question on old finds vs. recent drops.

[Foilman]

People will say that a new season is coming and the beach will be reseeded. I guess I understand to a degree, but why then do you see guys have multiple finds of old stuff. It would seem that anytime could be your best day ever if you can all of a sudden pull 3 coins or three rings from yesteryear. I am perplexed by this. Any thoughts?

 

[FloridaBill]

I am not sure where you are but in Florida at least by me the beaches are pounded to death. So really although the wave action may once in a blue moon uncover a old find, usually it will be a fresh drop that you find.

It gets better for us in the summer because more people get into the water and also all of the tourists and snowbirds leave so you don't have ten guys on the beach searching the same area.

So a lot has to do with location, the older finds may be lakes up north or beaches that are old and no longer in use again mainly up north, but you don't have that in Florida all the beaches are hunted very heavy. Just my $.02

 

[Foilman]

Mid-Atlantic, mostly Jersey. Now yes it seems the dry sand is kept clean here, but I quess I was thinking more of in the water. Is the stuff in the water cleaned up that easy? Of course I assume the Gulf is easier to clean than the east side of Florida or am I wrong on that.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Depends on where you are in Florida, the farther south you go the more chances to find stuff year round as the water is warmer and people stay in the water longer.

Rip currents, especially on the Atlantic open up huge holes and make it possible to find old rings and jewelry that has been under seveal feet of sand for a long time. You have to work the hole when it is open as it will be covered up fairly quick.

Last year in Daytona we found a huge hole that was opened up by a rip tide, Hole was at least 50 yards long and 20 to 30 yards wide. You would walk out mid calf, suddenly drop to waist to chest deep then back out to less then knee deep. While talking to other hunters at the GSBSO we talked about the hole and found out at least another 22 gold rings came out of the same hole that we took and saw at least 16 come out in one hunt. We were bringing up chunks of clay so that tells you how much sand had been removed by the rip current.

If I knew then what I know now, I would have rented a room, called in sick, and hunted that hole for days till I couldn't walk. Hole was open for about 2 weeks before it sanded in, besides the gold jewelry we were finding lots of old silver coins also.......

 

[Foilman]

Stop T.H., your giving me goose bumps

 

[DaChief]

Hey Foilman. That link you have to the Golden Oldies website has some answers for this. T-Hunter just sent it to me and I think you said you have it also. When I read your post I remembered reading and article on the Beach Hunting section about this very thing. The "Shifting Sands" topic on that site talks about it.

Take Care,

Jim

 

[JoeSWFla]

Has anyone here seen a difference between the Atlantic and the Gulf as to
when the beaches cut.In the Atlantic they like the winter due to north east
winds cutting the beach.In the Gulf I've heard people say the summer is
best.I tend to see deeper cuts in the spring and summer ,and more sanding
in the winter months.We can have shallow troughs in the winter,3' to 4',
and in the summer some of the same spots have been 6' to 8'.Were these
just freak occurances or a general rule,due to wind and sea changes.
I haven't been able to get to the beach every day to watch it,but some
here might hunt all year on a continual basis.Thanks and HH Joe

 

[Foilman]

Snook,
I know they are right. It is called halo effect. Metal in the ground over time leaches and causes a bigger easier signal that could be picked up deeper but if there is three feet of sand on top I don't think there is a machine that will find it unless it was very specialized. Not something you would find at a store.