Divine Intervention on the Beach?

The story I am about to tell is true, I did not change anything to increase the drama of it, this is exactly how it happened. It is one of those weird moments that make you scratch your head and ask, what does it mean? Is this simply a coincidence?

It started yesterday when I happened to receive a message from an old and very close friend. He informed me that he had a very serious illness and was going through some difficulty of the life changing kind. The news troubled me and I was saddened by it because we go way back and he was/is like a brother to me.

Fast forward to today, I decide to take on an early morning beach hunt and a friend and I hit one of our local beaches. It’s a beautiful morning, a little cool on the beach at 6:00am but very nice.

Well, we decide where we want to detect and split up to go to our spot. I’m about 1 hour into the hunt and not much is happening, just a few coins and foil. I am slowly walking scanning the beach with my metal detector and I start thinking about my friend and what he must be going through.

As I’m walking I’m reminiscing, going over in my mind, about the past and how our family’s grew up together, how we used to play guitar together, and the many, many times we just hung out together. I’m deep in thought and I get a signal on my detector. I stop, pinpoint the target and dig it with my sand scoop. I dump the scoop and see the glimmer of gold and low and behold it is a 14k gold signet ring.

Now remember I was deep in thought, reminiscing about my friend, his situation and the times we had when I found this ring. Now this is the weird part for me, and I kid you not, I look at the ring closely and I see that the initials on the ring are W.M.G.!

I start thinking, oh my god, wait my friends initials are W.M.G.? I am officially freaked out!

I’m praying for you brother………………….

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Winter beach metal detecting – the chills and thrills!

 

Winter can sure be a tough time for many of us that metal detect, but for some it can be one of the best and most lucrative times to hunt, especially if you live near a beach on the coast.

Winter beach metal detectingWinter detecting 1 300x224 Winter detecting (1)

Winter beach metal detecting

Many of us are landlocked in the middle of the country, in places like Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, etc., and Winter can be a miserable time.

I have a brother that lives in the north woods of Wisconsin where it has been 30, 40 & 50 degrees below zero! Any thought of going out metal detecting is crazy and usually impossible due to the ground being harder than concrete.

However, there are some of us that are fortunate to be living near a saltwater beach where the tide water moves in and out constantly keeping the wet beach sand from freezing.

In fact Winter beach detecting can be incredibly exciting, even when the air temperature is below freezing. The Winter storms, wind patterns, and heavy surf can be very disruptive to the coastline uncovering all kinds of treasures for us to find.

Here are just a few of my recent Winter beach hunting finds.

 

Beach metal detecting findsBeach metal detecting finds

 

The beach is a great place to find gold and silver to help fund your hobby 🙂 however you can also find some awesome relics.

The key to a successful day of very cold Winter beach metal detecting is dressing properly and working the outgoing and low-tides where, even on the coldest days the sand will be soft enough for your sand-scoop or shovel.

Look for areas, at or near low-tide, where sand has been washed away and new rocks are exposed after a coastal storm. If there are no exposed rocks, walk heavy on your heels and if you are sinking into the sand look for an area where it is solid underfoot, that will be a good place to start.

One of the benefits of Winter beach hunting, especially in the North East, is that you are usually the only one on the beach or there are very few people out there walking dogs, you might even see another diehard out there detecting.

So, in closing, if you are lucky enough to live near a saltwater beach and haven’t tried hunting in the Winter, get out there and find those treasures that everyone else hunkered down are missing.

Happy Hunting!

Final Thoughts Get out there and enjoy some of the best metal detecting of your life! I do recommend that you use a multi-frequency detector on the saltwater beaches. Single frequency detectors will give you lots of false signals in the wet sand.

HH

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Every Find Tells A Story

So, I've been metal detecting now for about 10 years and I always am amazed at the things I dig up and I never take a find for granted because every find is unique. Everything I dig up while metal detecting has a story behind it and I often try to imagine what that story might be.

2 Cent coin found metal detecting

2 Cent Large Copper

 Like an old coin that I find,  or an old piece of jewelry, I often wonder who held it last, why is it here? I once found a beautiful Victorian diamond ring and it was one of the happiest times of my metal detecting experience, but I also realized that losing that ring was probably one of the most "unhappy" experiences of someone else's life, how ironic.

14k Gold, Diamond & Turquoise Victorian Ring metal detecting find

14k Gold, Diamond & Turquoise Victorian Ring

 I found a beautiful gold men's wedding band on the beach and did the usual fist pumping and exclaiming yes, as I happily placed it in my finds pouch. Then it dawned on me that someone, a husband or husband and father, was at the beach one day, probably with his wife and possibly children when he lost this ring.

14K gold wedding band

14K gold wedding band

 I picture them running happily towards the water, hand in hand, then splashing into the waves swinging their arms as people often do when jumping into the water. Next thing you know, the man is looking at his hand realizing his ring is gone and then there is that devastating feeling that comes with knowing that you won't be able to find it.


