Another Water Hunt At Sunrise. I Was A Loan Wolf Today, But Sometimes A Loan Wolf Will Make A Kill! :biggrin:

[Critterhunter]

My buds asked me if I was going to meet them down at the beach we've been hitting for the 3rd day in a row. I said no point to it, because I can't get that extra foot deep with my GT chest/shoulder mounted where they'd been working a cut, and as said the rest of the beach was sanded in badly and I had gridded it at least twice from shore to as deep as I could go.

So I said I'm heading to another small nearby lake with a small beach, as none of us have hit it since last year. Sunrise found met entering the water and I'm happy to say it was worth the short trip!

Right away it was obvious somebody had probably worked this place Saturday or Sunday morning, because it was devoid of targets for 10 minutes at a time. Then I started popping about 6 quarters. Obviously somebody is skipping the coin signals. Big mistake, because not only do all silver rings read up in the coin range, but also gold rings can read that high depending on what has been mixed with the gold (like copper or silver), and of course a big gold ring can also read read that high too.

I was starting to think...."Hardly any targets and it's obvious somebody cherry picked this place and left the coins behind in the last day or two" (you can only hunt this beach at sunrise or they'll kick you out), and almost decided to head home, but then I thought about how gold rings can ring as high as coins, not to mention silver ones always do, and besides who's passing up some quick quarters when with a long handled scoop it's an easy way to rack up some quick clad totals.

So enough wandering around to gauge the place. Time to get serious about griding it out. It's a small beach. Maybe 150 to 200 yards in length at the very most. Perhaps 300 yards maybe. Either way, it took me about 2 & 1/2 hours to grid it from the very edge of the beach in the water (I didn't dry sand hunt at all, just the water) to as deep as I dared go with my GT chest/shoulder mounted (just over belly button deep is as far as I will push it). That 2 & 1/2 hours included my initial wandering before griding, and also me taking about 3 smoke breaks on shore.

So I started at the very edge of the beach in only about a half inch of water. Popped a couple nickels and a square tab. Things are looking up. Then I popped what I thought at first was going to be a gold ring, also in about an inch of water. Turned out to be some kind of gold-ish colored junk pendate with a lion or the sun's face on it. That one had my heart going for a second thinking gold, but just the same I was happy to see another low tone that somebody didn't dig which gave a really good sound.

I'm guessing whoever hunts this place isn't working right up against shore. Another big mistake, because mothers will often play in the sand/water right at the edge with their baby, and also will come down to wash the sand off their hands if they've been digging sand castles, not to mention somebody swimming with shriveled up fingers might not pitch a ring off their finger and they are walking back onto shore and it finally comes flying off just as they leave the water.

So about my third pass in my grid pattern, meaning roughly about 4 feet from the shore because I don't sweep wide when I want to work a place good for best coil control, and about half way down the length of this beach I get a real nice smooth "warm" "round" low tone. I always get excited when I hear that as it could be a ring, as they usually have that sort of "quality" sound to them compared to a lot of trash. Pull tabs even often sound "harsh" or "bangy" if you have a keen ear that day. This was different. A real nice "smooth" "don't you dare pass me up" type of signal.

One scoop and I wash out the sand from the scoop and look inside. I see gold! A small plain woman's band. Got to be sure about this, so I look inside the band and can see "14K"! Wow, I've been way over due for a gold ring on land or in the water, but then again this is only like my 4th or 5th water hunt this year.

Now I'm motivated to stay for sure and finish griding this place out paralleling the beach like I'm mowing the lawn until I don't dare risk going any deeper. It started to rain, but no problem, as I have my GT inside a zip lock bag before I put it in the Minelab bag (I always do this when water hunting to avoid a rouge wave or a momentary fall).

Like to say I got another ring but it was not to be, but I did get about $4 or so in clad (mostly quarters) and of course am real happy with the ring. I weighed it and it's 2 grams. Checked the current price of 14K 2 grams on the stock market and it's about $63, which means ARA will give me about $60 for it. By the time I mail it to them (I'm guessing a $4 to $12 or so shipping cost?) I'm looking at probably about $50, so I'm going to head up to a local coin dealer/gold buyer nearby that is decent with his prices (for a local shop, as he doesn't rip people off as bad as those typical cash for gold places), and tell him what I can get for the ring, but would be willing to let it go to him for $45 or $50 just so avoid the shipping and week's wait from ARA.

