Yep I'm Doing It. I'm Dabbling in Crypto and its Actually a lot of Fun Doing It. Don't Be Afraid!

Your time is money. For all you guys and gals who have metal detecting channels hoping to monetize your videos to earn a few dollars but YouTube swooped in and put the screws to your channel because you didn't have 1000 subscribers or 4000 hours of viewing time... there are other platforms out there similar to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram etc. I've been trying some of them out. Here is my honest review and you might be surprised at the results. I know I was.

Recently I've been curious about other ways to make money on the Internet. With all the garbage going on with YouTube crushing the little channels who are trying to make a dollar or 2, I decided to look elsewhere for other opportunities and that's when I stumbled into Bitcoin but specifically the Blockchain.

Whats Inside?

At first, I was baffled and confused but when I started looking more into it, I started to see that there are other platforms out there similar to facebook, (Steemit), YouTube (DTube), YouTube Live (DLive), Instagram (Steepshot) and so on. All of which use the Blockchain which is like an open ledger and fully transparent to anyone wanting to see the transactions. In fact, you can see my account balance right now by looking at my Steemit account. Do you need to invest any money to get started? Nope. In fact, I've been using Steemit, Dtube, and Steepshot now for over 2 months and my account has grown to over $200 as of July 31st and depending on the price of Steem and all I've invested is $40 just to see if I could make a transaction to purchase Steem (the crypto currency) and I could!

Getting my account set up took a little time and I'll admit was a little frustrating. You will need to get a Steemit account first which can take up to 3 weeks to get approved. Once you get your account don't rush into posting right away take some time and look up articles on how to do your first post on Steemit. Its called your #introduceyourself post and you want to do it right and get the attention of the "Whales". Whales hold the most influence and value on the platform. In addition, they could possibly throw some money your way and that's how it really works. Your goal is not to get as many views as possible but getting other Steemians to up-vote your content and when they do you'll make a little bit of money (aka crypto) and you should do the same to other Steemians who post content that you like. Its a community thing!

Starting out, your influence score on the Steemit platform will be small starting out at just 25 but overtime and if you create good content, your influence will grow. After a couple of months I've been able to raise my score to 55. Overtime (hopefully) your followers will grow and so should your wallet. I personally haven't made a lot on Steemit. However, one of my goals has always been to become a better writer and the process of writing and curating content on Steemit has certainly helped me get better (at least I hope so).

Currently, I'm making the most crypto off of DTube. I like creating videos and uploading them to both YouTube and DTube. Typically, I'll upload my videos to DTube first and let them run for 3-5 days before I upload them to YouTube. You can't forget about your subscribers on YouTube! Plus, most of my subscribers just aren't ready for something new like DTube. But I see improvements all the time. Either way, I don't mind uploading to 2 similar platforms. They both have their pluses and minus so it all balances out.  Luckily for me, I've captured the attention of the DTube Whales and they have been up-voting my videos and throwing anywhere from $20-50 Steem my way. Have I made that much crypto on all of my videos? The answer is absolutely not. But from the 15 videos I have uploaded to DTube, 10 have made $20 or more. If you don't believe me take a look at my account on DTube. Compare those numbers to what I made last month on YouTube which was around $20 for the entire month. Which platform is the better deal? I think its pretty obvious.

I guess all I'm trying to say is why not give other platforms a look? We get so wrapped around the big platforms and they don't pay out anything so what do you have to lose? When was the last time you made any money from posting a photo to Facebook or got paid something for curating content on someone's post? On the Blockchain, at least you have chance to make something in return for your time and energy and that's why I'm giving them a chance. Will it all come crashing down in the future? Is crypto here to stay? I don't know, I'm not dumping my retirement into it so who cares? Besides, I'm learning a lot about crypto, having fun doing it, and making a money at the same time so why not?

Hopefully I didn't bore you to death. I'm trying to convince some of my friends and channel owners to come on over and try some of these platforms on the Blockchain. I've had a few ups and downs starting out but my overall experience has been positive. Plus, its nice to see a little crypto coming in from the time and energy I put into creating my content.

