Reeves works with detectorists at Montpelier to recover and preserve the stories of the enslaved Americans who lived and labored on the 2,650-acre plantation. But be sure to avoid any place where digging could do permanent damage. “There are places that people can metal detect and kind of scratch that itch to find things,” says Reeves, noting that beaches are a good place to start. And because laws differ from country to country and state to state, it’s best to do a little research before you set out. Once you’re out in the field (or beach, or park), the general rule of thumb - according to Chambers as well Matthew Reeves, director of archaeology at James Madison’s Montpelier in Virginia, and Artur Kropiwiec, a U.K.-based detectorist - is that if you’re not digging on your own land, you need to make sure you have the landowner’s (or the state’s) permission first. “Experiment on different types of metal to see which readings they bring up,” she says, adding that there are plenty of good YouTube channels to help newbies learn how to use their detectors. When I asked Emily Chambers, a detectorist living in southwest England, for advice on getting into metal detecting, she said the most important step is getting to know your metal detector.

With the right metal detector, a little patience, and some knowledge of history, anyone can dig up centuries-old jewelry and long-lost coins - or at least have a better chance of finding a lost earring in the grass. For most of us, the fantasy of finding buried treasure faded away along with other childhood passions, like my youthful ambition to set a Guinness World Record for building the world’s largest pillow fort.

Connecticut metal detecting laws