If it was a bigger ring for sure I'd only want to mail it to ARA, because then the shipping cost doesn't bite into the scrap value as much. Just that a tiny ring like this takes a good chunk out of it's scrap value with shipping, so maybe the local dealer will be worth checking out to see if he can come near that price enough for me to just sell it to him.

I'm going to try to get out as much as I can water hunting over the next month while the weather is still warm enough to do that comfortably. If I can dig up about $500 or so in scrap weight with some gold ring finds then I'm going to buy an AT Pro for a water machine, and as a backup to my GT on land hunts for odd days I feel like swinging faster (like say to rack up fast clad totals), or of course for going deeper in the water than I can with my GT chest mounted. I'll still water hunt with the GT, but when I know I need to get shoulder deep to work a cut then out comes the AT Pro.

Yea, it ain't as deep as the Excalibur, but just to go that extra foot or so deeper (the distance between my belly button and shoulder roughly) than I can now with my GT I'm not wanting to spend that much to do so. Besides, like I said on the odd day I want to work heavy trash without having to swing as slow as you need to with a Minelab or for some quick clads I'll break out the AT Pro. It'll also make a good machine for scouting the woods faster. Once I find an area of activity I can come back later and work it hard with my GT.

I just can't pass up the value for a dual purpose land/water machine that has a full function LCD screen and is light, so that it's just as comfortable on land as in the water. Many FBS guys also have one as a backup to their MInelabs. I just wonder...How sensitive is it to fine gold chains and small gold earrings? Has to be more than a Minelab I would guess. The ability to swap coils and headphones because it comes standard with waterproof plugs is also a major perk to me. Also be perfect for rainy day land hunts when I don't want to risk the GT or deal with plastic bags to protect it.

Not in no way comparing it to the awesome performance of the Excalibur (depth and ability to handle salt/minerals better), just saying it'll serve my purpose better for a land/water machine and the low price is just too much to pass up.

Oh, almost forgot...That ring I found today had an "S" next to the 14K stamp. What does that mean?

 

[dewcon4414]

AT Pro is a good machine especially for the price. TID is nice on land, but not much good in neck deep water. Im told it does well on gold items..... but some machines pick up gold.... but in water/black sand at what depth? SS doesnt have TID, but does pick up well with a lifetime warranty and reasonable price as well. OOO and wheres our picture?

Dew

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Critter,nice find,probably a wise move to consider a water detector.Here in Michigan I should keep one on hand all the time.HH Ron

 

[Critterhunter]

Thanks Ron. Like I said, since I'm happy to wade belly button deep with my GT chest mounted can't see spending much for another foot or so deeper to go in the water. I'll still use the GT most days water hunting but if I plan to go deeper than my belly button out comes the AT Pro. Plus another perk is the dual purpose land thing as a backup to my GT on days I want to swing faster like fast clad hunting or scouting the woods fast for any areas of activity. I can always go back with the GT to work the site harder and find what the AT Pro missed. Most days I prefer to swing slow so the GT is my weapon of choice for that and max depth and also pulling coins out of iron, but if I'm just in one of those moods to swing fast that day then out will come the Garrett. I've seen some FBS guys pull some nice silver out of heavy trash with that AT Pro without the need to slow down as much as we need to with our Minelabs. The Minelabs are great at pulling coins out of iron or other junk, but we all know you have to work slow to do best at that. Most days I'd rather swing slow than fast because I feel it gives the hardest hit on deep stuff by using a slow machine and also gives you more ability to work between the trash looking for signals, but still there are days when you just want to move at a quicker pace.

By the way, just headed up to a local silver/gold buyer who runs a coin shop. His prices are very fair for a local shop, paying much more than those cash for gold/silver places. Anyway, I told the guy about ARA and how they only skim 2% of the day's market price for gold. He couldn't believe it and said if they do give that price they must require large quantities. I told him about the forums and how all the metal detecting guys go through ARA because they are the best price around.

So he gave them a call and confirmed what I told him and that it doesn't require a minimum quanity of gold. He got off the phone and said I'll match their price for you, and will match their price for any future gold you bring me for that day's stock market price of gold ARA is paying! He said just don't tell anybody I'm doing that locally. I said no problem, because his normal prices are still very fair for the locals anyway. I told him I'd spread the word though that he's the best local shop for highest prices on gold and silver compared to other local shops, which he is.