Thanks for your time. Let me know what you think of this post. -MM314

Learn About Crypto Currency Now

With So Many Choices Out There What is The Best Gear to Buy?

I Love Treasure Hunting But What Gear Just Works? 

Many people ask me what kind of gear do I own or like? If you are new to treasure hunting or if you've been hunting for awhile and your're just looking around for new or dependable gear, I might be able to help. Below, I've compiled a list of the gear that I own and believe in. I've used all of this gear and still do today. Some of my gear has been in my possession since 2013 and is still functioning properly. I try really hard to keep my gear in good working condition so that probably has a lot to do with why I haven't had too many failures. But the quality does speak for itself. It is fair to say that I have had my share of what I call "junk" equipment but you won't see any of that gear listed. The list below is contains the gear that I've had the most success with over the years and because some of this gear has been around for a few years, you can get some really good deals on it now. Keep that in mind before jumping to the latest fad in metal detecting. If you have any questions about my gear, feel free to drop a comment or email me at mentalmetal314@gmail.com. I'd love to hear what your think or what your list of might include that I don't have below. Keep in mind this is just my opinion and not an endorsement for anyone. I don't get paid to promote any one of these products. 

FULL DISCLOSURE: The links below will take you over to Amazon.com. I am associated with Amazon Associates and if you purchase any of the gear linked from this post,  I will get a small commission but you are in no way obligated to purchase anything. The links below are provided to quickly get you additional about the gear. If you do make a purchase THANK YOU. It will help me continue producing videos and upgrading my equipment. 

Metal Detecting Gear By XP Metal Detectors (**My Top Pick**)

I've been using the XP Deus now for about 2 years and they keep evolving the machine. With new software updates and new equipment like the MI-6 Pin Pointer, they just keep getting better. Later this year they are coming out with a new line of coils. 

XP Deus MetalDetector, WS5 Headphones and Controller Box 

XP Deus MI-6Pinpointer

XP Deus 9"Round Waterproof DD HF Coil

XP Deus Water Kit
XP Deus Search Coil Charging Clip

XP Deus Hip MountCase for Remote Control

XP Deus Cable USB 3Mini B Charging cable

XP Deus WS4 WirelessHeadphone Adapter

Metal Detecting Gear by Garrett Metal Detectors (**Dependable**)

When I first came back into metal detecting about 5 years ago I was directed to the Garrett AT Pro and wow it was an amazing machine. I found so many good relics and coins that I never thought I would part with it. Their customer service speaks for itself. They have always repaired my broken gear quickly without any issues. 

Garrett AT PRO MetalDetector (Bonus Pack)

Garrett Pro PointerAT

Garrett Camo DiggersPouch

Garrett Edge Diggerwith Sheath for Belt Mount

Garrett SubmersibleHeadphones

Garrett AA BatteryHolder For AT Pro

Garrett 5x8" DDCoil for AT Pro and AT Gold

Garrett AT PRO CamoBag (Package)

Garrett AT ProArmrest Strap

Garrett AT PROArmrest Cuff and Stand with Armrest PAD 

Minelab Pulse Metal Detector (My go to machine in mineralized "hot" soil)

I'm relatively new to Minelab products so I can't speak to much about them but when I travel to Virginia to hunt in what they call the "red dirt" the GPX series machine is the ticket. It cuts through the mineralized ground like butter and the depth is amazing. I dug a civil war button almost 15 inches down! But they are not cheap.  

Minelab GPX 4500Metal Detector w/2 Search Coils

Minelab 5 Pin PowerCable for GPX 4500

Minelab GXP Spare LiIon Battery

Minelab Main WallCharger for GPX Series Metal Detectors

Whites Pulse Metal Detector (TDI goes deep on the beach also good in "hot" soil)

Back in the 1990's I had a Whites 5900 and it was built like tank. Not a lot has changed with Whites machines. They are still built strong. I don't have anything negative to say about them. I did pick up a used Whites TDI "big box" machine about 2 years ago and it worked great, even on the beach. It goes deep. 

