Newbie with a few questions

bogeymcq

Sr. Member
Dec 3, 2006
326
3
Southern Maryland
Detector(s) used
Presently mental, not metal
I have been reading over TreasureNet Forums for a few weeks time now & I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt . . I AM ADDICTED! ;D
I have an older model detector . . kinda funny ::) to look at the detector compared to what they have out now, just have not had a chance to use it as of yet. But I have the itch! Till then I enjoy reading over EVERY post in EVERY topic. . but I have some questions, hopefully I have put this in the correct category as well I am more hopeful that my questions does not offend anyone, for that is not my intentions in the least bit. . I am just curious . . .

* when searching school playgrounds, do you need to obtain permission from the School Officials?
* do you keep all the items you find?
* if you sell/give away/trade any of the pieces how do you decide on what you keep & not?
* how do you go about selling the items you do? do you take them to appraisers? pawn shops? jewelries? collectors? EBay?


As I have stated I have yet to get any real detecting done thus far & I am sure when I do it would be difficult for me to part with any of my finds. . but in the same sense, the thought crossed my mind what if I find something that could help us out ??? . .

Any answers/thoughts/suggestions/opinions are greatly appreciated!
Thank You ~
Bogart :D

~ May you ALWAYS be Blessed & may you ALWAYS Bless others ~​
 

hollowpointred

Gold Member
Mar 12, 2005
6,871
56
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE/Garrett GTI 2500/ Ace 250
i can only speak for myself, but if it is a public school i will just hunt it. i have never once had a problem. of course i dont go during school hours, and try to go at times when others are not using the area in question. i usually keep all of my finds. i dont sell my stuff so i cant really answer your other questions.
 

RON (PA)

Silver Member
Sep 9, 2004
2,847
61
Pittsburgh, Pa
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Compadre & Tiger Shark
Bogart,

Welcome aboard. Glad to have you with us. This site and the hobby is truly addictive. As far as your questions, ask away. The only question that is dumb is the one that you don't ask.
1. Yes, you should always get permission to search school playgrounds. I usually try
to get permission from the superintendent.
2. The only things that I don't keep are truly junk items (pop cans, pulltabs, bottle
caps, etc.
3. I usually keep everything I dig until I get home. If it is truly junk, I throw it away.
4. I don't sell on Ebay or anyplace else. Sorry, I cannot help with this one.

I hope the above has helped. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.
 

SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS

Gold Member
May 22, 2005
7,205
60
Primary Interest:
Other
Bog,

ditto on what Hollow said.

Welcome to the board, hope we will be
seeing your finds soon.

have a good un...........
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Welcome to the hobby. It's not so much the having it as just looking for it.

You should ask permission for doing school grounds. They will be worried that you will leave holes or bother students. Keep all trash you find in your trash side of your pouch and "goodies" on the other. Never detect during school hours or when there are many kids on the grounds. Anything you find you slip it away without really looking at it for studying later. When kids ask you what your doing, tell them, but never forgive them anything you find!

As for keeping what you find, sure. However if you know of someone that has lost it, it is a great feeling to be able to return it. You decide what you want to keep and which to give away as gifts to family. Never sell any ring to a pawn shop! You will only get about 10% of what they think they can sell it for. After you have found a few gold rings and want to sell them to maybe buy a new detector I suggest you contact a refinery where you will get the most $$$ for your gold. I use http://www.midwestrefineries.com/ when I want to sell some gold. They pay 94% of spot price per troy oz. Fine pieces like gold rings you can sell to friends, coworkers, etc. You can check retail prices and sell for a little less if you want. However I have to warn you, after you sell anything, you'll one day remember that ring and it won't be in your collection. I put little tags on certain rings to remind me where I found it, etc. You won't really believe the amount of stuff you'll collect. But for as much time as you put in, you'll hardly ever make a profit in dollars. It's the fun where you can't put a price tag.

