, Neil and great pictures. Thanks for all your help with the organisation of the rally and thanks for Altinkum (Mike) for finding the land for us and negotiating with the farmer. And thanks to everyone who attended for supporting our first DetectingWales.com rally. I'm sure there will be lots more in the future as this one went so well.

Geoff