Ever thought about investing in a metal detector and searching for lost treasure? This has been my hobby and passion for 15 years. And Amelia Island and the surrounding areas are prime spots to search.
Amelia Island has been occupied by Europeans since 1562, when French Huguenots planted the first of eight flags here. And there have been residents and visitors from a number of different governments and groups that lived here; many relics and reminders of them are buried in the ground beneath our feet.
It’s easy to purchase a metal detector and get started. New machines can cost around $100, and they can range up to several thousand dollars. But there are great deals on used equipment. Check pawn shops, classified ads, and online ads. You’ll also find numerous metal detecting clubs, and members often have equipment to sell.
Most people want to use their metal detector on the beach, but you will need a saltwater machine for hunting in or near the ocean. However, any machine will work well in dry sand. You may find gold or silver jewelry, coins, cell phones, and other valuables. But you will also certainly find bottle caps, cans, and other trash. Please remove this from the beach. In fact, a good detectorist always removes any trash found and fills in the holes.
But there’s more potential for discovering interesting items when searching inland, where people lived and worked. You will need a sturdy hand digger for recovering items. (Note: Most items are only two to four inches deep, so a large shovel is not needed!)
And remember: never search a private property without permission. It’s disrespectful and illegal. If you ask politely, many people will give you permission to search their yard. Be careful and neat.
Here are a few of the many items I have found here on Amelia Island:
Coins. There are many coins to be found in the ground. Most will be modern coins, especially pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Silver coins are older than 1965. And the truly lucky hunter may find a gold coin. The oldest coin I have found was a 1598 copper Spanish coin followed by a 1718 silver Spanish coin. That coin was found near the Gregor MacGregor Miniature Golf Course in downtown Fernandina Beach.
I have found a copper American coin dated 1783, the same year we became independent, and silver American coins as old as 1853. I have found English, German, French, Italian, Irish, and Portuguese coins from the 1800s here as well. Signs of the many nations that came to our large deepwater harbor and welcoming island to trade goods from around the world.
Bullets. You can find proof of the various military forces and soldiers who have visited or invaded Amelia Island. If you uncover a round ball made of lead, you have found a musket ball. These can be small, which were used for hunting birds, or much larger ones that were used for hunting or fighting. Or you may find a conical piece of lead that is hollow and has two or three rings along the bottom. These are called Minie balls, which replaced musket balls in warfare. Those with two rings were used by Confederate soldiers, while Union soldiers used Minie balls with three rings.
You may find regimental pins and buttons, too. I found a pair of uniform buttons from The Regiment of Riflemen. They were a special force that wore special uniforms, used rifles, and hid behind trees and rocks instead of the standard blue-and-white uniforms, muskets, and fighting in lines. They were formed in 1808 and disbanded in 1821. They fought in the last battle of the War of 1812, in nearby Saint Marys, Georgia
Many of the relics you will uncover will be made of lead, pewter, or nickel. These were used by the common citizens who lived here. But there were wealthier citizens here as well, and you may find things like silver thimbles, cutlery, cups, and perhaps even plates. Many of these are quite ornate and beautiful.