the future of metal detecting

[fuzzy535]

So i was having a conversation with my daughter that got me thinking about something. I picked her up a Nokta simplex+, got it cheap and i was going over it and learning it so i could show her. I told her about all the places i look at and what i see, Like summer fest at the park with venders and food trucks, i told her we need to hit these place's and look for dropped coins, she says to me, "who still carries change" which got me thinking, everything i paid for there was either cash, swipe the card or use my phone to pay... which got me thinking, how long would this hobby continue without coins being dropped? Yes i get that there's a lot of relics and probably still more coins lost than in circulation but how long will it last? What are your thoughts?

 

[Loco-Digger]

Good question fuzzy. Clad finds will be fewer as the years go by for many public spots that used to produce plenty. The good thing is that people still wear rings and other jewelry and also the private permissions will still be out there waiting for your coil to sweep over some good targets.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Clad coins are just a bonus when I metal detect newer spots. I'm really looking for silver and gold jewelry when I do tot lots, schools and soccer fields.

 

[Gare]

When you think about it. How long before we do STOP USING coins to begin with ?

 

[Spill]

When you think about it. How long before we do STOP USING coins to begin with ?

I don't know about you but I stopped a while ago. Why carry cash when it's so easy to lose. The irony.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I am still a user of cash especially for tipping and smaller purchases. My change builds up since it collects in my car. To reduce the coins in the car, I occasionally treat myself to milkshake, flurry, or cone from dairy queen (paying for it with change).

 

[freightdawg747]

The idea of doing away with cash is a bit scary. I spend a lot of time flying in and out of China, and the government there wants you to use an app called Alipay instead of cash. Many shops and restaurants now don't want cash at all, only Alipay. It's great that you won't misplace or lose any cash, but there is another side to this. The government has been looking into using this app to collect fines from you by just going in and withdrawing money. There has also been cases where Alipay has been shut down when a person has issues with the legal system.

 

[fuzzy535]

Good question fuzzy. Clad finds will be fewer as the years go by for many public spots that used to produce plenty. The good thing is that people still wear rings and other jewelry and also the private permissions will still be out there waiting for your coil to sweep over some good targets.

Fair point! i do like the idea of jewelry and fancier drops. I was reviewing the metro parks laws and i seen they changed beach hunting from memorial day to labor day to now Oct 1st, im sure people are already there but ill play the game and wait till its allowed.

 

[fuzzy535]

The idea of doing away with cash is a bit scary. I spend a lot of time flying in and out of China, and the government there wants you to use an app called Alipay instead of cash. Many shops and restaurants now don't want cash at all, only Alipay. It's great that you won't misplace or lose any cash, but there is another side to this. The government has been looking into using this app to collect fines from you by just going in and withdrawing money. There has also been cases where Alipay has been shut down when a person has issues with the legal system.

yeah, im not fond of the government having prying eyes into our finances. I was upset when they screwed Paypal up...i do prefer cash for tipping and local purchases though.

 

[fuzzy535]

When you think about it. How long before we do STOP USING coins to begin with ?

it does seem to be on the way out... i still like it though, keep it all year long then wife and i count it up on new years day to see how much we saved! then put it in the savings account.

 

[pepperj]

While there is no precise real-time count, estimates based on US Mint data and Treasury reports from 2024 and 2025 indicate there are likely several hundred billion coins in circulation in the United States. This number constantly fluctuates as new coins are minted and others are taken out of circulation.
Here are the most recent available estimates for circulating US coins:
Pennies: In mid-2025, it was estimated that roughly 240 billion pennies were in circulation. Many of these coins, however, are unused and sit in jars or drawers.
Nickels: In 2024, the US Mint only produced 202 million nickels, a sharp decrease from previous years. As of February 2025, there was still a substantial number of nickels in circulation, but the exact figure is unknown.
Quarters: While there's no precise figure, estimates put the total number of quarters in circulation at roughly 60 billion. This includes the 34.8 billion quarters released during the popular 50 State Quarters Program, which ran from 1999 to 2008.
Dimes: Mintages for the Roosevelt Dime have varied significantly over the years, with billions produced since 1946. A specific number for all dimes in circulation is not readily available.

Just looking at those numbers, there's a lot of digging to do for a few more years.
240 Billion pennies alone!🤣

 

[Gare]

FCuzzy just what amount do you get yearly

 

[robertk]

Just looking at those numbers, there's a lot of digging to do for a few more years.
240 Billion pennies alone!

Yeah the but the zinc ones will rot away to nothing in a couple years.

 

[Honest Tippy]

FCuzzy just what amount do you get yearly

i remember many years ago when there pay phones everywhere, I enjoy picking up pennies.