More digging at the drained lake beach...GOLD!

Batch

Full Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
181
Reaction score
155
Golden Thread
0
Location
Kusel County
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hello all,

Below is the result of yesterday's hunt at the recently drained local village lake. Found two rings (one sterling, one 14k), the box link necklace, and an assortment of other "treasures". Of course I dug pound of beer bottle caps in the process! The trash is pretty dense and masks a bunch of the targets so I just started digging everything that wasn't iron...and still ended up with a lot of nails. At times I'd pull 3-4 trash targets to get to the good stuff in an area less than 18" on a side - that was the case with the 14k ring - and this was even with my small "double-d" coil!

I can't find a stamp on the gold necklace but it came out of the ground corrosion free and just as shiney as you see in the photo. It was about 6 inches down in the sand in an area that would have been about 4 feet under water a couple of weeks ago. No one can remember this lake ever being emptied before. I plan to take the necklace to a jeweler later today (or Monday - I work Saturday) to get verification it is "real" and "solid" and the karat value...I don't want to get my hopes up too much though. I put it on a small electronic scale and it comes up about 45 grams. I posted a close-up of the ring and necklace...any conjecture is welcome!

I also learned that the larger corroded/encrusted coins I'd been finding were German 10 Pfennings (pennies). It seems they were copper-coated steel and the sand/water combo "eats 'em up".

Until next time...HAPPY HUNTING TO ALL!

Batch

P.S. Yes, the resemblance to a "smiley face" in the photo was intentional :)
 

Attachments

  • gold1.webp
    gold1.webp
    32.6 KB · Views: 245
  • gold2.webp
    gold2.webp
    47.6 KB · Views: 270
  • bottle caps.webp
    bottle caps.webp
    88 KB · Views: 1,399
Last edited:
Upvote 2
Oh nice great gold chain. Congratulation!!
 

Congrats on the necklace! That is at the minimum $1000.00 in gold, if it were 42%! I hope it turns out to be real! It looks old to me.

I also wanted to add that the necklace looks like 24k gold, and even at todays gold low, it would still be worth $2300.00. Cross your fingers.
 

Last edited:
Wow! That's a good amount of treasure in an unbelievable amount of trash!
Congrats!! Hope the gold is GOLD!!
 

i agree, the necklace looks high karat to me. if you don't notice any obvious plating, my guess is that it's legit....but tests will show. great find.
 

That chain looks pretty legit. Got my fingers crossed for you!
 

Quick update: The gold was GOLD! The necklace tested to be at least 21.6 karat solid (the jeweler's test kit didn't go any higher) and totaled 45.3 grams. If I read the prices correctly, that puts it at about 2000 buck-a-roonies (about 40 grams actual gold at about $50/gram...am I doing the math correctly? Needless to say (but I will), I am STOKED!. I joked with my wonderful spouse that day that I was hoping to find enough to pay for my detector (A Minelab E-Trac) and I did it in one find <LOL>. Pretty danged cool!

I'll keep ya'll in the loop about what else this site gives up. Oh yeah, dig those "iffy" signals...it pays!

Happy hunting,

Batch
 

Quick update: The gold was GOLD! The necklace tested to be at least 21.6 karat solid (the jeweler's test kit didn't go any higher) and totaled 45.3 grams. If I read the prices correctly, that puts it at about 2000 buck-a-roonies (about 40 grams actual gold at about $50/gram...am I doing the math correctly? Needless to say (but I will), I am STOKED!. I joked with my wonderful spouse that day that I was hoping to find enough to pay for my detector (A Minelab E-Trac) and I did it in one find <LOL>. Pretty danged cool!

I'll keep ya'll in the loop about what else this site gives up. Oh yeah, dig those "iffy" signals...it pays!

Happy hunting,

Batch

I figured you had a winner! Congrats and this deserves the BANNER!!
 

That is one big hunk of gold ! Congrats on a great bunch of finds .
Glen
 

Congrats on the awesome gold finds!
 

Amazing! Great job on having the patience to dig it all. I love to see finds like that. I was in the water for almost five hours today,and came away with .35 cents and half a pair of sunglasses. (just not my day,but it beats being at work.) Keep hammering that spot to death!
 

Not kidding you here, get a gold testor that goes to 24k. I found a necklace with a snake clasp like yours has and found out they are made in Thailand of 24k gold. From the weight and color I'd bet that's what you have. Google " 24k Thai baht necklaces" and see for yourself. Congrats
 

Last edited:
wow that is $weet!
 

Sounds like you found a great spot to hunt i havent seen a lake drained since i was a kid and i found a buffalo nickel i rember playing around in it ....they need to drain more lakes for cleaning imo ;-)
 

Old gold pieces have more value than scrap.You should have a professional look at it..
 

Very nice finds, hope the gold chain is real :icon_cheers:
 

Excellent hunt and finds :thumbsup:
 

It is finds like those , that keep me digging thru the trash.Nice find for sure :headbang:
 

Wow. That chain is beautiful!!
 

Congrats on this marvellous find! I wouldn't sell and rather keep it. With your persistence you'll find other gold items to pay for your e-trac in no time.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom