Eastbourne duo share their metal detecting highlights including a big find for the British Museum

Chris and Simon Weller, father and son, metal detect around Sussex regularly. Chris used to detect in the 70s and when Simon bought a metal detector four years ago Chris got back into it. Simon said: “I started out detecting with a local group called Peaky Finders and once I got used to my machine I started finding some amazing objects. I became obsessed with finding hidden treasures buried beneath our feet and being out in our beautiful Sussex countryside. For me metal detecting is as close as you can come to travelling in time without actually doing it. Knowing you are the first person to pick up an object in hundreds if not thousands of years.”

Simon said his favourite find is a Philip VI King of France 1293-1292 coin. It was bought off him by the British Museum and Simon and the landowner received £1,000 each. Other impressive finds include a 100-150BC Gallo-Belgic quarter stater, another type of ancient coin, and an Anglo Scandinavian/Viking sword crossguard. All finds over 300 years old are recorded by the finds liason officer, who works on behalf of the portable antiquities scheme. Simon and Chris keep everything unless there is an item the landowner wants.

Simon said: “What a year this has been for me and dad. We have started our own TikTok (@thedecentdetorists) and Instagram (the_decent_detectorists) accounts called ‘The Decent Detectorists’ and love showing all our finds there. I wonder what treasures the next few years hold for us.”