Treasure Hunting

Our contact at Kellyco asked us to post a blog all about meteorites that’s geared for metal detectorists, and she did the research to provided us with all the material. How could we say no?

The following information is available on Kellyco’s Meteorite Page with images and links to meteorite detectors.

If you have any topics you would liked researched feel free to email me at THShaun@yahoo.com - We’re here to help, and it’s always nice to learn something along the way.

“Don’t Buy Fallen Stars - Find Them!”

What is a Meteorite?
A meteorite is more commonly known as a fallen star or moon rocks. They are pieces of space debris that have landed on the earth’s surface after surviving a fiery journey through the layers of our atmosphere. Each one is unique in shape and size, and is made of either stone or iron. The iron meteorites that lay beneath the surface are heavy and instantly stand out as unusual. The most common meteorites are made primarily of iron and nickel, referred to as “Iron,”
“Stony Iron,” or “Chondrite” meteors - and these are the kind that you and your metal detector can find!

Meteorites are real treasures!
Meteorites are rarer than gold, platinum, diamonds or emeralds. Owning one is the only way to touch the cosmos, and the demand for such an experience is quite high all over the world! Many have called them the “truest form of black gold,” and they often sell for $300.00 per gram or more - meaning a 1 pound meteorite can be worth a million dollars.

Where can a Meteorite be found?
Meteoroids are entering the Earth’s atmosphere each day, amounting to more than a hundred tons of material! Fallen meteorites are witnessed about 33% of the time and the rest go unnoticed. According to the data base of the Meteoritical Society, about 1500 verified meteorites have been found in the U.S. in the past 200 years - and with today’s advances in metal detectors, the number goes up every day!

Start at home: 291 meteorites have been found in Texas, 177 in California, 214 in New Mexico, 50 in Nevada, 85 in Arizona, 17 in Alabama, and 136 in Kansas!! Almost every single state in the U.S. has been home to a meteorite at one time - even Hawaii!

The best place to start looking for these valuable rocks is in deserts, if you happen to live close to such an area. Since they are devoid of plant life and rarely have rain, these are great places to look because the meteorite will not weather or erode quickly, and can be found just below surface.

Next are “Strewn Fields” - These are fields that have clearly been the landing place of meteorites and have often been searched by others - but that can be in your favor. With the advances in metal detecting technology, many of the meteorites found today are pieces of ones found years ago.

How can I find a Meteorite?
After you’ve picked out a good location and done some research, the first thing you’ll need is a high quality metal detector that can help you find a coveted and valuable meteorite.

Most metal detectors will locate iron, but you’ll want one that covers a large area and penetrates much deeper into the Earth to find the more valuable meteorites. This includes the entire Quantro Sensing line of metal detectors for both land and water, which are specifically geared to locate large iron items and penetrate to great depths. Lorenz metal detectors, especially the DeepMax III, have been a favorite for a number of Kellyco’s customer’s meteorite discoveries worth tens of thousands of dollars. Other recommended metal detectors for meteorite hunting are Minelab’s Explorer SE, and Musketeer Advantage, White’s XLT and DFX, as well as the Garrett GTI 2500 with the depth multiplier. (If you’re not sure what detector to use, please call any of our certified metal detector experts toll free at 1-800-898-6673 & 1-800-327-9697).

It has been reported that scientists have successfully found meteorites in the cold depths of Antarctica thanks to the help of metal detectors. Some have felt that the ability to ground balance or cancel out the dominate background rock has been the most important improvement to metal detecting technology over the years, and has allowed them to find meteorites in glacial moraines. Thanks to the help of a metal detector, twenty meteorites were found in only four hours of searching in Antarctica.

Several Kellyco customers have spent years dedicated to finding meteorites right here in America, and our good friend Murry Crowe at Mojo Outdoors found one that weighed 49 pounds! He later recovered 9 others in the same area with his Lorenz DeepMax III purchased from Kellyco Metal Detectors.

