Metal detecting the beach?

[Detecto]

Between now and the start of college I plan on going to Florida..as part of my vacation and to go metal detecting.

While there are tons of tips and things like that, what are the chance of finding gold?

I know nobody can give an accurate answer, but let's say I spend 5 days in Florida, and spend 2 hours per morning, and an hour at night beachcombing.

That makes a total of 15 hours. Would I go home with...(the answer you pick is what you think the odds are).

A. Nothing.

B. 1-2 gold rings.

C. A small handful of gold rings

I'm not going down there with dollar signs in my eyes looking to get rich, but I just want to know what the typical results are.

 

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[Geobound]

My opinion is that those are incalculable odds.

There are so many beaches, with so many detectorists, and the potential for so many lost rings and things.

I've been to some pretty big beaches with loads of tourists, and have yet to find a gold ring.

I've been walking through the forest on a foot path, and found a 14k ring, so who knows?

I would say your odds of finding a ring on a beach are far greater than finding one where I did, but I'm afraid there is no rhyme or reason as to where and how to find them.

If you don't get your coil out there and aren't afraid to dig a zillion ring pull numbers, then I think you're in with a chance.

Good luck.......both at the beach and at college.

 

[Escape]

I want to play! I pick “B”, one or two gold rings.

 

[adamBomb]

You could go home with 20 gold rings but most likely you will get zero. While there is always a chance to find gold and other goodies you have to remember that you don't have the advantage - you are at a huge disadvantage in FL because you are only going to be there for a few days. What if its sanded in? You might not even find pennies. What if its storming/raining? Or the times you can detect are high tides? What if the spot you are going to is hunted by 20 locals who comb it daily? There are just so many things working against you when you are on vacation for a few days that I wouldn't count on finding much. Then again you do see guys going on vaca and coming home with bank. I would more or less just go and detect for fun there, if you find something its just bonus. But dont get your hopes up.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Between now and the start of college I plan on going to Florida..as part of my vacation and to go metal detecting.

While there are tons of tips and things like that, what are the chance of finding gold?

I know nobody can give an accurate answer, but let's say I spend 5 days in Florida, and spend 2 hours per morning, and an hour at night beachcombing.

That makes a total of 15 hours. Would I go home with...(the answer you pick is what you think the odds are).

A. Nothing.

B. 1-2 gold rings.

C. A small handful of gold rings

I'm not going down there with dollar signs in my eyes looking to get rich, but I just want to know what the typical results are.

I'm going to go with, D) Lots of pulltabs, bottlecaps, wire bread bag ties, bobbypins, clad coins, maybe an Iphone or Ipod, and a junk toe ring.

You have a single-frequency VLF, so the wet sand and in the water (at low tide) is going to be out of the picture for the most part. Your best chance at gold or silver will be identifying an area 50-60 feet long x 30 feet wide at the "Towel Line," where folks just left for the evening, and gridding it North to South, then East to West.

Here's hoping you come home with a hand full of gold and silver! Oh, and get a dry sand scoop!

 

[MrMikeJackie]

Seven

 

[KirkS]

In 6 trips and about 24-30 hours at a popular local Gulf coast beach, I scored $4.99 in clad. Total. No gold, no silver. Lots (and I mean lots) of pull tabs, beaver tails, bobby pins, and a few AA batteries. It's early in the season still, and other than Spring Break, the beaches have been relatively quiet. I consider this my 'learning to read the beach' and practice time.

A lot will depend on the time of year you go, and how popular the beach you pick is with the crowds that are active and that wear jewelry. Teenagers are very active, but don't wear too much in the way of real jewelry, old folks aren't active, but wear lots of real jewelry. So (IMO), you're hoping it's a beach with the 30-40 yr age group that are active enough, and not slick enough to realize jewelry comes off easily in the water, or dopey enough to shake out the jewelry laden beach blanket without grabbing their jewelry first.

So my guess will be A) - nada

But as long as you go with the mindset that you're going to have fun, pick up some clad, and keep in the back of your mind that there's always the hope of gold, you'll be fine. Just don't set out determined to find gold, and if you do, it'll be awesome.