 A ring that may have meant the world to someone, may have been blessed by a priest at a wedding ceremony or handed down in the family. A ring that someone might have saved for to be a gift for that special day or a ring placed on a finger and sealed with a kiss from a loving new bride that now sits somewhere covered in sand, gone forever.

gold ring found metal detecting

18k gold ring

 Fast forward, here I come with my detector several years later, a few months later, or maybe the next day, who knows? I hear that tone shouting GOLD into my ears and dig up that beautiful ring and I'm doing the "happy dance."

 One of the hard truths about metal detecting is that usually one person's good fortune is a direct result of another person's misfortune.

 So whenever I find a piece of jewelry, an old coin, or any other item I dig up, I try to imagine the story behind it and whenever possible, if circumstances allow, I try to locate the owner of a lost piece of jewelry and return it to them. That's just what I like to do and you know something, I feel good doing it.

 Happy Hunting!

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It’s not just about the Bling!


With all the recent metal detecting television shows and advertisements for metal detectors it’s no wonder so many new people are getting into the hobby. How can anyone resist with the TV show exclamations of “BOOM BABY!” and the comments like “I’ve found over a hundred and fifty thousand dollars in jewelry” or “I’ve found over a million dollars in artifacts” being made over the airwaves to millions.

metal detecting finds


  Unfortunately some folks approach metal detecting as a “get rich quick” scheme only to be severely disappointed and quickly give up. What doesn’t come out in the TV shows is the hours upon hours of digging “trash” or items that may have “history” but no “historical value” so to speak.

 

Part of the reason many of us stick with this hobby is the understanding of that reality, combined with getting satisfaction from digging up something that was dropped or buried years ago, and questioning the story behind it, the mystery of how it got there, who may have held it last, and why it is where it is?

 

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you can’t or won’t find valuable stuff, what I am saying is that it won’t come easy for the vast majority of metal detecting enthusiasts. I am able to pay for my hobby by cashing in on some of my finds but the hobby is not making me “rich” in the monetary sense, however it does make me “rich” in other ways.

 

For one, I get to enjoy the beautiful outdoors, I love getting up before sunrise and hitting a nice serene & scenic beach in the earliest hour when the tide is going out and especially when there is a nice sea breeze.

 

beach metal detecting

~~I also enjoy a beautiful park late in the day when most folks have left and I can scan the ground without concern or interruption.Metal detecting a park

 And hey, while pulling hundreds of pull-tabs, rusty nails, bottle-caps, etc. I do find an occasional silver coin or ring, gold jewelry, or an old relic as an added bonus. 

metal detecting finds
 Just go into this hobby with the understanding that it’s not just about the bling, there is so much more to it. If you can do that, then this hobby is for you!

 


Happy Hunting

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Going for the Gold!

pull tabs while metal detecting

Pull-tabs

~~As a metal detectorist, one of the things we all look for and hope to find is gold. Whether it be a gold coin, nugget, ring, chain, or any other gold jewelry, it is always in the back of your mind while swinging a detector.

But, it is elusive, and at least in my experience as a metal detecting enthusiast, not something you find everyday.

 I find that here in Massachusetts my best chance for gold is on a beach and that is usually where I find it.

The problem with that is a lot of people like to enjoy a beverage or two while at the beach resulting in lots of pull-tabs and bottle-caps, from soda & beer cans, being left behind.

 

 

 

Well, those items just happen to identify on metal detectors the same as gold does, making it frustrating in the search for the elusive gold.

 However, if you are patient and persistent enough, you will eventually find the gold. When metal detecting on a beach you must dig everything and I mean everything. If you keep digging those signals and keep getting pull-tabs you can't get frustrated, you can't stop digging those signals because you will find gold.

 On one beach hunting trip I dug the 18 pull-tabs in the picture, some bottle-caps and some pieces of small foil, not pictured, before I found this 14k gold turquoise and diamond ring. Guess what it rang up as on my detector?

 A pull-tab!

14k Gold, Diamond & Turquoise Victorian Ring metal detecting find

14k Gold, Diamond & Turquoise Victorian Ring

 

So you see, my patience and persistence paid off in a big way! Keep digging those foil, pull-tab, nickel & zinc targets and you will find your gold.

 Happy Hunting!

