For people who have been metal detecting for a while now, they might start to feel overwhelmed with the amount of finds they’ve accumulated over time …
Indeed, if you are in the same situation, you should start noticing that you’ve got more finds than you can handle in your displaying room (if you’ve got one). That’s why, it is very important to learn how to organize and (why not) properly display your finds.
In this short article, I share with you some helpful ideas to properly display your finds.
Displaying Coins
If you want to secure all the coins you have found with your metal detector and also showcase them all in one place, then having a coin binder or a cousin scrapbook is the best option.
A coin binder/scrapbook (Check it Here at Amazon) makes it easy to store your coin finds and also helps them remain organized as you can organize them by date, type, and/or.
Having a coin binder also makes it easy to keep it on a bookshelf. Furthermore, you could even create a binder for every denomination of the coin. This makes things even easier and much more organized to display.
Another option for storing coins is to get coin capsules. Coin capsules are tiny storage containers that make for a great way to display your coins, but only if you have that kind of space.
For example, if you are lucky to find a seated liberty dime or an Indian head penny, you know that these come out of the ground, usually in excellent condition.
So to preserve these in the best way possible and to be able to show off your find, putting them in simple plastic coin capsules that are very affordable can be a great idea.
These make for a secure setting around the coin, while the plastic window lets you get a perfectly clear view of the coin’s details on both sides.
Displaying WW Finds
One of the best ways to store your finds from any of the World Wars is in Display Cases (Check it Here at Amazon). You can choose to buy a small display case or a bigger one depending on how many finds you have.
Many people get lights also installed in these display cases to keep the focus on their discoveries whenever needed …
However, keep in mind that having a display case is not possible for everyone, mainly depending on the living situation, as display cases tend to take up quite a lot of space.
Using a taller standing case is another good idea for those who have a space crunch. This type of display case fits nicely into the corner.
Treasure hunters with rooms that have an awkward layout and are limited in square footage often choose to go with such taller display cases.
A great idea to keep in mind before buying a display case from a shop is to first check out the many garage and yard sales in your neighborhood.
You can make some good savings by purchasing from such sales instead of buying a brand new one from the store.
Displaying Relics
When it comes to displaying relics, you have to be careful that there are many factors that can damage your historical memorabilia …
These include light, temperature, humidity, pests, chemical reactions, and air pollutants. So you need to keep all these factors in mind before choosing what to display your relics in.
Prevention of oxidation or corrosion should be the primary goal while caring for and displaying your relics. Most corrosion is caused by moisture or humidity, so always display them in a relatively dry environment.
Displaying relics in the living room is a good idea as they are much dryer than other places. Attics, garages, or basements are not good places for displaying your relics as these tend to be either too humid, hot, or moist for the artifacts.
A great idea is to display them inside a treasure chest. A small jewelry style box or a large vintage travel trunk kind of a treasure chest will do.
You can easily find these being sold in thrift shops or antique stores. Keeping them inside a treasure chest will keep them safe from the environmental elements as well as too much light, pests, and other factors that may damage your relics (especially old ones like ww2 relics).
Displaying old Buttons
To display your buttons, a Tackle Box (Check it Here at Amazon) is usually the best idea. Tackle boxes are a great way to show off your buttons while also keeping them organized.
If you have gone fishing, you will know that tackle boxes come in handy for all the lures and baits. Tackle boxes are the perfect and most affordable solution for displaying buttons, and most people already own one, eliminating the need to spend money on buying a tackle box.
It also makes it easy to organize your buttons as they have different compartments that allow you to separate the buttons as you wish.
A great tip is to stretch out cotton balls to place and line the bottom of the various compartments in the tackle box to keep your finds from getting banged and bounced around, which might possibly scratch or damage the buttons.
Again, a coin binder or scrapbook can also be a great option for storing buttons since the two finds are mostly the same shape.
Keeping your buttons in a coin binder or scrapbook makes it easy to find and also keeps them organized as you can again sort them out by type, date, and year or month of discovery.
Displaying Rings
The best way to display the rings you have found while metal detecting is to use a foam padded ring display box.
These can be found at any jewelry store or even thrift shops. They come with a transparent cover or lid that lets you see inside to admire your rings. Make sure you buy a box with a latch to prevent your rings from falling out accidentally.
You can also turn one of your drawers into a ring storage box. You can reorganize your dresser, move out the clothes, and place some separators and smaller storage boxes to place the rings.
You can easily line these boxes and separators with cotton balls to prevent any damage to your rings.
Displaying other Jewelry types
To display other pieces of jewelry, you can hang the items from hooks and chains is becoming a very trendy idea these days, sure to catch the eye of any visitor to your home.
However, keep in mind that this is only recommended for costume jewelry and long necklaces or earrings. If you have found expensive jewelry, storing them out in the open is a big NO. The metal will oxidize, and your piece may get damaged.
The best way to store any expensive jewelry is in a display case or in a shadow box. A shadow box display can easily hold a wide variety of jewelry.
A shadowbox will help you showcase your jewelry in a very versatile way since they have a lot more room inside. This lets you display any larger pieces of jewelry as well. Shadow boxes have a glass top display that lets you see what’s inside without needing to open the box.
Depending on the type of shadow box you have chosen, you can either mount it on the wall or hang it. Just remember to secure your jewelry finds inside before hanging up the box to avoid them spilling and pooling up at the bottom of the box.
Some shadow boxes come with a small ledge that helps separate out the finds and also keep them secure in one place.
Displaying meteorites
To display meteorites, ideally, one would want a display case that comes with automated humidity control.
However, these tend to cost thousands of dollars, so for most of us, this is not affordable. The next best thing to display meteorites would be to find a place that protects the specimens from excessive humidity and heat.
Iron meteorites and certain pallasites are the most troublesome for storing, while some stones can also be prone to rust.
So to prevent damage to your meteorite finds, the best is to display them in simple display cases. However, you have to make sure that the sides are correctly sealed and keep a plate glass front that is sealed tightly around the edges. Using weather-stripping for sealing is a great idea. Most detectorists who are into meteorite hunting prefer to make their own display cases.
This allows them to seal the edges tightly themselves to prevent any humidity and air from passing through.
You can also use a simple plastic container to store them, but you need to ensure that the container is closed tightly.
Small plastic boxes are not only inexpensive but also provide air tight cover for storing meteorites. Riker-type cases can be an attractive option for displaying stones and are mostly inexpensive.
Final Thoughts: Displaying other finds …
Finally, it is worth mentionning that to truly excel as a detectorist, you must prioritize logging your discoveries; I urge you to embrace this practice …
If you have other valuable finds from metal detecting and you are unsure of how to display them. A coffee table display can be a great idea, especially for discoveries like bullet casings, buttons and buckles, heirlooms, home decors, bottle caps, toys, marbles, and the many what’s its.
A coffee display table also makes for a great conversation starter whenever there are guests over at your home.
This type of table display is a great way to showcase some of your finds, and you can even keep on changing out your display each month or add decor to the design of your display.
For example, add fall leaves or spring flowers to add an extra sparkle to your display design as the seasons change. Using a coffee table to display your knick-knacks found during metal detecting is a very useful and trendy way of showcasing the results of your hard work.
