Route 01
Coins & tokens
Read the rim, size, portrait, date area, and metal color before cleaning anything.
Metal detecting find identification
Look first. Clean later.
The fastest way to erase a clue is to scrub before you know what you found. Record the size, shape, markings, weight, and context while the object is still unchanged.
The first-look card
Six clues before any cleaning.
- 1Exact sizeUse millimeters
- 2Front and backPhotograph both
- 3Edge and holesDo not pry
- 4Letters and numbersCopy every mark
- 5Magnet checkUse a small magnet
- 6Find contextNote depth and ground
Identification routes
Start with the object family.
You do not need the exact answer yet. A good category gives you the next useful clue.
Route 02
Buttons & fasteners
The shank, backmark, face pattern, and construction method can narrow the age quickly.
Route 03
Bullets & headstamps
Measure first. Then record every letter and number without scraping the surface.
Route 04
Jewelry & hallmarks
Photograph the mark, note magnetism and weight, and keep acid away until you know the material.