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Metal Detecting Finds (non beach finds 2013)

Signet Ring found metal detecting

Signet Ring, Gold Filled

Silver shell metal detecting

Silver Shell pendant

1941 silver mercury dime and 1952 silver Washington quarter

1941 silver mercury dime and 1952 silver Washington quarter

token

token

ring metal detecting find

Found and returned lost gold ring

metal detecting find

Religious Pendant

sterling silver spoon found metal detecting

Piece of sterling silver spoon

metal detecting find

Old Lead Cracker Jack whistle

metal detecting find

Medical Alert necklace found and returned


Old Razor Handle found metal detecting

Old Razor Handle

metal detecting finds

Silver Quarters and Dimes found in a Park

coins found metal detecting

Mercury Dime and Indian Head Penny

Metal detecting find

Old Pot Pipe

2 Cent coin found metal detecting

2 Cent Large Copper

metal detecting finds

Old Zippo Lighter

metal detecting find

Toy Gun Piece


Barber Dime and Military Button

Barber Dime and Military Button

Girl Scout Ring from metal detecting

Girl Scout Ring

1894 Indian Head Penny

1894 Indian Head Penny


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Metal Detecting Beach Finds 2013

metal detecting finds

Found these 5 rings, 4 silver and one 18k gold.

rings found while metal detecting

4 ring day, 2 gold and 2 silver

Coins found beach metal detecting

Silver, Copper Large Cent and a V Nickle

Crotal Bell from the beach

18th Century Crotal Bell

Indian Head Penny found beach detecting

1905 Indian Head Penny

Diamond ring found metal detecting

24 diamonds and 4 ruby ring

gold ring found metal detecting

18k gold ring

Tungsten Ring found metal detecting

Tungsten Ring Sz. 13

picture of recent metal detecting finds

Big fat silver ring


beach metal detecting finds

Whole lot of pocket change

Toy car found metal detecting

Hot Rod

Chanel Ring found detecting

Chanel Ring

rings found metal detecting

From another 4 ring day

Celtic Ring and cross

Celtic Ring and cross

                                             


Tootsie Toy Fire Engine found while metal detecting

Tootsie Toy Fire Engine

metal detecting finds

Lead bullets and toys

beach metal detecting ring finds

silver rings before and after cleaning

Victorian ring found metal detecting the beach

Victorian 14k Gold, Diamond and Turquoise Ring

                                                                                         


Pandora Bracelet found metal detecting

Pandora Bracelet

14k gold chain found on beach

37 grams of 14k gold chain

 

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How to metal detect a wide open beach

For those of you that metal detect on beaches or those that are new to metal detecting and want to learn ways to properly approach a beach for metal detecting, I have created a video (shown at the bottom of this post) showing how I approach a wide open and flat beach.

beach metal detecting

Not all beaches are like this, although many are, this is just an example of how I would recommend that you hunt a wide open flat beach area, so that you can cover lots of ground, especially paying close attention to freshly worn areas with protruding rocks. Beach metal detecting

In the video it is difficult to see but at low tide there is the normally dry sand at the top where most people gather, also known as the “towel line,” but then there can be an area with a mound of sand just below the dry sand that gets covered during high-tide but is very porous.

After that toward the water is the flat wet sand area that I find to be the most productive for targets. I find that metal detecting the beach in the mid-section area to be where I find my greatest treasures, provided that there is not too much soft sand depth.

The problem is that it can be a vast, flat, and wide open area, so I made this video to specifically address that aspect of beach metal detecting to show how to cover lots of beach and not get lost in the process.

Follow these tips and you will get your coil over more targets for better success while hunting the beach.

I hope it is helpful & happy hunting!

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How to use your metal detector (proper swing)

The following is a video showing proper metal detecting swing technique. It is not intended to cover all aspects of how to use your metal detector but to help beginners and others understand the importance of proper swing technique. Notice in the video how the detectorist keeps his coil to the ground, makes a wide sweep covering lots of area and overlaps his swings.

Then notice in the second half of the video the demonstration of improper technique when swinging your metal detector. Many people, especially beginners, will use what is known as the "banana swing" when out detecting. This type of swing only covers a few inches of the ground per sweep, missing all sorts of potential targets.

 

 

 

The proper swing technique will cover the most ground and give you the most depth from your metal detector, therefore providing the most opportunity for good finds. I hope this video on how to use your metal detector with a proper swing is helpful to you.

Happy Hunting!

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Lost Wedding Ring found August 2013

I was contacted by “Lost my Stuff” that someone in Ipswich, Massachusetts was looking for help finding a ring that he lost about a year ago. He had previously searched for it but had no luck. My detecting buddy Jeff & I responded to the request and met up with Jeremy at the house where he lost the ring.

The area where he lost it was very difficult terrain for metal detecting, mostly shrubs. He described how he was walking up the stairs and pulled his keys out of his pocket and was sure the ring flew out of his pocket at that time.

We discussed briefly how we should proceed and then I turned on my detector, placed it near one of the shrubs, got a signal similar to a gold signal, poked my Vibra Probe pinpointer in the dirt, and saw a glitter of gold!

I reached in with my finger, stood up and said “we’re done here” and everyone was shocked! It has to be a Lost My Stuff record because it took less than a minute from turning on my detector to finding the ring!!!

found ring metal detecting

Needless to say Jeremy was thrilled and probably in shock! Another happy result thanks to Lost my Stuff, and oh yeah, my great metal detecting skills 🙂

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