Less Coins on Beach when Metal Detecting?

LawrencetheMDer

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Feb 22, 2014
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Ohio and Florida
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Troy Shadow x2 w 7" coil, Pointers; Garrett Carrot, Pro Find 35,
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Does anyone have hard data on whether there are less coins found on the beach now then a few years ago? I do recall an article showing a significant decrease in coin and general money usage as opposed to credit and other forms of payment in past 3-4 years. [Pandemic effect?] I was wondering if this translated into less coins on the beach to find metal detecting?

My own data, taking a sample of about 100 hrs of metal detecting for each of 5 years (about 4,500 coins) doesn’t show any clear trend in terms of decrease in number of coins found per hour. However, I do a lot of water hunting and this might not apply to the dry sand or even to land diggers.

Would anyone venture an opinion?
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Upvote 3

CASPER-2

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Jan 3, 2012
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Ive noticed lot less swimmers than in the past
good example was my recent trip to fla.
i could easily count the amount of people in the water
my last trip to gulf bchs + 10x the amount
up here at certain bchs - no one in past their waist
this is because many New england spots have shark signs
everyone in real shallow - luckily i have "old" spots that still hold
deep silver and some gold down deep - many hunters in warm months just go for
the fresh drops - i will too but if that dont pan out - i will slow down and go for oldies
 

DWerk

Jr. Member
Oct 18, 2020
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144
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We now have many places that TAKE NO CASH, no check, Debit or Credit only. I have gone to 3 Car Wash's in MI that have dome that as well as a Greenhouse. Real PIA when you get in the line 1st time, get to the pay booth/machine, a bunch of other cars (truck) behind you and you find out you can't use cash. :mad:
 

ARC

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Aug 19, 2014
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We now have many places that TAKE NO CASH, no check, Debit or Credit only. I have gone to 3 Car Wash's in MI that have dome that as well as a Greenhouse. Real PIA when you get in the line 1st time, get to the pay booth/machine, a bunch of other cars (truck) behind you and you find out you can't use cash. :mad:
Boycott them.
 

finderzzs

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May 2, 2007
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Does anyone have hard data on whether there are less coins found on the beach now then a few years ago? I do recall an article showing a significant decrease in coin and general money usage as opposed to credit and other forms of payment in past 3-4 years. [Pandemic effect?] I was wondering if this translated into less coins on the beach to find metal detecting?

My own data, taking a sample of about 100 hrs of metal detecting for each of 5 years (about 4,500 coins) doesn’t show any clear trend in terms of decrease in number of coins found per hour. However, I do a lot of water hunting and this might not apply to the dry sand or even to land diggers.

Would anyone venture an opinion?
View attachment 2128090
I also attribute it to there are no more parking meters taking coinage, and of course the paying by credit/debit cards.
 

Linesider

Jr. Member
Apr 16, 2024
32
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SFL. Dade,keys,treasure coast
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I know it might seem like this is possible, but the truth is that its a virtual impossibility to eliminate cash currency from a society.
There certainly is more mobile pay now than before, but there are also places where you can ONLY use cash..
I've had this discussion with friends of mine who buy into the conspricy theory that Biden is going to force us into a cashless society, but how exactly does that work ? No more ATM machines ? what about all the people who can't or don't have some type of electronic banking card ? What about all the tourist that visit here, how do they convert their money into USA digital currency ? This is not even a possibility ... So if your worried about it, you should forget it..
One of my friends said that he heard that at least 100 countries had done this already, when I asked him to name just ONE, he could not... because it's not physically possible to do that... force everyone to use digital currency ... make me laugh :dontknow::icon_scratch:🤣🤣
Sadly. It is very possible.. As a small bussiness owner i have seen a huge decrease in cash sales verses credit/cash app/Zelle any tap to pay ,u dont need a bank account for cash app or similar if u just use their cash card/tap to pay . Zelle is availbe to any with a bank account. one of my personal banks questioned me and needed proof of funds when i deposited over 5k spread out within 1 month. When i asked them if i would have sent myself that money via Zelle from my bussiness to my personal. Would they have questioned me. They said nope I can send myself unlimited zelle. So little by little they take away the options. Force u to settle with whats available . Now will this ever happen,. God knows. But to remove cash completely Is possible. Especially with a collapse…
 

