Metal detecting club membership leaps in six years

The Surrey Metal Detecting Club's membership has grown from a few dozen to more than 3,000 in six years

The founder of the Surrey Metal Detecting Club has said membership has rocketed from about 60 when it launched in 2019, to more than 3,000 in 2025.

Tommy Coleman from Reigate was speaking to Radio Surrey after it was revealed treasure finds across England by detectorists had reached record levels.

Mr Coleman said he began metal detecting at the age of 14 and has made thousands of finds.

"We're not in it for the treasure, we're history finders," he said.

Tommy Coleman has made thousands of finds since he began metal detecting when he was 14

He said: "I just love the history. I love finding something and thinking to myself 'someone held this, back in Roman times'.

"It's just putting a story behind everything you find.

"I've never sold a single item and I've found thousands of coins."

Mr Coleman's collection of coin finds spans from Henry VII to George V

Mr Coleman said for "a good entry level detector you're looking at between £400 to £500", but machines can cost up to £2,000.

"They're getting really clever," he said. "Detectors now can pretty much tell you what it is before you dig it. You can tell what shape it is, you've got IDs so you know what type of metal it is.

"It means you're not digging loads of holes for no reason."

Mr Coleman says he enjoys thinking about the history behind each of his finds

The detectorist said he keeps his finds carefully arranged in a display cabinet at his home.

"My top shelf is all my silver coins, going back to Henry VIII, right up to 1946. I have a second shelf where it's all World War One and World War Two artefacts.

"Then I have my third shelf where it's all Roman - coins, brooches and stuff like that.

"Every detectorist has their own thing, mine is World War One or Two."

Mr Coleman also said a day's metal detecting is very good exercise.

"We average anything between 19,000 and 30,000 steps." he said.

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