Whites TDI SL PulseDetector 

Whites 12" DualField Search Coil for TDI and TDI Pro

Good luck out there and happy hunting!

A Most Spectacular Discovery From 200 Years Ago

I'll probably never top this discovery!

Since I've been pretty non-existent on my blog up until now, I thought I would share some of my most memorable finds over the last couple of months. I've had a pretty good year most of my success came from water detecting this year but there was one discovery that rocketed all the way to the top of my "Best Finds For 2017" list. On top of that, it was a big bucket list item that I wanted to find.

The coin I found was an 1810 Capped Bust Liberty Half and it was in stunning shape. It almost appears as if it was lost the same day it was minted. Here is a picture of the front and back of the coin. I wrote up a quick story about the coin and it was posted on the XP Metal Detectors Americas customer finds website Check out the story and if you don't mind please vote for it by clicking the thumbs up icon. The "thumbs up or vote icon" is in the upper left hand corner of the story.

Where did I find this spectacular coin?

If you follow me on YouTube, I have several videos I've shot over the last couple of years highlighting some really great relics and coins I've found from this permission. The "Trevanion Mansion" as we affectionately call it was built back in 1817 and  this year (2017) marked 200 years of its existence. The owners invited my wife and I in to see some of the renovations and interesting features of the mansion.

Whats inside the mansion? 

As you walk in the front door you greeted by massive display cabinet full of relics and coins that have been found on the property. Many of the items on display were found by myself and couple of my fellow digger friends.

As you continue to move through the mansion several rooms have completely renovated. On the first floor you'll find the double parlor, dining room, family room, kitchen, pool room, and mud room. On the 2nd floor, you'll find the master bedroom, library, bathroom, 70's room, brown room, porch, and guest bedroom. There are actually 3 floors. We didn't explore too much of the third floor but we did venture into the tower that is supposedly haunted. For a quick tour you can check out my video of the mansion and the day I discovered the coin by clicking here 

Whats in the future? 

I haven't considered this permission hunted out just yet so more than likely I'll keep going back to uncover and save more history from this amazing "Trevanion Mansion".

Thanks for reading! -MM314  

Paid Hunts for Civil War Relics: Are They Worth The Money?

Wow where did the time go? I've been aiming to get back to my blog and post some updates on my adventures so here we go!


Its almost Thanksgiving and I just got back from a Civil War hunt down near Culpeper Virginia. The relics were far and few between but when you did stumble into them the ground usually gave up clusters of bullets. I managed to find a few bullets but nothing earth shattering. I found one round ball, one 3 ringer, 18 Sharps, buck and ball, 2 button backs, and 2 eagle cuff buttons. Not shown are 2 broken tent spikes. I would consider this amount of relics to be average for these type of hunts.

The metal detector I used was a borrowed Minelab GPX 4800 Pulse machine and this picture really captures why a pulse machine is needed in the mineralized dirt of the rust belt. In this picture (right) I have my pin-pointer down as deep as the bullet but there are several inches above the pin-pointer before you get to the leaf line of the dirt. Some of those bullets were down 12-14 inches. That is really deep for a VLF machine to pick up in hot dirt and even though the ground doesn't look that bad it was heavily mineralized.

But lets get back to the main question. Are these type of hunts worth the money? Its a loaded question really. It all depends on what you expect to get out of them. For instance, I've been on 2 of these hunts so far from 2 different groups. Each group I found to be very friendly and full of good folks. Everyone one was polite and helpful and the experience was delightful. Did I find a lot of relics? I don't think I did. In fact, if you think you are going to one of these hunts and expect the relics to jump in your bag...think again. These hunts are no joke. They usually consist of hundreds of acres of land with hills, creeks, rivers, rocks and so on. The hunts last all day for 3 days (usually) and you really have to prepare yourself and carry a lot of water and some food to munch on throughout the day. If you don't, plan on being miserable and you will pay the price of dehydration and more than likely won't make it through the 3 days. 

