Metal Detecting Perth’s Swan River
18 CT Ladies Gold and Diamond Ring - Swan River Metal Detecting Find
Recently I have not had much time to do any metal detecting, as my partner and I have just bought a Post Office and News Agency in my rural town in the Great Southern of Western Australia, Dumbleyung. We have been very busy doing some training courses in Perth.
Swan River Metal Detecting Finds
But last week I found the time whilst I was in Perth to head down to the Swan River for a few hours to do a bit of treasure hunting on the sandy banks of the Swan River.
Mens Silver Ring as I found it
I decided to find a new metal detecting spot, so I had a look through my Street Directory and I found a nice little spot where there would be a good chance to find some rings, relics and coins, an area which has been well used by people for the last 100 years or more.
I have uploaded photos of what I found that day and evening, and also before and after photos after I have cleaned my finds, such as the Silver Ring above and below.
Mens Silver Ring - after Electrolsys Cleaning
The place when I went metal detecting, was Clarkson Reserve on the Maylands Foreshore.
When I was there, I met a curious lady who asked me what I was doing. Her name was Jenny Seaton, a media, radio and television personality who currently has her own program on Curtin FM a radio station broadcasting in the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia.
Beautiful Art Deco Broach
So today she is going to interview me on the radio, so thats a bit exciting and a first for me.
I told Jenny I would post photos of the items I found that night for her listeners to look at.
I found some great items, especially the Ladies 18ct Gold and Diamond Ring, which I found in about 3 foot of water. And also the Mens Silver Wave Ring which was in about the same depth.
So here is what I found on the evening I met Jenny on the Swan.
If your interested in seeing what I have recently found, please go to my other website Metal Detecting Photos or just click on the links below.
Favourite Finds
- 18 CT Ladies Gold and Diamond Ring
- Mens Silver Wave Ring
- Gold Chain
- Silver Chain with Silver Love Heart Pendant
- Ladies Hair or Chest Broach
- Beautiful Silver Hair Broach – Found buried under Grass
- Beautiful Brass Art Deco Broach – Found under Paperbark Tree
- WW2 Anti Aircraft Bullet Shell Base Marking – FA 41 – Very Unusual Find on the Swan River
Other Finds
- 1945 Australian Penny
- 1945 Australian Penny
- Corroded Australian Penny (Date Unknown)
- Corroded Australian Penny (Date Unknown)
- 1927 Silver Three Pence
- 1910 Silver Three Pence
- 1953 Silver Three Pence
- 1956 Silver Three Pence
- Silver Six Pence – Date Unknown
- Around $20 in Australian Coins
- Heaps of Fishing Sinkers
- Very Old Toy Car – 1940’s
Have you lost your Ring or any Gold, Silver Item of Value?
If you have lost any Jewellery or Rings recently at any Perth Beaches, Swan River, Parks, Playgrounds or at your home in the garden, please get in quick and book me to hopefully find your Lost Jewellery
If I can’t help you, I’ll find someone who can, I have some good metal detecting contacts who have helped me in the past.
How much do I charge?
I charge nothing at all to search for your lost item, but my services is based on a reward only if found basis that is, if I find your lost ring, jewellery etc, then it is up to you what you’d like to give me as a reward.
A small fuel surcharge may be required depending on the distance I need to travel.
If I don’t find your lost item, then I don’t expect anything.
I do not hire out my metal detectors.
How to clean Silver and Copper Coins
- Very Corroded Australian 1919 Penny – Salt Water Metal Detecting Find
Click to Enlarge
When metal detecting in Rivers, Lakes and the Ocean, I find heaps of coins, and alot of the Coins of Australia I find are Pre-Decimal Australian Coins (Pre 1966 before the Australian Dollar and Cent was introduced and Pounds, Penny, Half Penny, Pence, Shilling, Six Pence and Three pence were removed) These Coins are either Silver such as the Florin, Six Pence and the Three Pence or are Copper, such as the Penny and Half Penny. Silver coins left in Salty or Fresh water for long periods of time do not corrode, but depending on the water movement, whether strong, or calm, these silver coins can still be damaged, such as being washed over the sand and shell grit over and over for many years, this will damage the coin, such as scratching it, wearing the face away, and putting little dings in the coin.
No different really than find a stone in the water which has been worn smooth over thousands of years of rolling in the water, once probably jaggard, now nice and round. Copper Coins left in Salty or Fresh water will definitely corrode, even if left in the water for very short periods of time, corrosion will start almost straight away. With the silver coins I find in the water, most of the time, they are tarnished black, this is a normal process of what happens to silver when left in a moist environment for long periods of time. Coins which have been left in the water for many years can become a home to microscopic crustaceans, shell grit and sand. Below is a photo of a coin which is encrusted with sand and shell grit.
