:usaflag: XL 500s Finds from '82, '83, '84 eat your heart out!!! :detecting:

[Cupajo]

From 1982 (please excuse the quality)

[attachment 130822 100_0009_2.JPG]

Shortly after I sold all the silver I had to free up some space.

From 1983 (includes the finds from '82)

[attachment 130823 100_0011_2.JPG]

And from 1984 (Total for three years of hunting at every opportunity!) (less the silver I had sold! Maybe as much as is pictured!!)

[attachment 130824 100_0014.JPG]

I never counted silver rings, only gold!!

Last count after three years ---275 gold rings!!!

Gave away a few, returned 33 to the owners and last year sold the rest @ $635.00 per ounce!

Silver-----------maybe fifteen pounds!!!

Factor in the total time spent hunting and the return=maybe $5.00 per hour!!!

Enjoyment from hunting and returning rings----Priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah the good old days!!!

GL&HH friends,

CJ

 

[mynah]

My parents bought me a metal detector from Radio shack for my 10th birthday. I played with it a bit but don't recall finding anything worth remembering. Anyway, about 3yrs ago I met got stationed with a Captain who was an avid MDist and suggested I get a used XL500. I have since tried different detectors but the XL was by far the easiest and most reliable machine for me. It's my "GO TO" machine when my PI pro goes down.

Aloha

 

[Cupajo]

I have my 20+ years old XLs in reserve for the day my Infinium doesn't perform up to expectations!

They still do the job and I found four gold rings last year before I semi-retired them!

GL&HH Friend,

CJ

 

[PennyFinder]

Wow pretty impressive finds! You are wise to hang on to the XL 500.
Check what Eric Foster (THE PI FATHER) has to say about the XL on the PI Forum, good ol' machine.
Think I'll hang on to mine. On thing I like about it is the resolution. It does't sweat the little targets, coins/rings and up.

PennyFinder

 

[Cupajo]

I still have my original machine and its younger brother and they still perform flawlessly after over twenty years!!

GL&HH Friend,

CJ

 

[doindadiggin]

Mate that looks pretty impressive BUT here is some real dollars for one year only the gold coloured coind at the back are aussie one and two dollar coins over $1,ooo.oo the gold rings are all from the wet and dry stuff these are the ones i,m allowed to keep

 

[Gulf Hunter]

You were smart enough to hunt the glory days, when it was so thick out there, NICE LODES! A lot of the old timers STILL hunt 500s around here and they still gitter done too, LOL!

 

[Lou from downunder]

G'day Doindadiggin,

Yep, America of 82 is nearly as good as Oz in 09.

Lou.

 

[Cupajo]

When I found these rings I was still working full time and was only able to hunt as I was able to get away.

The area I hunt is a relatively small beach area that has been used many years by lower and middle income people thus there are few diamonds and the gold is generally not very fancy.

Most of my finds have been high school and simple wedding band rings.

Vacation resort areas have a lot more potential, but mean travel that i don't have time for.

I envy your finds Friend and would enjoy hunting such a productive area once again.

Alas, I must keep working these "hunted out" beaches and finding the old, deep treasure that remains.

Those are some great finds doindadiggin!

Congratulations Fellow Hunter!!

GL&HH Friend,

CJ

 

[Cupajo]

Maybe not so smart GH as lucky to be the right age at the right time and in the right place.

The tide is right as I sit writing this and I'm tired of digging so I think I'll go fishing before work instead!

Have a great day Friend,

CJ

 

[Cupajo]

Hey Lou,

People have used these local beaches for many generations.

The oldest dated ring I found here was a heavy 18K man's wedding band inscribed with the year 1873!

In all my hunting I found a lot of silver, but only one silver dollar.

.Most of the people using these waters are the same ones that have used them for a lifetime and with the exception of youngsters that are new to them, we have few new contributers to our treasure trove.

These are not so much "resort" beaches as "community" beaches and high end jewelry is the exception, not the norm

I envy you hunters with vacationers contributing treasure to your hunting grounds.

GL&HH Friend,

CJ

 

[Lou from downunder]

G'day CJ.

Our history here in Oz only extends back a bit over 200 years and a fair whack of the first 100 of those was dedicated to survival so not a lot of recreational swimming activity took place.
Speaking for myself; I'm from way down south in the state of Victoria.
No warm waters or fancy resorts down here, and its really only warm enough to go swimming for 3 or 4 months over summer.
1873 is an old ring for sure, my confirmed oldest find is engraved 1942 and appeared to be a recent drop.
Maybe handed down? Same deal with an antique ladies ring with rose cut diamonds and rubies, was just under the surface in an area that I hit often.
Most of my finds are el cheapo 9ct plain bands, mostly light but I also get heaps of silver.
Our saving grace is the fact that there are very few water hunters about, at least in the areas that I frequent.
In a year and a half I've only seen two and have seen recent evidence of activity on two occasions.
I would give the game away if it ever gets to be like in the states with heaps of hunters in the water on a nice day.
We're lucky in that we get a lot of modern currency, mostly more than enough to cover costs, with $66 my best day in the water.
Up till recently I was averaging one gold per hunt but the last few I've found very little of anything, but that could be due to me exploring new ground.
Anyways, keep up the good work.

Cheers.

Lou.

 

[Cupajo]

You too Lou!!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself!:blush:

It seems we have similar hunting conditions.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting Friend,

CJ

 

[ashmonkey]

great pictures mate, i still remember just how easy it was in the early 80's compared to now, back in 1981, i brought my 1st professional detector, from the uk's top beach hunter, he had earned a very good living through the 70's as a full time beach hunter, but had stopped about 1981 as he considered the pickings to lean by then, but he had been known to get 20 rings in a day. used to hear similar story's from the old timers who were 1st to do the parks in the 70,s. back in the early 80,s i still had a garratt groundhog, and a couple of arados . the arados were the rolls royce of detectors back then, sadly the bloke who made them started making detectors for the military, and stopped the hobby detectors. was the xl 500 out in 82 did not think they were that old. seems a long time ago now, i feel old

 

[thebarnacle]

n/t

 

[thebarnacle]

 

[Cupajo]

The pictures are of finds recovered using the XL500s I still have.

The pictures have '82 thru '84 onthe backs from the processor.

XL were fairly neaw at that time I think.

GL&HH Friend,

CJ

PS Three hours of slow, careful water searching of the most popular of the local beaches this AM got me a .22 caliber bullit, a small split shot sinker and a very small piece of jewelry that may be a part of an earing.

I also recovered some bits of aluminum and two bottle caps and one hairpin.

The hunt was typical of early season hunting here along the heavily hunted Southeastern Connecticut shore.

 

[Cupajo]

Nice finds Friend!!

CJ

 

[thebarnacle]

the best i had was over 200 gold rings in a 10 day period when i hit a beach that had bottomed out, i have had over 1500 gold to date and in a weeks time i will be out again to start the seasons hunting up, i have had 4klo in rings so far.

 

[Cupajo]

And I thought 6 in one day was spectacular (Did it twice!!).

You must be hunting resort areas because there are no other places on earth that can produce such numbers.

Great job Friend and I hope you smash all records for finds (If you haven't already!!).

I"m very impressed!!

CJ

PS I'm sure my numbers have impressed a few hunters out there, but that was then and with the current competition now there can be no repeat of those numbers locally!!