Gerry in Idaho

You might have a bad coil as you should be able to tap the coil next to rocks/brush and the ground without much issues. You probably know this and I'm not trying to insult anyone here. If the particular site is causing a lot of falsing, turn the GAIN down.

I was chatting with one of the guys who sells many mining claims in NV around where I like to detect. He asked me why I didn't want to sell claims and make money. It was an honest question and I had to pause before I answered. I told him that I prefer to sell the detector than provides a better chance of success at finding gold. I said, "I sell a dream" and some folks "enjoy the hunt". He replied, "Gerry, I sell the same dream, just a different piece of equipment." Actually, he is correct. Heck, many of us purchase something more for the dream and hunt...it's just the way some of us think. So the moral of the story. Do your research in the guy selling the claims, research the actual claims and then do your research on the dealer selling the detector. At least with me, you get to go home with a tool in your hands and keep it. Even if you forget to file the paperwork (warranty) you still get to keep the detector forever.

Well that's fantastic to hear buddy. You/I know your skill level and history of detectors goes back many years. You have a lot of catching up to do and helping/sharing here on Detector Prospector. The new generation of folks are asking questions and many times, I'm traveling or just plain busy. Finding good help that actually knows detectors from being in the field with them is very tough. I look forward to hearing of some of your adventures. Merry Christmas.

I have not given up yet. This resort I have been to before, when I asked to see the Lost/Found Logbook, they said, No book. I recently reached out to cooperate and they immediately replied that someone from the exact resort would be emailing me. This was yesterday, so we'll see what happens.

I never even thought of the Insurance write off. Yes, my wife and I purchase travel insurance each time we go but I'll have to ask her if any jewelry or metal detectors are covered. I also take two units and hate leaving one in the room all day/every day. Simon, If you do have beaches nearby that get tourists, you really do need to take advantage of the situation and area. I'm sure your beaches do not have the amount of MD'ers swinging them each week. When I arrived, I chatted with the lifeguard and gave him a pair of glasses. He said 2 guys together were there about 3 weeks ago and then an old guy was there last week. I realized someone had been at the resort recently as lack of overall targets. I average an extra 2 to 4 ounces of gold each year from water detecting. The sights are much better to look at, the water temps are relaxing and just like gold hunting, you really never know for certain when that next scoop will bring up.

This time of year is fantastic, as long as the heavy rains or heavy snows have not saturated the soils. Congratulations on the 🦂 nugget. Yes I've seen 100+ a night when detecting at night out there in the summer when days are extremely to hot (late July- early September ).

I don't recommend folks to purchase a gold mining claim if all you're going to do is use a metal detector. I myself don't own any mining claims but find my share of gold. Detecting on proven gold nugget bearing ground is crucial and I do hunt quite a bit of ground that is claimed. If you want to do the same, you need to use your best salesmanship skills when talking with the claim owner. My opinion only, take the money you were planning on purchasing a claim and join some well known Prospecting Clubs. You'll have plenty remaining and use that to help in granting permissions on known gold nugget bearing claims. As for finding nuggets at Rye Patch proper. That was my playground since mid 90s and I have swung a coil from one end to the other numerous times. I know it well and where the majority of good gold came from. I honestly feel I can find a nugget there any day I desire, it's my home away from home. Now there are miles of open ground in Northern Nevada as well. Doing your homework and research before you lay foot on the ground is crucial. Good luck to you.

Chuck, It was great to read your post and sorry for not replying sooner but I returned from vacation this weekend and getting customers taken care of. 2 points of interest. Yes this DP site, metal detecting and gold certainly shows how much we enjoy sharing our experiences and making memories, even a few screwups on occasion. Also, I now have a small stash of cash in my truck just in case. Still deciding on the credit card though? Merry Christmas my friend.

Merry Christmas Allen. Is this the same Al I used to see each year at the Competition hunts back in the early 90s and was also with Steve Burris?

Very interesting read and poem. Probably true story as well. Kind of like the American story of Robin hood. Thanks for sharing.

I don't recall if you mentioned needing Iron Identification, but all the VLF class detectors you did mention, have that feature. If you're set on a PI, I feel the best priced model is the Axiom and as mentioned, it has more capabilities and Iron Identification, the GPX-6000 or GPZ-7000 don't. Now that we know the price increase coming up on the 6/7 models, more folks will lean towards the better priced Axiom. Bonus, the Axiom coils are a better price point as well. 24K, It's my favorite VLF Gold Only Detector and quite capable. But you mentioned Equinox. I personally will grab an Equinox or Manticore over the 24K. They can do things the 24K can't. Some great advice from top nugget hunters, so you get plenty to digest. Keep us posted on your decision.

It really is a nice size and design, my favorite for rough terrain. You took the time to share your thoughts and experiences and it paid off. Well done my friend and glad you are as happy as most of my own customers who have had great success with it as well.

