Farming & Agriculture: Fields of Hidden Cash

Picture the scene: it’s a sunny afternoon, you leave the house with your trusty metal detector and shovel; on the way out you glance at the calendar on the kitchen wall - 5th July 2009. You gently place your equipment in the back of your car, before jumping in and starting the engine.

Your destination? A local farm. Your expectations? A few spoons, discarded cans and rusty nails, but an enjoyable day out, some fresh air and a walk nonetheless.

Little do you know that by the end of the day you’d be pocketing a half and half share of four million pounds. 

This is exactly what happened to Terry Herbert. In what is now called the ‘Staffordshire Hoard’, Terry’s lucky find completely transformed his life. 

It just goes to show that where there’s agricultural land, there’s the potential for hidden riches. And while most people won’t find what Terry found, you’d be surprised how often landowners find items of value on their land, only to not realise their true value, discard them or leave them to rust.

In this blog, we explore some of the ways farmland can hold hidden riches. From old equipment to unexpected finds… read on!

Allow metal detectorists on your land

A metal detectorist is someone who uses a metal detector to unearth finds. They will often use historical records to predict where they should try their luck. 

However, this is a time-consuming process and detectorists enjoy the hobby and camaraderie as much as actually finding items, much in the same way some people are content to go and fish without getting a catch all day, so if it’s not for you - let them do the hard work for you.

If you recall Terry Herbert’s haul (mentioned above), he received a 50:50 split of the £4.25m treasure - the other half always goes to the landowner. So let them get on with it! 

And if you find something that looks old while working the land, don’t just throw it away. It could be an absolute fortune. Look at this example of a bored mother who found a 500-year-old coin worth £2,500!

Old farm equipment - or a treasure trove?

Your great-grandparent’s old boot-scraper, plough or hay rack: just old junk, or antiques? We prefer the latter. 

A quick search on a few antique websites show these items have gone right up in value. For example: an antique boot scraper is selling for £175. Vintage pulleys? £80 each. A galvanised water tank? £325!

Evidently, there can be a lot of hidden value in your older items. Be warned, however: this can often require good salesmanship and a dab hand at upcycling.

But that doesn’t mean it’s the only way to make money from old farm goods…

Selling old farm equipment

More often than not, your old equipment will be in too bad condition to sell on, or even at an antique fair, so why not consider selling it for scrap? We don’t just mean old vehicles, we mean things you may have overlooked, like ploughs, threshing machines or reapers. 

The value of metal changes on a day by day basis, but now would be a good time to sell. The price of iron and steel has been rising since February; the price of copper has been rising since March.

Consider Mellor Metals

If you have some old farm equipment you’re struggling to sell on or find value in, Mellor Metals will be happy to help you. We are a family-run, independent metal recycling company based in Attenborough, Norfolk.

Whether you’re looking for some friendly advice or someone to value your scrap metal, look no further.

Get in touch with our knowledgeable team today.