The 1953 Australian Florin Covered in Sand and Shell Grit
Click to Enlarge
To clean the silver coins I find, I usually use three or four steps as follows:
Impatient Coin Cleaning Method
- Soak in hot soapy water for around 24hours
- Start the Electrolysis Coin Cleaning Method / clean with water and use thumb and finger to gently clean coin under running water
- Soak in Ammonia for 24 hours
- clean with silver cleaner and soft cloth
Note: (DO NOT CLEAN COPPER COINS USING THE ABOVE ELECTROLYSIS METHOD YOU WILL DAMAGE THE COIN, USE THE BELOW COIN CLEANING METHOD)
Patient Cleaning Method
Clean Silver or Copper Coins in Olive Oil or Distilled Water
Worn and Damaged 1953 Australian Florin - Swan River Metal Detecting Find - Cleaned using Electrolysis and Amonia Soaking
Click to Enlarge
The above Silver Florin was found by myself metal detecting on the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia.
Beautiful Silver Ring Found
- Beautifully Designed Silver Ring I Found Metal Detecting
When I was metal detecting at the swan river last week, there was a sandy playgound for kids right on the riverbank, the type of playgrounds, with swings, slides, monkey bars and all the other stuff kids like to play on. I thought I’d give the metal detector a bit of a swing there on my way back to the car, because I know that kids playgrounds are a great place to metal detect, because the kids lose money from the pockets, when they are swinging upside down on the monkey bars, their mums lose their rings as they are playing with their kids, jewellery falls off as the kids play rough with their mums and dads… and so much more.
So it proved a lucky day, not only did I find plenty of coins down the river bank, but I found myself this beautiful silver ring, with some tiny stones and one big stone. They are not real diamonds, but I wished they were, because the big stone is huge. I feel that it may be a wedding ring, because the design is so beautiful and intricate, I may be wrong, but nethertheless, it is a beautiful ring, and the photos don’t do it justice. So I’d say a kids Mum lost it as they were catching their small child at the bottom of a slide, because thats where I found the ring … at the bottom of a slide.
Beautifully Designed Silver Ring I Found Metal Detecting
Swan River Metal Detecting Finds
Swan River Metal Detecting Finds
Click to Enlarge
I was in Perth on the weekend just gone, and decided to do some metal detecting around the Swan River area, so I decided that I would head down to the Garrett Road Bridge where there is a nice picnic area which is popular with families, swimmers and kayakers and canoers.
I thought it would be a perfect spot to find some old coins, rings and other lost treasures.
It proved to be a great metal detecting spot, and I found plenty of coins, too many lead fishing sinkers, a long lost Avon Descent Medallion and a nice silver love hearts charm bracelet and a few other things.
As I have mentioned in my previous metal detecting stories, I really like to find old dog id tags (K9 Dogs that is) and I found one of those as well.
Sheeba's Lost Dog Tag
It had a phone number on the tag, as well as the dogs name which is “Sheeba” so I decided to give the owner a call, and she was very surprised that I had found it. She told me that it fell off Sheeba, around 4 years ago, whilst on a walk along the river bank. I was happy to hear that Sheeba is still alive and well, she is now 11 years old. But starting to slow down due to old age.
1999 Avon Descent Competitors Medallion - Found Near Garrett Road Bridge - Bayswater
So here is exactly what I found near the Swan River Metal Detecting:
- 1999 Avon Descent Competitors Medallion – Found Near Garrett Road Bridge – Bayswater – Front
- 1999 Avon Descent Competitors Medallion – Found Near Garrett Road Bridge – Bayswater – Reverse
- Extremely Corroded 1919 Australian Penny
- 1964 Australian Penny
- Sheeba’s the Dogs’ - Dog ID Tag
- Very Corroded Australian Half Penny (Date Unknown)
- Junk Brass Pendant
- 1946 Australian Shilling
- 1952 Australian Six Pence
- 1946 Australian Six Pence
- Silver Love Hearts Charm Bracelet
- Numerous other coins – $2 – $1 – 50 Cent etc
- Australian Six Pence Coin Date Unknown as I need to clean the coin. But you can see what 50 plus years of salty water immersion does to a silver coin.
Silver Love Hearts Charm Bracelet
Had a great couple of hours detecting there, I got there around 4pm with my girlfriend Natalie and our three little mongrel dogs, she played with them, whilst I detected, and when the mosquitos started to bite too hard, thats when I decided to pack up and head home to check out my lost treasure!
I am heading back there again in the very near future, but this time I will be taking my Minelab Underwater Metal Detector, so I can do some shallow water metal detecting.
I use a Minelab Excalibur Metal Detector when entering deeper water, it is 100% waterproof and a great detector.
The above finds I found using my Minelab E-Trac Metal Detector, it never lets me down and I always come home with something good.
