Has anyone ever thought of this?

sparkgirl

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Jul 16, 2013
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OK so....I was thinking...as a relatively new detectorist (I've been dirt fishing for about a year), the most repeated advice I got about where to hunt is to do your research, look at old maps, compare old and new maps, read about the history of where you're going,etc...

Now this makes sense if you are looking for OLD finds and relics, HOWEVER...I am interested primarily in finding gold/silver rings and jewelry recently lost...age doesn't matter so much, as long as the jewelry is real...so I can't see how doing research would help (other than knowing where people congregrate)...so my question is how do I do research on where to find recent lost jewelry? I know that the beach and shallow waters are a great place to start, but I've had NO LUCK in finding anything real :(

Any suggestions on how I can find that first elusive gold ring?

Thank you much!!!! <3

~Diana
 

Diggin-N-Dumps

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uh-oh....We gotta us a Gold Digger...lol

I think your best bet would be ANY Ball Fields. I hunt with a guy that has alot of luck on newer ( 80s'- present) School ballfields and of course ANY Swimming area.

best of luck!
 

Msbeepbeep

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I'm right there with you! My elusive item so far is a gold ring with a diamond "in it"!

You kind of have to see what goes on in your area. Where do people congregate while they are wearing their gold and (hopefully) running around playing and losing it!
So parks, tot-lots, sports fields, beaches- especially in the water, bottom & tops of sledding hills, around pools, etc.

Just put some thought into it and observe people and what they do and where, and you will come up with a lot more places. Hope this helps, I've only had one cup of coffee my brain is not in gear this morning!
 

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releventchair

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Be sure you dig all pull tab and close signals.I am no authority on gold recovery but suspect you will think you are ho hum digging another tab when you score.
The old adage of hunting where either a few people spent time often, or a whole lot of people spent a brief amount of time may help. Art fest ,fair, fourth of July fireworks pic nic and viewing ect. Lovers lane for decades may have had a ring thrown in a quarrel,but best odds have been swimming related. Parks are the traffic over time concept as well.If you are practiced on rings and confident ,maybe get word out or join ringfinders site to see if you can get called on a recovery lead to prove your ability. Lots of distractions when trying to focus on a particular object! Keep diggin it may take hundreds to a few hundred or more tabs if modern areas hunted.
 

detectingpro

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You could try baseball outfields and soccer field sidelines, I've found some great rings, some real, some not in those locations. Dig all nickel and pulltab signals! DIG! DIG DIG! it's worth it!
 

Diggin-N-Dumps

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All these Gold Rings were found in the same place....and the Ratio was about 1 Ring per 50 piece of garbage, which are EXTREMELY AURings.JPG Good Odds for digging gold.

Just like the reserch people put into looking for old things, the same thing applies to looking for PM. just gotta step back and think what makes sense
 

G.I.B.

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Look for your local swimming holes in rivers, lakes and streams.

For the research portion of this, look for swimming holes that dried up years ago. The rings and coins might still be there!
 

trainer

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Feb 13, 2009
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as long as the jewelry is real...

OK so....I was thinking...as a relatively new detectorist (I've been dirt fishing for about a year), the most repeated advice I got about where to hunt is to do your research, look at old maps, compare old and new maps, read about the history of where you're going,etc...

Now this makes sense if you are looking for OLD finds and relics, HOWEVER...I am interested primarily in finding gold/silver rings and jewelry recently lost...age doesn't matter so much, as long as the jewelry is real...so I can't see how doing research would help (other than knowing where people congregrate)...so my question is how do I do research on where to find recent lost jewelry? I know that the beach and shallow waters are a great place to start, but I've had NO LUCK in finding anything real :(

Any suggestions on how I can find that first elusive gold ring?

Thank you much!!!! <3

~Diana

as long as the jewelry is real...I can see your not into just enjoying the thrill of the search, you can find gold just about anywhere, my wife uses her eyes and brings it home without a machine. you need to have patience, slow down and get your self a buddy and enjoy the day .
 

NHBandit

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Hitting the local swimming holes is of course a great idea. Buttt... Talk to the older folks who have lived in your area their whole lives. Where people go to swim now may not be where they went 50 years ago. Church picnic areas can be good as well. 50 years ago large groups of people would gather to have cookouts, play games, other outdoor activities where losing a ring is very possible. Summer camps ? Maybe there were some in your area that are no longer in use. Again, the older folks in town have the answers. You just have to ask the right questions. I know you said recent losses but with TV ads and "reality" shows promoting our hobby and Walmart selling metal detectors you can bet that every single local gathering place that is well known is hit hard on a regular basis. Finding recent losses means getting there first as soon as possible after the item was lost. That can sometimes mean going very early and going nearly every day. What part of Mass ? I might have some suggestions for the Western part of the state.
 

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AusTexDude

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Aug 12, 2013
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OK so....I was thinking...as a relatively new detectorist (I've been dirt fishing for about a year), the most repeated advice I got about where to hunt is to do your research, look at old maps, compare old and new maps, read about the history of where you're going,etc...