HH,
Sandman
 

Gribnitz

Hero Member
Aug 1, 2004
920
11
I hunt the public schools in my area, but not very often. I do it when school is out and I need a short, quick fix for my addicition of just finding something....anything. I guess they could run you off, but I never have been, but MAKE SURE you clean up after yourself and leave it looking like you weren't there.

As far as what I keep or sell. I never sold anything. Everything has a special place in my heart because I found it and remember where everything in my displays were dug. I have given away quite a few. I have given away cw bullets to people, put some displays of finds together for land owners nice enough to let me detect, and to the school for something to touch and feel when they teach the civil war in the classroom. I am also building a display of civil war artifacts to put in our local historical musuem, but am torn over what I should put into it to make it interesting. I would be tempted to sell a piece of modern jewelry worth a few bucks, but haven't passed my coil over anything yet worth taking to the shop to sell. But, as far as artifacts and coins....no way would I sell them. I would rather my kids get them after I am gone. In the mean time I have too much fun looking at them and remembering that day, especially if it was a day out with friends.
 

OP
OP
bogeymcq

bogeymcq

Sr. Member
Dec 3, 2006
326
3
Southern Maryland
Detector(s) used
Presently mental, not metal
:D Thank you so very very much for all your wonderful & thought provoking replies! Thank You! :D

Honestly I don't think I would be able to part with any found item myself but I was curious if you had one you could ( as one writer mentioned - possibly modern jewelry ) what/where/whom you would work with. . I recall a post in the Coin section I believe where an individual had found a coin with a dot on it & it could be worth aprx $20,000 :o ( I tried to look up this post but I got easily distracted reading so many incredibly wonderful other post :D ) & that got me thinking if you honestly could part with an item. . to whom & where ???

A few weeks back while walking around a small beach area near the Va/Md line I stumbled across a Pepsi bottle. . I kinda sorta glanced over it & paid it very little mind at first. . but as I walked along it keep playing on my mind, so I went back & brought it back to our house, I have a few older bottles stashed away . . it cleaned up real easy & I adored the shape/style of it. . doing a little research I discovered it was a Pepsi bottle from after 1966!! Wowie Zowie :o ! It was neat to research the history on the bottle & by doing so I discovered 'lil bits I don't think I would have ever found out if the bottle had not lead me to that path ( thus this forum being a MAJOR find during my research ) Love love love it :D ! But I must say it puzzled ??? me how it was just laying there after all this time. . hardly covered & not a lick of damage! and thus the itch to find more lil treasures began . . so I recalled we did have a metal detector. . a Radio Shack one that has to be at least 15 years old ( my son is 18 & I remember we got it in his youth youth )

My daughter attends 2nd grade at a local Elementary & each morning we do a quick sweep of Playground areas to clean it up of debris . . but reading post on scanning over the playground, I must say I found this idea very intriguing, so I will be talking to school Officials very very soon to see if I can get a OK from them . . .

I am hoping to eventually get a nicer detector so I can do a bit better detailed searches & I look forward to doing this with my children. .as well I am eager to eventually get a nice camera to take pictures & document the where's & when's . . till then I will try to sustain my itch by reading & enjoying the thrill everyone else is having !!! ;D

Thank You Again!
Bogart :D


~ May you ALWAYS be Blessed & may you ALWAYS Bless others ~
 

shootist

Hero Member
Aug 5, 2006
759
36
The hills of central Kentucky
Detector(s) used
Explorer 2
I have hunted a lot of different schools in 6 or 7 different townships around me,I havent tried to get permission but noone has ever said anything to me about it,I feel unless it is a private school then it is all public property. A lot of times I hunt schools I will have one or two of my kids with me. I also never hunt during school hours and usually when noone is around. I havent sold any of my finds though I havent found anythin 'earth shattering' yet,but as far as helping you out I can assure you the amount of coins you find will help you out. In addition you will save a ton of money by having this as a hooby because it costs next to nothing for an entire day of nail-biting excitement,there is really nothing else like it. There is quite a bit of debate with regard to batteries,I prefer the rechargeables because I hate paying money evertime my batteries go dead,I bite the bullet once and Im free to detect for months on end....Shoot
 

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