So not only did he match ARA's price, but it also saved me the shipping cost. I tried to tell him to pay me less since he's saving me the shipping but he refused and said he's still making money, so he must have a buyer that only takes 1% instead of 2% like ARA maybe? So now I've got a local shop that matches ARA, saves me the shipping cost, and I don't have to wait a week for the check to come in the mail. Happy about that.

 

[dewcon4414]

Im certain you did him a favor as well if he didnt know about ARA. Likely he was getting far less for his gold lol. Now..... about that picture.

Dew

 

[Critterhunter]

I've finally got an adaptor for my new computer to read my compact flash card in my digital pocket camcorder/camera. Only problem is this camera doesn't focus up close real well, so I figured what's the point anyway...It was just a plain small gold band. Sometimes I can get my hands on a friend's camera and shoot some close up pics of stuff to post, but that's a drive to get. Come to think of it...I think my neighbor has one now that I could borrow for a few minutes on future finds, but this ring has been sold so that'll never be for that one.

Far as that dealer, he said he's "still making money off me" for matching ARA's price. So I would assume that means he's got a refinery that only skims 1% perhaps? I mean, ARA is legit and only takes 2%. Not much margin between that and 0% is there. Yea, maybe he was just happy to find a better place to sell his gold, but then why tell me all future gold I bring him he'll match ARA's price for that day too? Unless he's just thrilled about the money he'll make now by using them for all his other gold he cashes in?

 

[dewcon4414]

He may have a market other than just melt. Paying you melt now may pay off for him if you have any consistancy out there. I mean a diamond ring or a good fatty could be sold much higher with the right connections, which im sure he has. As a water hunter ..... i like seeing peoples finds especially the GOLD.

Dew

 

[Critterhunter]

Never thought about that...That he might just be re-selling the ring to a wholesaler or something and not selling it for scrap. He does carry coins, rings, and other antique gold/silver items in his store, so maybe he will just put it on display to sell himself or something.

Far as a ring with a real diamond or some other real stones, that's when it's going to ARA. As they will buy your stones off your rings from you if you want to sell them (otherwise they send them back free of charge once they scrap the gold), and they even will make you an offer before closing the deal. I hear their prices on stones are pretty fair, considering that jewelers can get stones very cheap via wholesale and also can be fronted stones without paying for them just to see if they can make a sale. That's why jewelers won't pay you squat for a diamond ring most of the time unless it's very unique with a great stone you don't see very often. They can get them wholesale for dirt cheap, and they can also get them on loan without fronting the cash to try to make a sale. For those reasons, I hear ARA is very decent with their stone prices.

 

[dewcon4414]

Ive been dealing with ARA for some time now. Yes they started buying stone.... but they are interested in larger stones and it isnt ARA but a sub contractor who makes the offer. It does amaze me they return the stones..... why? Because you wouldnt know or not if they bought them and sold rather than melted them I know it doesnt matter to us sending them in, but there has to be big bucks for resale as opposed to melt.... it would just be a good business move especially with the volume they have. I do take pictures of all my finds before sending them in.... no one is perfect and mistakes can get made. They do a dang good job and have great customer service.

Dew

 

[Critterhunter]

If you guys didn't catch it check the beach forum and the views forum. Somebody said ARA is no longer buying from the public?! But then somebody else said if you've already done business with them you still can. And another guy said if you tell them you read about them on a metal detecting forum and you found your gold rings they still will do business with you, so I don't know what's going on.

I guess I should be good to go with my local deal. Now that I thought about it why would my local dealer have to call them every time I go in? He knows they only skim 2% now so he can do the math on that day's gold prices without calling them. Besides, if I do lose this guy I've already done business with ARA so I should still be able to according to what has been said.

 

[Md Epidemic]

Congrats on the gold critter. I have been using my Excal almost exclusively all summer salt water hunting but also own an AT-PRO and think it's a great machine I
use it mostly for land but did use it last year in a lake in Maine for a week and it worked great. On Monday tides were high so I went to a park with the AT I had not hunted since
spring and found my oldest coin to date an 1803-05 large cent.

The problem is when you have to many detectors (Excalibur 1000,SE, Elite, AT-PRO, ++) it is hard to learn one well. Last winter(mild) and early spring I was using a new to me Elite but
got frustrated because of battery issues which I still have not resolved. In the mean time I picked up a used SE and gave that a whirl for a while bouncing between those 3 detectors.
For hunts were you don't want to worry about settings and want to swing fast the Pro will do.



HH, Epi