Get your best metal detector ready for Saturday, July 12, at the Texana Museum. Local “Treasure Lady” Charlene Tobola and popular Metal Detectorist Gypsy Jewels are hosting a seeded hunt, and Tobola said treasures will be ready to be found.
“Some people might think what they’ve found is just a penny or a dime, but if they look it up or get it appraised, you might find that your coin might be worth $100,” she said.
Because the Texana Museum operates through donations only, suggested prices are available for different age groups. Cash only: $15 for 17 years and up, $25 for a family, and
see TREASURE HUNT AT TEXANA MUSEUM page A3 $5 for under 16 years or an adult bystander. Tobola urges donations for the event, in order to keep the Texana Museum alive.
At 10 a.m., attendees will have the opportunity to meet Gypsy Jewels in the flesh and get autographs. Jewels is the author of Just Digging It: A Beginner’s Guide to Metal Detecting, and hosts two podcasts: Treasure Vortex, All Metal Mode, and Beyond Oak Island. Jewels can also be found on the History Channel and the Discovery Channel, in numerous television episodes such as Ghostdetectors and Gold Rush, just to mention a few.
“During the meet and greet at 10 a.m., we will also go over the rules, ethics, and share the public places to begin the seeded hunt,” Tobola said. “The kids’ hunt begins at 11 a.m., and parents can help them, then the parents can take part in their hunt. We want everyone to have a chance.”
Tobola and Jewels began a friendship online around 2022, and then met in person after a few years at a hunt in Kerrville.
Two years ago Jewels came to Jackson County to help host a seeded hunt with Tobola, and they’re looking to have the same success this year.
A learning curve exists in metal detecting; one can have the cheapest machine or the most expensive, but if the equipment isn’t set to ground balance, one will not be able to find the targets correctly.
“We’ll fill the yards with anything from coins, charms, foreign coins, old keys and more,” Tobola said. “We want people to get interested in coin collecting or metal detecting… something to do outside instead of watching tv and playing video games.”
Prizes will be awarded via the tokens found during the event, refreshments will be provided, and everyone gets to keep what they find.
“The award for first place will give the person a different perspective of learning outside…the mystery is there for people to go and find out about,” Tobola added, and kept the award secret. “I’ve gone to antique shops, Ebay, anything I could find online. We’re mixing in the new with the old.”
Call the Texana Museum at 361-782-5431 for more information. Also, to learn more about Gypsy Jewels, check out her website, gypsydigs.com.