Mackaydon

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Oct 26, 2004
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50 years ago, I would MD for silver coins at Santa Monica, Venice and the Marina Del Rey pennisula beaches. Today, with silver coins now scarce, I now MD the surf areas (in Oceanside and Carlbad areas) for rings and jewelry; and leave the clads to newbies.

50 years ago, after a gusty day, coins would be visible on the beach, standing atop packed sand, like upon mushroom heads.
Don in SoCal
 

DWerk

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Oct 18, 2020
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50 years ago I used a Whites Coinmaster and found more silver or clad than I do now with a Deus II. People are not using cash as they used to. Even the Ice Cream Vender is on the tap bandwagon....
 

Bucket Lister

Sr. Member
Dec 20, 2023
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XP MI-6
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I know it might seem like this is possible, but the truth is that its a virtual impossibility to eliminate cash currency from a society.
There certainly is more mobile pay now than before, but there are also places where you can ONLY use cash..
There are also many more places where you can no longer use cash (that's ostensibly good "for all debts public and private").

One of my friends said that he heard that at least 100 countries had done this already, when I asked him to name just ONE, he could not... because it's not physically possible to do that... force everyone to use digital currency ... make me laugh :dontknow::icon_scratch:🤣🤣
It's easy enough to find lists of countries that are trying. The closest (that I found) is Norway; 100% have bank accts., but they still have ~2% cash.
 

Bucket Lister

Sr. Member
Dec 20, 2023
370
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XP Dēus II
XP MI-6
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Would anyone venture an opinion?
I live inland, and will probably never do beaches.

That said, there are some similarities with parks (seasonal, recurrent).

I think we're all going to have to get smarter and choose our beaches & parks more carefully. Some will be in areas where cash is still/more heavily used, and some will be in areas where plastic rules.

No doubt change is coming (Did I just type that? 🤦🏼‍♂️); it will likely take at least a generation (unlike our conversion to metric, which may never... but I digress... 🙄).
 

TXXpress

Greenie
Mar 11, 2024
13
19
West Galveston Bay, TX
I read this thread yesterday and agreed about the declining use of cash/coins in today's markets.

Then I thought... Oh great! I just "jinxed" my beach hunt this morning. Boy was I wrong... I found more coins on today's hunt than on my last three hunts combined.
 

JB Hunts

Full Member
Dec 21, 2023
119
410
I read this thread yesterday and agreed about the declining use of cash/coins in today's markets.

Then I thought... Oh great! I just "jinxed" my beach hunt this morning. Boy was I wrong... I found more coins on today's hunt than on my last three hunts combined.
Any silvers? What State are you hunting? Tough time to find old coins this time of year when the beach is too high sanded in until hurricane season....
 

TORRERO

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Nov 17, 2004
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1,114
NC
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There are also many more places where you can no longer use cash (that's ostensibly good "for all debts public and private").


It's easy enough to find lists of countries that are trying. The closest (that I found) is Norway; 100% have bank accts., but they still have ~2% cash.
My point was that even though he said 100 counties had gone completely cashless, he could not name even one, it makes a really good conspiracy theory ... and tales of the Boogeyman in the White House going to take your money away .. No proof of any of that.. That was my point...
 

Bucket Lister

Sr. Member
Dec 20, 2023
370
626
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My point was that even though he said 100 counties had gone completely cashless, he could not name even one, it makes a really good conspiracy theory ... and tales of the Boogeyman in the White House going to take your money away .. No proof of any of that.. That was my point...
Yes, I got that. No worries.
 

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