Coin Beach In Delaware Is One Of The Best Places To Go Metal Detecting In The U.S.
Are you looking for a new way to spend your time in the First State? One of the nation’s top places to go metal detecting is right here in Slower Lower Delaware. Read all about why Coin Beach is a great place to go treasure hunting below!
Delaware Seashore State Park is one of the most popular destinations for visitors in the First State, and locals all know about the history of the park's Indian River Inlet.
The Inlet is known for rough waters, high tides, and a wild history that includes the fatal collapse of a bridge, the failure of multiple other bridges, and shipwrecks all along the rocky shore.
The Faithful Steward was an Irish ship that wrecked en route to Philadelphia. Along with 249 passengers (with only 68 survivors), the ship was carrying 400 barrels of British pennies and halfpennies.
Today, the area near the wreck of the Faithful Steward is known as Coin Beach. For decades, treasure hunters have discovered coins hidden underneath the sand just a few dozen yards from where the Steward sunk.
Grab a metal detector and try searching for yourself! All year long, hobbyists and history buffs come out to search for remnants and treasures washed ashore from shipwrecks.
The best time to get out and look for treasure is after a storm churns up the coast. In the wintertime, you'll find people bundling up and heading out to look after a Nor'Easter, and in the summertime, thunderstorms and squalls clear out and leave good detecting conditions.
The most common coins to turn up are British pennies and half-pennies, dating back to the 1700s. Many other types of old coins, including Irish coins, turn up as well.
If you don't have any luck finding coins of your own, allow yourself time to visit the Indian River Lifesaving Station. This museum dedicated to the earliest coastal servicemen has a found treasure on display.
Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: kmagaraci@onlyinyourstate.com
