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Increasing Your Gold Jewelry Finds

Thanks for that, Tom. I alluded to it in my original post. Most rings are not deep. there is always the exception to every rule, of course. But, rings aren't often at great depths simply because they are what could be called recent finds.

Years ago, gold wasnt as common as it is now. Iv'e uncovered old brass wedding rings that bear out the belief that only the wealthy wore much gold as adornment. Regular folks and thos we might call poor, just didnt have much of it.

Too, the fashions of personal adornment were different a hundred or more years ago. Today, everyone and their brother want to wear gold to show off their "bling."
 
My 14k wedding band with 1ct of diamonds registers exactly as a poptop,which drives me crazy every time I pass on a poptop signal.Although I have found 20-30 rings this year,only 7-8 were precious metal(1 10k,1 18k,1 gp &5 silver).On beach/swim areas I dig everything including iron signals,several of which turned out to be jewelry including small earrings.My point is if you're watching vdi's to id jewelry you're wasting you're time!Thanks DBULL
 
Thanks for starting this post David.

This is one of my favorite subjects.

I spend a lot of time trying ta find

gold jewelry.

I've just been readin tha posts so I

could hear what people have been

postin.

I have ta agree with most everything

I've read hear and enjoy learnin anything

I can about it.

I dig foil and iron responses if I'm in a

good spot.

I have trouble not doing it in places with

slim pickins.

Once I over came tha fear of diggin trash,

I'll dig too much some times. But I just

can't pass up a possible hit usually.

Sometimes it is frustrating, but I would

rather talk to my MD than watch Judge

Judy. Even if I don't find nuttin.

Happy Huntin,

Tabdog
 
Sports fields are good also as are lake and river swimming holes. I don't specifically hunt for rings but over the years have gathered up about 200 - nearly half of that gold.


Bill
 
= = the same Ralph B that used to be on the Garrett forum. He is the first guy I ever heard of that specifically targeted urban gold and jewelry. I now know that a lot of people do it, although they're still a minority among the greater detecting community. I call them "urban prospectors" and the whole idea has given me a different outlook. Today, I see sports fields, arena's, parks - you know, all the modern places most detectorists look down their noses at... well, I view them differently because of it.

Now, when I approach such a place I examine it critically for the places where I can apply my simple formula. I notice the tot lots and play areas, of course. But I also make a check list of things like open areas where sports games are played. For example we have an impromptu soccer field in a local park where the latinos play a weekly pickup game. They seem to avoid the regularly marked out fields, maybe trying to keep a low profile - I dunno. But two nice rings have came from those not at all obvious sidelines. By now the field has become pretty well used, but in the past you couldn't tell it was much of anything.

Another area I like to look for is volleyball courts. While they are few and far between around here, they are notorious for giving up jewelry. There isn't a detecting magazine printed that doesn't seem to have a story about some great find recovered on or around volleyball courts. I search them every time I can, and carry a sand scoop in my possibles bag because of that.

There is a great case to be made for swimming areas, as you note. I like to look for out of the way watering holes, places that aren't on the map. The large beaches and waterside parks are good, too, but there is a lot of competition on those. I hunt them, of course, but I feel it's important to look for the UN-expected; those places other detectorists may not have thought of, or heard about. So, I carry a notepad with me and when I'm out driving around, I take note of bridges over creeks, river sand bars, quarries etc. that may have escaped notice. Many of the folks here in the South swim in just these places. I'm certain there are similar places everywhere.

Last season, my partner Hal recovered a dilly of a diamond ring in just such a place - a sand bar, smack dab in the river. This spot is where many dozens of boats raft up each weekend - boats full of young partiers having a good time. I learned of it from a friend, who just happens to be one of the weekend partiers! AND it is only accessible by small boat. I recently learned of another impromptu riverside gathering spot - and again, the information was given to me by a friend.