Are there good relics to be found? Absolutely! During both hunts that I was lucky enough to attend, I saw a lot of nice bullets, plates, buttons, etc. found. One guy found a U.S plate 10 feet from where I was standing. The relics are there to be found but they aren't in every square inch of the property. You will have to work to find them and work you will! I hunted all 3 days of each hunt until dark. There were times I wanted to just lay down and nap (and you can) but you only have 3 days to find the treasure so I never stopped searching but I was exhausted by the end of day 3.

So whats the cost to attend one of these hunts? Assuming you get picked to attend the hunt (that's another process I may write about later), both hunts I attended each cost $250 each, then you have to add in the cost of a hotel. My cost for 4 nights at a local hotel was around $60/night and it ended up costing me around $250. Plus, you need food for each day. I try to stay cheap and bring my lunch meat, bread, snacks etc. but I probably spent $50 on my own food. You will probably want to eat a nice meal each night so plan on adding in approximately $15/night or $60 for the 4 nights. At this point you are somewhere around $610. The price continues to rise if you add in your gas to get to and from the hunt sites and your drive to and from the hotel. If you are coming from California (and someone did) that really adds up. I guess the bottom line is that its pretty expensive and if you don't have the right metal detector or gear then add those expenses in as well. The $$$ can really get out of control.

However, you are getting away for 3 or 4 days to hang out with some really fun and interesting people who enjoy the hobby as much as you do. If you get lucky like I did, you might run into into some of the famous YouTubers who probably coaxed you into the hobby in the first place. I finally met the legend himself "Aquachigger". I had a fanboy moment but I had to get a picture with him. He was very gracious with his time and I appreciated that. I even got the chance to chat with him in the field 2 days later and watched him probe for huts. The man is a machine but really just a super nice guy. 

To sum things up, I find these hunts very enjoyable. Both of my experiences have been positive and I got to meet some really cool folks and made some lifelong friends. They are expensive but they only happen a couple times a year (usually fall and spring) so if you can find a way to stash some money aside and get picked to go, give one a chance and experience it for yourself. You probably won't regret it. -mm314

Did Mental Go Mental? Where Did He Go?

OK its time to get back to business with the blog. My apologies for not posting in a long time but I've been a little busy with a lot of things. Work, life, family, detecting...etc. I've been devoting a lot time to my YouTube channel and I've put a lot of new videos up over the last couple of months to include 2016 recaps of my favorite land and water hunts so stop on over and check them out. Here is Part II A Recap of 2016 Favorite Water Hunts.

Have I been Detecting recently? Yes I've been doing some detecting in 2017. The weather has been relatively warm for January and February here in Maryland so a lot of us are taking advantage of it. I'll be out again this coming weekend. I recently acquired a new permission from a really old farm. It dates back to at least 1850 but we believe its a lot older than that. I've already prospected a little and dug up a large cent (1837) and Virginia half penny (1773-1774). Here is a link to one of the videos from this permission. I'll have more updates on this property in the near future.

Any new gear? Well yes I do have some new/used gear. I recently got selected to participate in the Diggin' in Virginia 37 hunt in Culpper, VA. I picked up a used Whites TDI Pulse Induction machine for the 3 day hunt. My budget didn't quite get me the Minelab GPX 5000 but maybe by the fall Ill be able to save up for it. They aren't exactly cheap.

I also picked up the Garrett Z-Lynk Wireless System to try with my AT Pro and the White's TDI.

(Spoiler alert!) 

The Z-Lynk system works amazing and I highly recommend it if you want to free yourself from being attached to your machine by your headphone wire. I'll have more information about it in one of my upcoming videos. Good luck finding one of these now. They are all on back order from what I've been told. I was lucky and got mine.

That's all for now. See you at the next update. VERY SOON!