Now this makes sense if you are looking for OLD finds and relics, HOWEVER...I am interested primarily in finding gold/silver rings and jewelry recently lost...age doesn't matter so much, as long as the jewelry is real...so I can't see how doing research would help (other than knowing where people congregrate)...so my question is how do I do research on where to find recent lost jewelry? I know that the beach and shallow waters are a great place to start, but I've had NO LUCK in finding anything real :(

Any suggestions on how I can find that first elusive gold ring?

Thank you much!!!! <3

~Diana

Yes... You need to think like the people who lost the jewelry.

For example... Go to your local park with a swimming hole. Go to the pavillion closest to the water and sit down at a bench. The pavillion closest to the water is usually going to be the most popular.

Now, as you are sitting there, imagine that you are part of a party that is at the park. Now, imagine you want to go swimming, Find the most direct route to the water. This is going to be the area where the majority of people enter the water. Be using deductive reasoning you can increase your odds.

I am new to this too, probably less than 60 hours under my belt, but, by using my brain I have netted 1 gold ring, 4 silver rings, and a silver puma head charm.

People + Slippery Sunblock + Treading Water = Rings fall off and sink to the bottom.
 

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Frankn

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Ok here's my take. Most modern jewelry Like school rings are low quality. The older stuff had more quality.
I have found quality items on the beach, like gold chains and gold/silver rings with gems, but they are few and far between.
Now, here's where you find the quality items. In the old days, well to do people from the big cities escaped the heat of summer by moving there families to a country location during the summer. They had parties in the back yards and showed off there wealth at the events. Some was lost. I live near a town such as this and have researched the locations. Here are my findings from one yard. That is a 3 ct ruby ring. I found it in the back yard about 10' from the 200 year old home. Just my view, Frank...
ruby gold ring 700.jpg
A1-   BARBARA'S HOUSE.jpg
 

Diggin-N-Dumps

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Hitting the local swimming holes is of course a great idea. Buttt... Talk to the older folks who have lived in your area their whole lives. Where people go to swim now may not be where they went 50 years ago. Church picnic areas can be good as well. 50 years ago large groups of people would gather to have cookouts, play games, other outdoor activities where losing a ring is very possible. Summer camps ? Maybe there were some in your area that are no longer in use. Again, the older folks in town have the answers. You just have to ask the right questions. I know you said recent losses but with TV ads and "reality" shows promoting our hobby and Walmart selling metal detectors you can bet that every single local gathering place that is well known is hit hard on a regular basis. Finding recent losses means getting there first as soon as possible after the item was lost. That can sometimes mean going very early and going nearly every day. What part of Mass ? I might have some suggestions for the Western part of the state.

That's true, All the gold I found at the same place was at a public pool that was around since the early 20s, Plus it was in a better part of town.

And one thing i Notice about Publc swimming areas, is MOST of my finds were not drops, they had to been taken off and placed on a towel

I only say that because on 4 different occasions, i found more than 1 ring in the whole....hell my first gold ring was in a hole with 2 quarters...and thats the only reason i dug them.
 

gusser

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Dec 23, 2013
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Watch newspapers and bulletin boards. Internet postings etc. of people looking for lost rings etc.
 

OP
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sparkgirl

sparkgirl

Jr. Member
Jul 16, 2013
56
58
Massachusetts
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as long as the jewelry is real...I can see your not into just enjoying the thrill of the search, you can find gold just about anywhere, my wife uses her eyes and brings it home without a machine. you need to have patience, slow down and get your self a buddy and enjoy the day .

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the hunt VERY much...however after investing a lot of money in the detector, diggers, pinpointers, accessories, gas and travel...I'd at least hope to break even at some point! It's just frustrating to keep finding penny after penny after penny...last night I found (no joke) 35 pennies all in one park...I'm not complaining, just saying...I wanna find that first gold ring!
 

TerryC

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Many good ideas above but in a nutshell.... wherever people gather. TTC
 

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sparkgirl

sparkgirl

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Jul 16, 2013
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Massachusetts
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Ok here's my take. Most modern jewelry Like school rings are low quality. The older stuff had more quality.
I have found quality items on the beach, like gold chains and gold/silver rings with gems, but they are few and far between.
Now, here's where you find the quality items. In the old days, well to do people from the big cities escaped the heat of summer by moving there families to a country location during the summer. They had parties in the back yards and showed off there wealth at the events. Some was lost. I live near a town such as this and have researched the locations. Here are my findings from one yard. That is a 3 ct ruby ring. I found it in the back yard about 10' from the 200 year old home. Just my view, Frank...
View attachment 972377 View attachment 972378

Oh wow..now that's very interesting and something I would have never thought of! Thank you! :)
 

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sparkgirl

sparkgirl

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Jul 16, 2013
56
58
Massachusetts
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Thank you all for the suggestions...as I said above, I don't detect JUST for the monetary gain, I truly DO enjoy it! But when you're living from paycheck to paycheck it would be nice to find something of value that would help pay for gas and other expenses associated with the hobby... that's all I'm saying :)

Found a cache of pennies (about 15) in a local park last night...all total about 35 pennies last night from one park (3 of those being Wheaties!)

Happy Hunting!
 

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