Albert from Golden Treasure Metal Detectors

Earlier this spring, Dumpdiggers met Albert Anderson, the charismatic proprietor of Golden Treasure Metal Detectors - Canada's premier metal detector dealership.

On the phone Albert’s voice crackles like Jim Rockford’s answering machine, but the resemblance is purely audio; Albert doesn’t look anything like James Garner.

On Tuesday May 6th 2008, Dumpdiggers tripped around to to test some gear with Albert Anderson. We visited a strange site in close proximity to his home. Mr. Anderson was equipped with Troy Custom Detectors, Shadow X5, while Timbits used the Tesoro, Cibola.

Here's a picture of Albert holding a two-box detector along with his trusty Troy X5, and some other accessories.

Our hunt happened out on the Scarborough Bluffs in the vicinity of East Point Park. The property in question had once belonged to the Bennett Family - they were granted the land in the early 1800's. One hundred years later, the land was appropriated by the City of Toronto for municipal purposes and this site is the scene of some environmentally questionable activity today.

Golden Treasure Metal Detectors is almost certainly Canada’s premier treasure hunting gadget retailer; so it fits that GMTD occupies a converted residential garage in East Scarborough. Although the business has been around for twenty five years, Albert only bought the name and contents ten years ago... Before he owned the place it was operated by a real old timer who was also named Albert. The switch fooled Tim who had purchased gear from the old Albert back in the 80’s. He did a double take when he saw and heard the new proprietor answer to the name Albert - he must have wondered if the old timer had found Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth? Sorry blatant keyword acquisition tactic there.

Together we tested Albert's machines in the open fields near his house. Because it’s only May, there's no grass or shrubbery to impede the coil swinging or impair the quality of the signal. As we worked, Albert explained that Golden Treasure Metal Detectors is the official Canadian Distributor for White's Electronics. He is an official Dealer for DetectorPro, Fisher, Garrett, Minelab, and Tesoro. He has something for everyone and commented on how the high price of gold is creating more amateur prospectors – one nugget could pay for your hobby. Other popular trends include scuba diving with underwater metal detectors – Albert stocks everything necessary for this activity too, except the scuba gear.

Local Toronto Treasure Story As we walking along the bluffs Albert related a tenacious local myth - the Lost Treasure of Highland Creek. I find it highly unlikely, but the story that took place during the war of 1812: It seems a British sailing vessel was being pursued by an American gunboat and rather than risk capture, they put in to the mouth of Highland Creek on the Eastern most edge of what is today East Point Park. Here the Captain dumped or somehow buried or hid his ship’s cargo. It has been suggested that it was a wide range of treasures, from gold coins to copper kettles and pots. Many people have looked, but nobody has ever recovered any items from this creek. Hurricane Hazel in 1954 altered the course of the river and now the items maybe anywhere in that estuary, if in fact they ever existed.

What did we find? Well for once we found exactly what we were looking for, an excellent local metal detector connection.