Metal Detecting 2014 Finds Video

Eroded Beach Silvers

There were some higher than usual tides this past week and I felt it would be an opportune time to scout out my local beach. Didn't take long to find a section where bucket-sized rocks were made visible after sand movement. That particular section of beach had eroded in the recent past, about a year ago, and I found several gold and silver jewelry pieces then. This time around it produced again, yet all the good finds turned out to be silver coins. I'm not complaining! Two silver Washingtons, three silver Rosies, and a Walking Liberty Half were the take after two consecutive early morning hunts. On the third morning (Friday) I returned and the area had been sanded in.

Morning 1: 2 Washingtons, 2 Rosies, Walking Liberty Half, Two Wheat Cents

Morning 1: Close Up, Walking Liberty Half Still Coated

Morning 2: Rosie, Stainless Pendant, Wheat Cent

Recent Ag and Au Finds

I've been busy with "real life." I'm sure we all know how that goes. Here are noteworthy finds from three separate hunts since June 7th. Happy hunting!

Pair of .925 Silver Earrings

Two Hunts' Total at the Beach. Woman's 14K White Gold Wedding Band

Kennedy and a Ring

Made it to the beach yesterday morning and found a bit of a sweet spot. I dug a fair share of green clad, which indicates it has settles in the salty sand for a little while. My guess is six months to a year. No gold, or silver, yet I did come home with a pouch full of coins including a 1993 Kennedy half dollar and a man's titanium wedding band. Hope everyone has a pleasant weekend.

May 22, 2015 early AM

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

I did it. I finally offloaded some of my finds. Up until this point I had only let go of a handful of items in the past to recoup initial costs of the hobby.

While on vacation recently, when I brought my waterproof Minelab Excalibur II, I met a Scottish woman with whom I chatted at length about my collection of finds. She and her husband had seen me snorkeling in the water with my detector and they were genuinely curious about the hobby. She was adamant I should sell my finds because they weren't doing me any good sitting in a safe.

I've been holding onto 99.5% of located items looking at them as a long-term investment. Plus, I'll admit, they're fun to show off. Throughout my time in the hobby, however, I've gone through my extensive five years' worth of finds and have felt... cluttered.

I am interested in hearing what your thoughts are on selling our finds.

Offloaded 10K jewelry. No gemstones.

Offloaded 14K jewelry. No gemstones.

Curb Strip Silver

This past Thursday evening I detected a local curb strip I'd been eyeing for a week. The grass had been removed and only loose dirt remained. I scanned the 40' length of it for about an hour before some rain forced me away.

1942 S Merc, 1944 plain and 1945 S Wheat Cents - Obverse

1942 S Merc, 1944 plain and 1945 S Wheat Cents - Reverse

Everything Counts

I haven't had much free time to detect lately. I did make it out late yesterday evening for about an hour at a property where cottages were built in 1958. The landscape is currently torn up as the structures undergo renovations. I'll likely head back this evening and see if I can scrounge up some silver. Happy hunting!

Notable finds:

• Ellwest Stereo Theatres & Jolar Cinemas Vintage Peep Show Token
• 1946 D, 1953 S, 1954 S, 1956 S Wheat Cents

One and a Half Rings

Last night I found half a 925 ring in the dry sand. The telltale sign of beachcomber tines were all over so perhaps it was the cause. It still counts!

Walked a bit further down the beach and found a slope that has been productive in the past. The starfish 925er was at the very bottom of the slope and at least a foot deep. The ability of a properly tuned Minelab Sovereign GT, combined with a slow and low swing, to sniff out deep targets always has me nodding in approval.

April 14, 2015 - Dry and Wet Sand Hunt

Two Hunts, Two Broken Chains

Hit dry sand volleyball courts on Sunday evening, April 12, 2015. Found the shorter piece of a broken 18K chain then about three feet away I found the longer piece.

Last night, Monday, April 13th, I detected a wet sand slope that yielded a 1941 S wheat penny, and a thin silver chain that I believe I broke with my sand scoop during recovery. The bent 1947 plain Roosevelt dime was dug up on March 10th at a local, vacant lot I've pulled up some oldies at in the past.

April 12, 2015 - Dry Sand Volleyball Courts

April 13, 2015 - Wet Sand Slope

Tiffany & Co. Ring Return Update

After the return I wrote about on March 11, 2015, I emailed a follow-up to the Assistant Store Manager of Tiffany & Co. who helped me locate the owner of the lost engagement ring. I received a response with a heartfelt thank you and a message that if there were anything the company could do to aid me in the future they'd be happy to assist.

A week later I received another email explaining how the story had made the rounds through management and the retailer wished to offer me a gift. I was surprised and honored to say the least. Below are pictures of the gifted Tiffany & Co. pen as well as the letter that arrived with it.

Wedding Ring Set Return

On March 4, 2015 I wrote about an exceptional early morning metal detecting hunt.

Upon returning home I inspected the finds and saw a serial number inscribed on the interior of the Tiffany & Co engagement ring. My intent was to visit a local Tiffany's store to report the serial number on the following Monday, March 9th, when I had some errands to run in that area. However, on Sunday I felt what I can only describe as an irresistible urge to visit the store a day early.

Roughly 30 minutes after leaving Tiffany's I received an email from the husband of the woman who lost the rings at the beach six months prior. Sunday was her birthday and they had just finished their celebratory dinner when word arrived about the found ring. I spoke with the husband that evening and he, quite grateful yet curious, asked if I had found a second ring; the wedding band set with 21 small diamonds. I had a suspicion the rings were a set, albeit of differing precious metals, and I could not deny the elation I felt at having found both rings before the ocean claimed them.

We met last night and they were reunited with the lost rings. This marks my seventh lost jewelry return in just over four and a half years in the hobby.

PT950 Engagement Ring and 14K White Gold Wedding Band - RETURNED!

The Happy Couple : )

Quick, List Three Precious Metals

Did you go with silver, gold and platinum?

I scoped out a sidewalk tear-out this morning while heading to the beach for an early morning jaunt under the full moon. There wasn't much exposed area though I did manage to scrape up one silver Mercury dime. A friend I mentioned it to later in the morning asked if it was done being torn-out. I replied it would likely be covered back up by this evening. His simple response was, "Ah well good save." Indeed.

That could have been enough to make it a satisfying hunt yet as it turned out it was only the beginning. All it took was a little patience, about an hour after I had begun scanning the beach, to find that sweet spot right beneath a fresh cut. You know what I mean?

Gold Ring #3 FTY

Yesterday I headed out to the beach for a casual evening hunt.  About an hour in I came across a newly eroded section of beach on the upper slope with targets at every swing.

14K with Cubic Zirconia

Uncleaned Finds

Rings Galore

My 2015 detecting season is off to an incredible start!  I've hit the beaches four times and managed to find at least one ring during three of the trips.  Here are ring totals so far: one titanium, two tungsten carbide, one silver and two gold.  One tungsten ring is not pictured.

Titanium (left) and Tungsten Carbide

Silver

.925 Italy Necklace Piece

14K White and Yellow Gold

18K White Gold with Purple Sapphire and 8 Diamonds

Happy New Year!

The 2014 season has ended and it turned out well though it wasn't my best year of detecting.  I'll have a video up on YouTube soon displaying a everything I dug up during the year.  Here are a few decent finds from my last two hunts of the year.  Best of luck to all in 2015!

1946 Plain Washington, 1944 D and 1945 plain Wheat Cents