HH!

 

[I'm Hoping]

Answer:A. Lots of beach re-nourishment going on lately in SW Florida.

 

[s.c.shooter]

If one doesn't detect then their is no chance of finding anything! Go and give it your best shot !

 

[HighVDI]

Not to thread hijack, but I heard gold is in the foil range. My wife's white gold ring shows 22-24 on my F75. I've also heard that they come in around a pull tab as far up to mid tones.......do they just vary from those ranges? I've been digging those targets but get tired of digging junk. Which isn't a good combo, lol!

 

[Mr. B]

With a little beginners luck, maybe 1. It seems, at least to me you can figure on 500 or so can tabs, bottle caps, keys etc. to one ring. Good Luck.

 

[KirkS]

Not to thread hijack, but I heard gold is in the foil range. My wife's white gold ring shows 22-24 on my F75. I've also heard that they come in around a pull tab as far up to mid tones.......do they just vary from those ranges? I've been digging those targets but get tired of digging junk. Which isn't a good combo, lol!

It's my understanding that gold can come in all over the place, as there is no consistency in the alloys used along with the gold. So a 14kt will ring in differently from an 18kt, which will be different from a 10kt, which will differ from white gold.

It's frustrating, and I know how you feel, but they say you have to dig the pulltabs, foil, and nickels to find the gold. Yay!

 

[antiphonus]

I detect mainly in the UK, but I took an Excal out once on Long Island and found a white gold and diamond engagement/wedding ring combo that had just been lost: https://exchequerofwords.wordpress.com/2015/10/16/american-summer-and-english-autumn/

The new bride was ecstatic, and it was a great feeling to help. If I hadn't happened along though, another detectorist might have found it that evening or the next morning.

I don't have beach experience as such, but like they say, you gotta walk over it! Go for it and let us know how you get on!

 

[bakkhoe]

You could go home with 20 gold rings but most likely you will get zero. While there is always a chance to find gold and other goodies you have to remember that you don't have the advantage - you are at a huge disadvantage in FL because you are only going to be there for a few days. What if its sanded in? You might not even find pennies. What if its storming/raining? Or the times you can detect are high tides? What if the spot you are going to is hunted by 20 locals who comb it daily? There are just so many things working against you when you are on vacation for a few days that I wouldn't count on finding much. Then again you do see guys going on vaca and coming home with bank. I would more or less just go and detect for fun there, if you find something its just bonus. But dont get your hopes up.

+1 I totally agree. Your chance of finding gold during that short time are less than 50%. The people you see finding multiple rings are few and far between. You need to know the beaches, tides, where the beach gets cut out during stormy weather. There are hundreds of guys out there going out every day looking for beach treasure. You MIGHT get lucky and go to the right place on the right day, but you might also win power-ball. Go, and hunt as much as is fun for you, and enjoy the vacation. I hope you find some nice things and have some good stories to share.... but do have fun.

 

[beerguy]

I have been there a few times and hit a few beaches, probably totalled 4 hours hunting. Not bad since they were all work trips.

I found some clad, lots of bottle caps, hair pins and zero gold rings.

Since the gold rings reside in the same target response zone as most junk, finding gold rings will be a numbers game if you exclude the element of luck.

 

[Beezly]

I think you might find one, especially if you at least try the fun is in the hunt either way. I'm still happy with a pouch of junk, less chance of a young human cutting their feet. I find people are more impressed by a bag of nasty metal being carried out and disposed of than a bag of goodies. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Honest Samuel]

Good luck and good hunting, and hit it big at the beaches.

 

[angelito1]

WHERE in Florida?

 

[Honest Samuel]

Where in Connecticut?

 

[Geobound]

To answer your question, YES, dig everything if you want to find gold.

I can't begin to tell you the zillions and zillions of ring pulls, bottle caps, and pull tabs I've carted away.

I've collected enough foil over the years that I could probably wrap a city block in it, but I will still stop and check it if it shows up on my screen.

Good luck.