19 Vintage Artifacts People Found In Their Own Backyards That'll Remind You There Was A Time Before This Awful Reality We're Living In 2024

When I think of buried treasure, my mind usually goes to the tales of sunken pirate ships I heard in my youth. But it turns out, there's a whole community of modern treasure hunters out there, and they like to share their finds in the r/metaldetecting subreddit.

I don't think I'll ever pick up a metal detector myself, but I love seeing what these dedicated folks happen to find. Here are some of the best:

1.This $25,000 gold necklace someone lost at the beach:

2.This 1880s pocket watch cover someone found in the backyard of their 1800s-era home:

3.This gorgeous gold trinket with whimsical engravings in a dreamy font:

4.This old-timey pistol that looks like it belongs in Clue.

5.This nine-year haul I'm convinced came from a pirate ship at the bottom of the ocean (it didn't):

6.This medieval Roman coin that just might be from the Byzantine era(!!!):

7.This vintage 10k gold ring complete with perfectly preserved peridots:

8.This entire sword that probably sent the detector into a frenzy:

9.This mini Squidward statue that just makes me laugh:

10.This trinket that was identified as a piece of equipment from Napoleon's troops, and was donated to a museum:

11.This Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy Badge from the 1910s:

12.This gold fountain pen tip that's nothing short of stunning:

13.These golden teeth I'm sure someone was very disappointed to lose back in the day:

14.This 1846 2.5-dollar gold coin in near-mint condition:

15.This emblem for the 1897 Grand Rapids "Carnival of Fun":

16.This German WWII-era military helmet:

17.This vintage stopwatch that looks straight out of a steampunk fairytale:

18.This 15-gram gold nugget that probably would've been enough to buy an entire house during the Gold Rush era:

19.And finally, this wedding band dated on December 25, 1893:

Which of these finds is your favorite? Tell us in the comments.