Gary Drayton’s early passion for metal detecting led him to a lucrative career, and not just for his valuable discoveries. Known as one of the best treasure hunters in the business, Drayton’s authored ten books on the subject, and he joined the cast of the History Channel series, The Curse of Oak Island.

It all started when Drayton started bottle digging in England: when he would dig up ancient Victorian trash pits, he unearthed clay pipes and bottles dating back to the 14th and 15th century, even finding a perfume bottle from the Roman occupation of Great Britain.

Enjoying the history and the hunt of high-price items, Drayton bought his first metal detector. This purchase led him to rare coins, war artifacts, Spanish treasure, precious metals, and expensive jewelry—his biggest find to date is a $500K Emerald Ring from 300 years ago.

Drayton loves sharing his expertise, which is why he writes several “How to” books, regularly posts to his YouTube channel and blog “Hardcore Treasure Hunting,” and hosts private lessons on the beaches of Florida. It’s no wonder the History Channel hired him as a “Resident Metal Detecting Expert for The Curse of Oak Island. Due to his rising popularity, he’s guest-starred on spinoffs like The Curse of Oak Island: Drilling Down, as well as The Curse of Civil War Gold. Additionally, he featured on an episode of Expedition Unknown to help hunt for treasure.