Where Gold Coins Grow on Trees

by Donna A. Trefry
Article reprinted with permission from
Western & Eastern Treasures Magazine
1997 Annual, Silver and Gold

1620-21 James I,  gold half-laurel (10 shilling gold piece) shows the bust of James I sporting its crown of laurel leaves

As I embarked on my annual metal detecting adventure to England, my detecting friends, in person and throughout the Internet, sent me off with wishes of "go for the gold", "this is your golden year", "find that elusive gold coin" and other kind words. As much as I appreciated their thoughts, I had no dreams or even a hope for gold. Gold coins were what "the other guy" found - not Donna.

Many articles have been written about the goodies found on these English detecting tours. As with all detecting articles, they tell of our successes more than of our failures. After all, who wants to read about "my day in the pits?" Because of this, some readers begin to believe that goodies must grow on trees in England.

So it was, that after four and a half days in England with very few signals and fewer good recoveries, on the afternoon of my fifth day I decided I must discipline myself. Therefore, I set out to search thoroughly a one acre area among the 100-plus acres available to our party of fifty detectorists. With all good intentions, I searched slowly back and forth in 50-yard passes until suddenly, in the middle of my fourth pass I abruptly turned ninety degrees to the left. "Whoa, Donna", I thought, "You've had this feeling before so go with it!" So much for good intentions. At that point I chose a tree on the horizon, sighted a straight line toward it and searched slowly up the hill. After 75 or so yards of swinging and hearing no signals, only silence, I began to tire and had thoughts of moving to another area. "The tree, keep moving toward the tree." "Don't give up, Donna!" I pleaded in thought, trying to force myself not to turn back. Three more steps forward and my White's Spectrum XLT sounded off. "Beep!"

No one would imagine my feelings when I dug a clod from the plowed field and thought I saw a thin gold streak within the meatball-sized glob of clay. My first reaction was, "don't get excited yet, it could be another gilded button." The next was utter and total lack of senses when I removed the clay halves and found the "streak" was the edge of a very thin, but half-dollar-sized hammered gold coin. The only word I could utter (yell) was "KATHeeeeeee!" as I screamed to the nearest detectorist, dropped my detector and headset into the hole and started running toward her. From that moment I could not speak - only sob in disbelief. Correction, I didn't sob. I bawled, whimpered and shook at the knees. Within a few short minutes, several of the gang had encircled me, hugging, kissing and congratulating. At the same time, like the Indians in a 1940's western movie, a band of other detectorists were circling the hole left by my recovery. No, I hadn't filled my hole. I even forgot to check the area in case the gold coin was one in a hoard! The circling band of detectorists, coming up with no more signals, would determine it was a one of a kind loss in that area. Yes, I finally checked my hole again and then filled it carefully.

Before leaving the field that afternoon I made a pilgrimage to the "tree." Plucking one of its tiny leaves and carefully placing it in a recovery bag, I dabbed my teary eyes once again and whispered, "Thank you!"

Coincidentally, the gold coin is another of my recoveries that could have been part of that pot of coins found in the last century. See my article "Four Centuries of Treasure" in the January 1996 issue of Western & Eastern Treasures.

Other articles by Donna
"Four Centuries of Treasure"
"Truly a Golden Age"
"The Mystery of the Seven-stoned Ring"
"Ghosts of History Guide the Searchcoil"
"Cache or Bust"
"Treasure Hunting Through the Internet"
"Where Gold Coins Grow on Trees"