Many metal detector enthusiasts never find more than old bottle caps, a few dollars in loose change, and some cheap jewelry in their searches, but on the afternoon of Aug. 14, in a horse pasture near Ridgeland, S.C., relic hunter Laszlo Eles unearthed what he believes to be a more valuable find: a silver half dime from 1795, minted when George Washington was President. The South Carolina resident has not yet taken it to an appraiser, but Eles estimates it is worth about $10,000 — and he plans to hold on to the coin until the economy improves. In his 25 years as a hobbyist, this is not the first time he has come across a valuable item. In 2005, Eles found a South Carolina copper slave tag and sold it for $15,000 to a collector in California.

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