While George Wyant probably would argue he isn’t so famous, it’s refreshing to visit with a TV celebrity who isn’t stuck on himself.
I had the occasion this week when I joined Humboldt’s Robbie Baker and Wyant for a metal detecting sortie in south Iola. We found a few coins and a couple of other interesting things, though the highlight for me was having a chance to chat with Wyant.
He and Tim Saylor are stars of National Geographic Channel’s hit reality show “Diggers.” They travel the country — more recently Europe as well — prowling about historic sites and unearthing artifacts of all sorts and occasionally old coins.
Wyant was a Montanan and copper miner when Saylor, who worked with computers, moved to Anaconda. They became friends, took up hunting with metal detectors and when instructional videos they bought left them wanting decided to make their own. The right person saw it, which led to their gig with National Geographic. “Diggers” is on Cox Cable channel 75.
I’m fond of the show because it truly is reality. Every hole dug doesn’t hold something meaningful, and every find isn’t awe-inspiring. They also have a good time going about what they do, which makes the show all the more appealing. They’ve even created their own vocabulary: Nectar is something found, roundness in the hole is a coin.
The lion’s share of what they find goes to the property owner, including historical groups, and often ends up being displayed in a museum or similar venue. But Wyant also enjoys hunting in circumstances that permits him to keep what he finds. After all, that’s how all this got started. Look on a few YouTube videos to see some amazing finds he and Saylor made in and around Anaconda before going to television.
More than his skills with a detector, I was most impressed with Wyant’s genuineness — I would be shocked if that changed.
He found his way to a home north of Iola by way of wife Lori, whom he met in Montana. Lori’s mother, Hazel Jones, lives east of Iola. Her husband, Don, died just a few days ago. That the Wyants, along with two teenaged daughters, were nearby was a blessing.
Wyant, and Baker, were generous in waiting on an old codger like me, and were even good enough to help with a couple of finds by loaning their pointers — a small detector that pinpoints coins in a hole. To their credit, they made me feel one of the gang.
Now, if I could just find that elusive gold coin, the story would be complete.
Diggin’ with one of the Diggers