Many meteorite hunters have found this to be much more than just a hobby, and have become very serious meteorite hunters. Among the legendary stories that many hobbyist share there is one of a hunter who grossed over a half million dollars in meteorites found around the world. One such meteorite was sold for $50,000 in auction.

How can I tell if I found one?
Most metals found on Earth are either man-made or a meteorite. A piece of metal without holes or bubbles in it may be a meteorite. If you think you’ve found one but aren’t sure, rub your find on a piece of unfinished ceramic tile. If the streak is red, the mineral is hematite and not a meteorite. If you don’t have any ceramic tile lying around, try to break a piece of your find off. If it is a meteorite, it will be similar to naturally-occurring steel, and you probably won’t be able to break it no matter how hard you try.

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I was sniffing around online for some good treasure stories (nothing new there, folks) and I found several articles concerning relics. They’re all interesting and I’ll share the stories in a second, but first I want to define the word “relic” because man, o man, this word get tossed around the Internet a LOT.

Princeton University defines a relic as “an antiquity that has survived from the distant past.” Which is a great, generic definition. But who defines how much time constitutes “distant?”

The definitions don’t stop there. According to various online sources, a relic can be defined as “an object associated with a saint, martyr, or Christ which is preserved and seen as worthy of special honor and reverence.” Or “a leftover creation of the Ancients. Most are in very bad shape, but a few are mysteriously preserved.” Or even “an object, especially a piece of the body or a personal item of someone of religious significance, carefully preserved with an air of veneration as a tangible memorial.”

When I think of how many metal detectors are targeted to “relic hunters” or known as “relic hounds,” I get really confused. The only thing that these definitions all have in common is that a relic is something old. Try a simple Google search for the term “Define: Relic” and see what comes up. I was surprised by how many credible websites associate relics with religion.

I shouldn’t be too surprised, however, because all of today’s articles focus on (go ahead, guess), religious relics.

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The International Herald Tribune is reporting a road show of sorts for Vatican art and relics. This is really exciting news as the show features Pope Benedict XVI’s Fisherman’s ring and the Mandylion of Edessa. Both are items that have NEVER left Rome and the latter is deemed by the church as an artifact “not made by human hands.” Other pieces include moasics dating as far back as the eight century, a compass supposedly used by Michaelangelo and over 150 portraits, statues and papal vestments. Check out the entire article at: A ‘Taste’ of Vatican Art, Relics on Display. They’ll only be going to three cities in the U.S.; St. Petersburg, FL, Clevland, OH and St. Paul, MN. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to check out the Florida exhibit before it’s gone.

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Speaking of the Vatican, I found another article that was published on CatholicNewsAgency.com which denounces the sales of religious relics on eBay as “totally unacceptable business.” I think most of us would agree that some things are sacred, but if you dig it up (from the ground, from within a thrift shop or from the back of someone’s garage) isn’t it yours to do with as you please?

Thankfully I think this is more of a warning then a curse as Cardinal Saravia warned that relics offered on eBay may be fake or stolen. BUT - only the objects blessed by the Church are considered authentic.

But wait,… according to our Internet definitions, if it’s old and it miraculously survived several centuries, then it’s a relic - no matter who blessed it.

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The last article I found about relics today seemed much more reasonable and appears to be a true application of the term. The U.K.’s Evening News reports that a large collection of Roman artifacts is going on public display for the first time - 30 years after they were first dug up by an amateur archaeologist!

Ahhh,… now here is an application of the term “relic” that warms my heart!

Almost 50 boxes of artifacts, which includes pots, figurines and leather sandals, were dug up between 1970 and 1980. They’ve been stored in boxes in the “amateur archaeologist’s” house *coughProbablyAMetalDetectoristcough* this whole time and will now go on display with his field notes and excavation photographs of their removal.

The collection apparently represents all aspects of daily Roman life over a period of 350 years. It’s a large collection and includes organic material (a leather sandal, wooden boards from a well) that usually doesn’t tend to survive.

Check out the article in its entirety here: Roman Relics To Go On Show In City.

Have a great weekend everyone, and happy hunting!

- Shaun

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