My very FIRST discoveries... Prepare to be underwhelmed!

[ce550av8r]

So I'm a total newbie. Been interested in MD and amateur archaeology since I was about 10 and my best friend and I discovered an old farm trash dump in the woods behind our houses. We dug mostly intact, mostly cork or rubber stopper bottles of all shapes, sizes and colors from beneath a lot of discarded field rocks and several inches of dirt. Medicines, liniments, balms, you name it. We had so much fun and thought we would be filthy rich with those treasures... WELL, 30 years later I finally got the metal detector and equipment to start exploring again and since we are still in a deep freeze in Upstate NY I brought my gear with me down to FL on a trip I just flew. I fly charter jets for a living so I get to visit lots of different areas, another reason I thought it'd be a good hobby for me - I can bring it along with me without much hassle. Anyhow, I FINALLY had the chance to try out my gear and practice technique for pinpointing and digging. Saturdays in the Spring in South Florida are apparently not great times to hit the beach for hunting... Holy crowds. I'll admit a late start today when my copilot asked if he could tag along. I didn't even try to hunt it was SO crowded. Talk about a letdown! We headed from spot to spot to see if there was any quiet strip of beach to play with but struck out. On our way to get lunch we were passing a small boat launch/park that had no beach - but looked very quiet so I decided to try it out for learning purposes. I geared up and went at it. I'm sure the place was loaded with trash because there were picnic tables set up and some visible trash on the surface. I cleaned up the area I was going to play in and immediately had hits in the iron, aluminum, nickel, quarter and dime scales. I worked on pinpointing with the X and my first hole I was skunked. Busted out my Garret pinpointer and nada. I filled in my little hole and tried again... Next hole I found the fishing lure, which if I remember right was registering as a Nickel. Next was the lead weight. Lastly was my very first coin... A 1976 penny which is 6 years younger than I am... It was last because the plastic Fiskars trowel that was part of the freebie kit of accessories SNAPPED in half when I was digging out the penny. I'm heading soon to a local store to find a better trowel/landscaping knife to work with. Plans are to hit the beach this evening around dinner time and hope that they've thinned out a lot! HH all and any advice is always welcome.

 

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[ce550av8r]

I do have a question for you guys. The lure I'm keeping because its my first find. The penny as well. The lead weight I put in the garbage can as I left the park... What does everyone do with the junk metal?

 

[njnydigger]

Welcome to the addiction, lol.

Congrats on your maiden voyage! Believe me, the first of MUCH good stuff to come...if you just learn your detector like the back of your hand, find the right spots & persevere

As for the trash, to each their own. I personally use a finds pouch and bring it home after my hunts to sort the clad from the older coins. Then, I throw all the junk away. The older, rarer coins & jewelry go into one of those plastic arts & crafts cases. The clad goes into a tumbler to be cleaned. Once I have about a hundred bucks or so, I cash it in to buy new detecting supplies.

Buy a tumbler, WELL worth it! Coinstar machines & banks that cash in the clad aren't too fond of dirty coins. You can get a decent tumbler from Harbor Freight for $30 or so.

Keep us posted on your success...

 

[Rich in Central PA]

The best time to hit the (crowded) beaches are in the morning before the rush, and late afternoon/evening when the people are starting to head back off the beach to call it a day.

Yea I hear ya about the cold weather, still cold here in Central PA. Winter just won't let go. Patience and persistence my friend, and of course some luck, and you will be rewarded...............Rich

 

[BosnMate]

If you have no use for the lead you find, hold on to it until you get 25 to 50 pounds, then sell it at the scrap yard. I hang onto what I find, fishing sinkers and bullets and scrap, and lead weighs up rather fast, and has some value so sell. Right now scrap lead is about a dollar a pound. If you fish or know someone that fishes, it's always good for sinkers.

 

[ce550av8r]

Thanks guys. I headed back to one beach this evening just like you suggest and hit it for about an hour and 20 minutes. Detector seemed to give frequent iron type tones down by the waterline until I turned the Sens down a few notches. Had a nice higher tone that ended up being a 5" by .5" aluminum pipe, haha... Next was going from dime to quarter at a 6" depth. I dug it out and checked the excavated sand with pinpointer, nada. Hole buzzed so I dug out that side more, nada. Hole buzzed, repeat. After I had gone another 6" in that direction I remembered people talking about false readings in certain dirt/sand... And chalked it up to that wet sand with lots of grainy black stuff in it. Last hit was a food wrapper. Got to field about 6 questions of "Finding anything good?" "Millionaire yet?" And "can I have one of gold coins you found?" - best was the Twenty-something hottie in a bikini who wanted to chat about how her late dad loved the hobby. =)

 

[ce550av8r]

Oh, and I refilled my holes and packed out the garbage - trying to make sure I do my new hobby the right way...

 

[TooManyHobbies]

Lead weights, etc can be melted down to make bullets if you reload or know someone that does.

 

[Davers]

Lead weights, etc can be melted down to make bullets if you reload or know someone that does.

Go out & swing the coil as much as you can and learn your machine and great finds will come. I save all the fishing weights , wheel weights etc for the reason above. GOOD LUCK IN THE FUTURE..........Davers

 

[ce550av8r]

Thanks guys! Great ideas. I'll have to get some storage buckets.

 

[wlb42]

Hey.....Great start.....nice learning curve.....and "networking" with the beach on-lookers....after 42 years, I still Love this great hobby.........ALL of us remember learning what our detectors are trying to tell us on each and every target....and even false signals.....but you WILL master your detector.....and you WILL be finding a lot of great coins, rings, silver etc. very soon.......Good Luck.....and Happy Hunting!!

Bill

 

[DetectorKnight]

I personaly dont find junk. Like today I was searching and found some old metal to the tune of 694 pounds worth at .11 cent a pound and 3 car batteries at .26 a pound for a total of $92.20. Last week the total was $28.00.