Groundbreakers has been described as the finest of its type ever published. Hardbound, nearly 600 pages, glossy stock, well over 3,000 photos, weighing almost 5 lbs.
The book reveals America from Jamestown through the Civil War through its excavated artifacts as evidence of history. From Native American artifacts to colonial finds and those of the Revolutionary War, the antebellum era, and every type of Civil War relic is shown in full color.
The book began as a commemorative study of the recoveries of the
first fifty years by members of the nation's first metal detecting
organization, The Northern Virginia Relic Hunters Association. Their
story spans world history now as its thousands of members since 1972
have detected across the globe. But Groundbreakers focuses on the
principal subject of its members' fifty-year odyssey, America, while offering a
glimpse of beyond--the Caribbean, West Indies, and England.
The history of metal detecting is also explained in great detail showing how the crude mine detectors of World War II evolved into the sophisticated tools they are today.
The authors, Steve W. Sylvia and Nancy D. Rossbacher, have spent their careers researching, writing, photographing, and publishing in the field of military collectibles. This is their finest effort as of 2024.