How detectorists thrashed archaeologists at their own game

Thankfully, cases like Jones’s are incredibly rare and most in the detectoring community report an inclusive, shared desire to contribute to history. “Like any hobby, there are people out there that are not in it for the love of history but are what I call treasure seekers – because they want to find something they can sell on,” says Sophie Baylis, a 44-year-old beauty therapist from Worcestershire, who discusses finds on her podcast Sophie AKA Girl That Digs, and who, like so many others, credits metal detecting with boosting her mental health. I could be out for eight hours and find nothing but tin cans, but I’ll still be thrilled if a guy a few yards away unearths a Saxon coin.” Last year, a law change meant that seeking lucrative bragging rights to a find or a hoard is becoming more difficult for rogue detectorists. In 2023, the definition was updated and now any object found after July 30 2023 that doesn’t meet that criteria but is made at least partially of metal, is at least 200 years old and provides insight into an aspect of national or regional history, archaeology or culture by its rarity, the location in which it was found or its connection with a particular person or event, qualifies. As a mum, wife and business owner, it can be difficult to find downtime by myself, but detectoring gets me outside, walking and soaking up that vitamin D when the sun is shining.” Evan-Hart agrees with the wellbeing benefits: “I’ve heard from ex-servicemen and women who have combat-related mental health issues and I’ve been involved with offenders and drug rehabilitation units who take people out for the day – the look on their faces when they find an old coin provides a positive focus and that’s invaluable.