Gary Drayton

Born on May 30, 1961, in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England, Gary Drayton’s early life involved bottle digging, an activity focused on excavating old Victorian trash pits and riverbanks. During this period, he discovered various historical items, including old bottles, clay pipes, doll heads, and marbles. Some of his bottle finds dated back to the early 1600s, with clay pipes from the 1500s. A notable discovery from this time was a Roman perfume bottle, indicating Roman occupation. His experience in bottle digging gradually led him to an interest in metal detecting as he consistently found coins during his excavations.

Upon moving to South Florida, Gary Drayton began metal detecting on beaches. His initial outing resulted in the discovery of a Spanish Silver Piece of Eight. Within months, he located a 1715 Spanish Fleet Gold and Emerald Ring. This success established his approach to treasure hunting, which combines research, site reading, and metal detecting techniques. Over the years, he has found numerous items, including gold rings, various types of jewelry, coins, silver, Rolex watches, bronze ship spikes, war artifacts, and Spanish treasures. Recognized by Bob Weller for his patience, persistence, and perseverance, Gary Drayton has built a career around his passion.

Gary Drayton currently earns a living through treasure hunting, writing books on beach and water hunting, and providing private treasure hunting lessons. His significant Spanish treasure finds attracted attention from Hollywood producers, leading to appearances on television shows. He subsequently joined the cast of “The Curse of Oak Island” as the resident metal detecting expert. He utilizes Minelab detectors, including the Excalibur, GPX 5000, Equinox 800, and CTX 3030. His most significant find remains a 300-year-old Emerald Treasure Ring valued at $500,000. He shares his methods and techniques through his books, blog, and YouTube channel.