Maryland Freestate Treasure Club
Contest Rules
I. GENERAL RULES
  1. All entrants must be club members.
  2. All entries must have been dug since the last meeting.
  3. All entries must be on the contest table by 7:30 p.m.
  4. All entries must have been found with a metal detector.
  5. There will be no contest in December; all finds will be eligible for the January contest.
  6. If the meeting is cancelled for any reason, all finds will be eligible for the next meeting's contest.
  7. Any ruling by the judges will be final.
II. COIN & JEWELRY CONTEST
  1. There will be a category for each denomination: 1/2, 1, 2, 3, and 5 Cent categories; 1/2 Dime, Dime, 20, 25, and 50 Cent categories, Dollar, Gold Coin, Colonial Coin, Foreign Coin, "Oldest Dated Item", and the "Most Jewelry".
  2. Coins in each category will be arranged from oldest to the newest or most to the least jewelry.
  3. The top six (6) entries in each category will be awarded points, from 5 to 1/2 point.
  4. Any coin with an unreadable date that can be identified by design will be placed at the end of that category.
  5. If two or more coins have the same date or if two entrants have the same amount of jewelry, then all will receive the same amount of points.
  6. Jewelry entries will be arranged from the most to the least.
  7. Each piece of jewelry must be marked, such as "Sterling, 1952", or any any precious metal number, such as 10K, 14K, 18K, 10K. H.G.F., or 14K G.F. We also count any item that is marked, such as spoons, forks, match safes, and belt buckles.
  8. The "Oldest Dated Item" will be any item, excluding coins, that has a date on it, such as: school rings, tokens, or dog tags; however, no patent dates will be accepted.
  9. The points from each of the categories will be totaled and the members with the top three totals will be awarded prizes (First, Second and Third Places).
  10. Any tie will be decided with a flip of a coin.
III. RELIC CONTEST
  1. Relics of the Civil War Period (1861-1865) or before.
  2. If the entry is a fragment, then enough of the relic must remain so it can be identified without question.
  3. There are three (3) categories: "Most Bullets," "Most Buttons" and "Most Plates".
  4. Bullets can be any size from buckshot to .71 calibur, round ball, pistol, or Minie-type bullet.
  5. Buttons may be any button with military significance, whether Federal or Confederate. These will include State Seal, Military Schools, Zouave, or initial or various branches of service and Navy. However, no flat or flower buttons, or button backs will be permitted.
  6. "Plates" include any accoutrement plate, such as box plates, breast plates, buckles, hat pins, company letters, numbers, or cape pins.
  7. Points will be awarded from 5 points down to 1/2 point.
  8. If more than one member have the same amount of items in any category, then they will receive the same amount of points.
  9. The points in the three categories will be totaled and prizes will be awarded for the top two entrants (First and Second Places).
  10. Any tie will be decided with a flip of the coin.
IV. CLUB FAVORITE
  1. Any item a member finds can be entered in this contest.
  2. The entry cannot be used in any other board contest.
  3. The winner will be decided by a membership vote. The entry with the most votes, wins.
  4. Any tie will be decided with a flip of a coin.
V. BOARD DRAWINGS
  1. Excluding the winners of the above contests, all other board entries are eligible for the board drawings.
  2. There will be four (4) board drawing winners.
VI. CLUB FAVORITE OF THE YEAR CONTEST
  1. Any club member is eligible to enter their best find of the year.
  2. The winner will be decided by membership vote. The entry with the most votes wins.
VII. TREASURE HUNTER OF THE YEAR CONTEST
  1. Each month, the points each member has accrued in the monthly coin contests will be totaled and recorded.
  2. At the end of the year, the member with the most points will be the "Treasure Hunter of the Year".
VIII. RELIC HUNTER OF THE YEAR CONTEST
  1. Each month, the points each member has accrued in the monthly relic contest will be totaled and recorded.
  2. At the end of the year, the member with the most relic points will be the "Relic Hunter of the Year".