That's some serious house hunting. Interestingly you recovered 2 earring backs as a bonus. Wonder if the vacuum would have been strong enough to get the nugget considering it didn't suck up the earring backs? I was hired about 5 yrs ago or longer, to find a diamond stud earring on shag carpet in a bedroom. Started with GM-1000 and small coil. To many nails in under flooring, to many tacks in carpet padding. Tried turning down the Gain and that helped but no luck. After deciding a pinpointer is best, I methodically worked the most promising area with no results and gave up, no charge. As I was leaving, the lady who lost it showed up and was excited to see the results...but I didn't find it? She was quite depressed. I felt bad...but then had another idea 💡. Let me test the other matching earring to get an idea of the signal strength and distance the pinpointer would hear it. Here's where I learned something. My favorite pinpointer, the Garrett 🥕 would not respond? I asked to run and get a new tool to use. She was joyous as she thought I was done. Oh no, it's a challenge now. Returning back I tested the new White's TRX and was happy to hear it respond. After about 20 minutes, I happily handed her the small precious piece. She gave me an extra $50 for my extra efforts, so total reward was $300 and I learned detector knowledge. Great on you for not giving up so soon. As you know, finding a nugget is special and so when you lose it in an area you know well, your mind kicks into overdrive. Well done 👏

No serial # at all which is very interesting for a high end designer. Maybe they feel they can sell more of them as the person who lost it could just purchase another? I really have no clue as scooping designer bling rings is not something I do on a regular basis.

Would love a happy ending and return to who lost it but my experience with resorts in Mexico and not wanting to keep a Lost & Found Log is frustrating. I did go above and emailed cooperate when I returned, but no reply yet. Personally I feel the dentures are more appropriate to the rightful owner, but if I do get them back, it could be too late. Either way, I like your comment "the real treasure is the meaning of that piece to the wearer". Sure I may not get it back to the original owner, but it beats sitting on the bottom of the ocean for nobody to ever see again. Eventually it will shine and shine a smile on someone's face/finger/neck as they proudly wear it.

One of my Facebook followers feels this ring was probably on a gold chain. If that's the case, the chain had to have broke. Either way, it's not sitting at the bottom of the ocean anymore. Thanks for the kind words.

In the 15 years heading South, I've spent way more trips and dollars than many folks trying to learn MX and Bahamas. My efforts have slowly been tuned and fine tuned even more to the point I now have expectations and usually achieve my goals. This trip, the gold count was off (extreme rough seas) but the quality was better. I had to use those dentures I found to keep biting myself....😆 Here's my 1st a BVLGARI ring recovery. BVLGARI is an Italian world renown high end jewelry designer. It weights 13.5 grams, almost a half ounce of 18K yellow gold. Look closely at markings/stamps, perfect. I'm speechless each time I look at it. I've seen this exact ring on different sites from $3100 to $3800 and just amazed why folks wear this kind of stuff to the beach? Sure I have rings with higher value, but that's because of the stones, usually diamonds. If I can't find owner, I'll probably sell just to help offset cost of the trip, it's too fancy for my taste. I know some of you Expert Beach and Water hunters have found top class jewelry before, how do you think I should go about if I sell it to get best price?

Nice to see you getting rewarded for your efforts. Those 10K rings can easily tarnish and fool many of us. Well done.

Nice to see you getting rewarded for your efforts. Those 10K rings can easily tarnish and fool many of us. Well done.

Buddy, you find one like that and I'll let you tell whatever story get you happy. Close to 350 gold rings and I have never hit one like that until this trip.

You actually are correct. Yes I have caught some type of virus while down there before. It's part of learning when traveling. Now I take a probiotic pill every day the week before and each day while there. I also eat a yogurt each day a week before and eat yogurt each day while there. Plus I flush my ears each evening with hydrogen peroxide. Now I usually don't put rings in my mouth, but when I get a whopper, I know I have friends on DP who will not look at a pic of mine unless they get to see me stuffing it in my mouth. Have to keep the members happy.

So far I have never swallowed a ring or lost my dentures. I have swallowed (in years past) a couple tiny nuggets I was holding under my lip since I didn't have a nugget holder. There was actually a Warning Alert sent out while I was down there about a big temperature drop. For 3 days of my trip, the air temp was colder than the water temp of 83 degrees. I almost always hunt in the water not on the beach.

Get it now and save $100 as the price increase will go up to $1699. Also, there is a Christmas Promo right now and get the ProFind 40 Pointer and a Minelab Detector Carry Bag for FREE. So in reality, if you purchase a new Manticore before the price increase and before the Holiday Promo runs out, you could end up saving approx $330. I was using the Manticore on this trip when I found the Chompers and the big gold ring. 13.5 grams and yes the last pic shows the details of the ring. I can have the detector sent out and in time for Christmas is ordered in the next couple days. If afterwards, that's OK but it will probably not show up until afterwards.

One of my customers is a dentist and follows my FB. He said many in the US are now using Cobalt because of the cost for gold would be 3 or 4x. That kind of bums me, as I literally thought I had a mouthful of precious metal. I'm going to keep trying to find the owner and if not able, then on one of my displays of weird detector finds.

It was talking up a storm....