Lowcountry Show and Sale Kicks off the New Year

Originally published March 2024 · pp. 1–10

Lowcountry show promoters Butch Holcombe and Mark Schuessler pose with the award winners. L-R, Butch Holcombe, Tim Garrett, Connie Legare Brailsford, Nick Alderholt, Brendan Synnamon, Mike Mancuso, and Mark Schuessler.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C.— There are numerous shows and events related to the hobbies of collecting the past and metal detecting. Between January and December, there are at least a couple of events each month, and sometimes even two or more occur on the same weekend. But where does it all start each year? To our knowledge, the annual American Digger® Lowcountry show kicks it all off as far as indoor events, being the first large show of the New Year. The show is always well attended, and this year was no exception. Collectors, dealers, and diggers filled nearly 200 eight-foot tables in the spacious showroom of the Omar Shrine Temple, while a steady stream of the public came in to see, and sometimes buy or sell, artifacts from WWII back to the Stone Age, with a heavy colonial and Civil War presence. Saturday saw rain and gloomy weather, which was actually a plus in getting more people through the door: If it’s too rainy to go golfing, do yard work, or go metal detecting, people head for indoor events. There were numerous artifact and metal detector displays and dealers from across the country at the show and almost all expressed satisfaction with the event. Not only did the table holders experience numerous buying and selling opportunities among themselves, but the large gate also assured plenty of business opportunities with the public. This event is known for being a great show for buying great “walk-in” relics. For the serious collectors and dealers, numerous high-dollar transactions left both buyer and seller happy. This show attracts some of the best dealers with the best selections of non-dug and dug pieces. In addition to artifacts of all kinds for the collectors, there was plenty for metal detectorists to see and buy at the show. In addition to four metal detectors

Mick Alderholt’s collection of excavated Carolina relics, winner of the Best Display award.

given as door prizes (along with Civil War buckles and more), several dealers sold detectors and accessories. The door prizes are another reason this show is well attended, as everyone enjoys a chance to win a valuable prize. That, along with plenty of local advertising, is the key to getting the public to come in. If there is one thing, aside from a rich history, that makes the Charleston area appealing, it is the food. This annual show has one of the better traditions of any event: a Lowcountry feast. Those renting tables and their helpers were treated to a full Lowcountry boil, complete with an outdoor oyster roast. No one in attendance Friday evening went hungry. One thing American Digger shows believes in is recognizing the displays set up in the hall by having a short award ceremony on Sunday Afternoon. As has been the tradition, the award judging was as close as ever, with numerous worthy contenders for each award. In the end, the winners were as follows: Best of Show, Tim Garrett, for his “Inside the Hunley” exhibit; Best Dug, Mike Mancuso, for a gold 1748 British Guinea; Best Non-Dug, Brendan Synnamon/ Union Drummer Boy, for a 49th Virginia Civil War Confederate Veteran’s flag; Best Display, Mick Alderholt, for his collection of excavated Carolina relics; and Most Educational, Connie Legare

Tim Garrett took home the Best of Show award with his “Inside the Hunley” exhibit. The hand built working model took several months to complete and features scale replicas of the artifacts found with the crew, as well as full size representations.

Brailsford and Robert Bohrn, for their display of Confederate and Revolutionary War pikes. The 2025 show date has already been announced for January 4 and 5 at the Omar Shrine Temple, 176 Patriots Point Rd, Mt. Pleasant, SC. For more information, email [email protected] or call 770-362-8671.