HOT TIP: Talk to people! Tell them what you are looking for and ask if they can think of any places that might be of use to you. Then clam up and listen. Most people like to tell what they know when someone listens. I actually take notes, asking them,
"Hold on a minute - would you object if I write that down!?"
This is very flattering and few people object to anything when asked that way - it is one of the greatest one-line sales tools of all times. The thing to do is to engage them openly, without guile, and then listen.
(Actually, that's a good idea for all facets of your life. :) )




As for your choice of equipment, many detectors will do. Remember most gold jewelry isn't deep, being what might be called "recent" losses. So, ultimate depth isn't a requisite here. Other features besides adequate depth are:

- It is helpful if you have some sort of ID feature, which is accurate down to about 6" in depth. I like tone ID, like on the Tesoro Golden, but the little Ace 250 also has that plus a cursor readout. An easy to read VDI display can serve the same purpose, and many detectors offer that feature.
- Having the ability to notch out all but the mid range of targets is also to your advantage. It seems counterproductive to pass up good coin targets, but by notching them out, you are not tempted to waste time on non-jewelry targets. Again, depends on how much you want it and how much discipline you have.
- Good target separation is a critical factor in urban prospecting. It is a fact that most jewelry items are found in the middle of lots of urban trash. Being able to pick among this trash with a detector is not easy, so it is important to have one that can. I suggest a 2-3 inch separation ability between targets. Smaller coils and perhaps DD coils come into play here.
- If you can also have these features in a lightweight package, so much the better. There is a lot of mind numbing work in urban prospecting, that is, you will spend much time swinging that detector before you hit on a jewelry piece. Having a unit that doesn't wear you out and is a pleasure to use keeps you at it longer. That, in turn, increases your odds, which is the main goal of ANY prospector - urban or otherwise.

This is why the Ace 250 is a solid choice for this sort of business. It has these features. I would recommend it without hesitation for this, but there are others that would work as well. The choice, ultimately, is up to the individual and his or her budget.
 
dahut thanks for posting this i think it will help a Lotta people find gold & i agree with you on the ace 250 being a gold getta it just seems to sniff it out.
i"v only been seriously hunting gold jewellery for the last year & a half mostly in tot lots i"v been doing quite well since starting to dig foil/5c/pull tab range i"m yet to try this style of hunting on the grass & was thinking of doing it next winter when the ground is nice & soft.
here's a pic of all the gold i"v found in the last two years mostly with the ace in tot lots.
 
I havent had he success you have in the dirt. I get better results in the water.
 
n/t
 
I've found that junk rings usually fall dead center on my XL-PRO.Jan 2 I detected the grassy area of a beach I've covered several times in the past year only this time I turned my disc down to just above salt and actually sought foil signals.After digging several low foil vdi's I hit solid +5 and dug a ladies class ring(white gold?/no markings)at 3".I also dug a gp/w fake ruby&2 cz's at 50vdi.The thing is before this I was convinced this area was devoid of rings.Now that I know that they are there I can't wait to get back and recheck the rest of this beach!DBULL
 
david bull said:
I've found that junk rings usually fall dead center on my XL-PRO.
Jan 2 I detected the grassy area of a beach I've covered several times in the past year only this time I turned my disc down to just above salt and actually sought foil signals.
After digging several low foil vdi's I hit solid +5 and dug a ladies class ring (white gold?/no markings)at 3".
I also dug a gp/w fake ruby & 2 cz's at 50vdi.'
The thing is, before this I was convinced this area was devoid of rings. Now that I know that they are there, I can't wait to get back and recheck the rest of this beach! DBULL
SO for those wo dont know the XL Pro, you are saying these rings fell between foil and what would be pulltab range?
 
Dahut;the class ring entered at low foil(5vdi for white gold or platinum)and the junker at bottlecap.I checked my wifes white gold wedding set and a thin yellow gold ring and they both vdi'd at 20.Silver rings seem to always enter as a quarter.My 14k wedding band shows dead on pulltab.DBULL
 
I've never used my XL Pro jewelry hunting but you do need to get down to foil to get the good stuff. Dan
 
What method of recovery do you use when retrieving rings out of athletic and ballfields? I think they would have a fit if you are digging plugs and holes all over the place. Shed some light on the methods you use to dig up these rings. Do you ask permission when searching ballfields and athletic fields? :shrug:
 
I use two methods:
Usually, I'm a "flapper," and cut a flap plug. Then I fold it back for retrieval.
Sometimes, I "slit and prod" where targets are shallow. For this I use a small knife to slit the turf and a spoon ended screwdriver tp work the target to t the surface.

With either method, I keep a probe and pinpointer near at hand.

I don't dig holes or pull divot plugs in manicured turf, as a rule. Where I live there is little restriction against detecting in city and school owned areas. I don't normally ask unless I run upon someone who looks like they think I should. Then, I treat it as a courtesy and not a requirement.... I pay their salaries, after all, with my taxes.
 
I hunt those with a screwdriver only and use a probe.Again there are those that would complain but I'm discrete real early or real late. Dan
 
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