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For those of you who might be interested the first annual Tonopah rock and antique bottle show is comming up on August 4th 5th and 6th.Those of you that are familiar with bottle shows know that they cover all of the bases and run the gamut as far as collectibles are concerned.It should be a great time for all and have something for everybody and could use the support of fellow collectors and enthusiast.

Seeing this post from yesterday reminded me there's a huge outdoor sporting equipment show in Nuremberg already started (today, 2 March 2023) and going through Sunday. Apparently metal detectors are a significant (for us anyway 😉) component. Hopefully we'll get more info on some of the hinted/promised soon-to-be releases. Anyone here going to attend?

For decades the Gold Shows sponsored by the GPAA were the ultimate venue for persons interested in recreational gold mining. I had booths at a total of 136 Shows, sold lots of detectors, and made many friends, including many of you on this forum. Alas, the GPAA management has decided to discontinue the Shows. The end of an era...

I will be at the Quartzite Gold Show selling books. I didn't want to say anything until now because I wanted to make sure I had the funds to get there when the time came. Getting this ounce of gold sold came just in time. Looking forward to meeting any of y'all there that is able to make it. I guess I will be giving a talk there as well. Feb 10-12.

Visit us at IWA show 2023 Nürnberg, Germany Dear QUEST fans and industry colleagues, We are excited to invite you to visit our booth at the upcoming IWA Outdoor Classics show, taking place from 2nd-5th March 2023. As the world's leading trade fair for hunting, shooting sports, equipment for outdoor activities, and security, this event is a must-attend for anyone in the industry. At our booth, you will have the opportunity to see and experience our latest products and innovations firsthand. We will be showcasing a wide range of equipment, including the brand new multi-frequency metal detectors with HYPERQ platform and more. Our knowledgeable staff will be on hand to answer any questions you may have and to provide demonstrations of our products. For those who are unable to attend in person, we will also demonstrate the products on Facebook Live. Please join in "Quest Metal Detectors Official Group" and stay tuned for further updates. In addition to seeing our products, you will also have the opportunity to network with other industry professionals and learn about the latest trends and developments in the field. The IWA Outdoor Classics show is the ideal place to make new connections, learn about new products, and stay up-to-date on the latest industry developments. We are excited to see you at our booth and to show you what we have to offer. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a specific time to visit our booth, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you at the IWA Outdoor Classics show in March 2023.

For those members that don't get ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal, it looks like ICMJ is planning a return of their Gold Show scheduled for the last weekend of next April. The location given is the Fair grounds in Nevada City, CA. I attended 3 of the earlier shows when it was held in Placerville, well worth the time even with the long drive.

Garrett is going to be at Bass Pro Shop in Grapevine Tx. from 11 until 1 PM this Saturday 6 of Aug. They talking about a team but you can see it’s not any nugget team . I sent Garrett a message if they would have the Axiom I’d be there but I don’t believe I’ll hear back from them. Chuck

Hi all, Just wondering if any of you are attending BONE 29? I will be there Tuesday and part of Wed. for the natural hunts. I guess Brad from Green Mountain MD will be there. Love his channel. Should be a great time.

The Quartzite Gold Show is February 11,12,13 and I will have a booth there selling my book. I will be in the section in the parking lot so I can camp out of my chuckwagon Taco and keep an eye on my rig at all times. If anyone is in the area, please stop by and say hello. It would be nice to meet anyone on here that is able to make it.

Treasure show in Llano Texas in February 26 & 27 and its free to the public. Just maybe by then you can lay your hot little hands on one of the detectors that’s new to us . Chuck

GPAA has the treasure shows lined up for 2022 . Hopefully they don’t get shot down but you can see below how they going to run . Chuck

Here’s a look around Detectival Sept. 2021. This is an amazing location and I’m sure we are going to hear about some banner finds this year. btw: can’t tell Minelab is there can ya? Haha

This Sunday at 2:30 PM PDT there will be a lecture. https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEqduyupj0vGd3S0_52FsbHTbPjYr0sZQUj

The main detectors on display was Minelab, Garrett. Makro/Nokta and XP Deus. If you’re wondering about White’s I too was doing the same. One of the dealers always had a big line of White’s detectors but today it was all Minelab.. I may have missed it but I didn’t even a banner. Garrett at this show is always has a large display of their line of detectors. Makro/Nokta had a good showing of their detectors from more than one dealer. Two of their detectors was put up for a drawing tomorrow. I did see lots of old White’s. Garrett and Fisher from years past . Some of the White’s detectors I had used too but was history now. Minelab and Makro/Nokta have more going for them than some others . The sad part it shows in so many ways some may be falling bye the wayside. Chuck

Does anyone know if the remaining gold Shows are being postponed due to this coronavirus stuff? I heard from Ray Mills that one of the shows was going to be postponed. I can't get ahold of anyone at the GPAA. Especially Kevin Highland.

Spent a couple off hours looking at a bunch of gold and tools for prospecting.

Was totally awesome. Nearly 2,000 attendees on Saturday, and they were in a buying mood. Maybe the current price of gold helped spur sales?. I totally sold out of Goldmaster 24k's by 2pm Saturday, and had to begin taking orders. It was great chatting with our esteemed colleague, Chris Ralph. I was plessed to see his dad looking so healthy. Also had a chance to spend some time with "Broken Arrow," you Southern California gold guys (and movie buffs) know whom I'm talking about. He's looking good. And Pete Pedersen was there, too, looking good for a 92 year old. Looking forward to seeing some of you at Phoenix. Drop by my booth, will also have GMX's available. HH Jim

Recently the GPAA has had six shows per year, four in the US West in the Spring and two in the US East in Autumn. This year they are changing that pattern, with eleven shows all in the first five months of 2020. I haven't read their intentions but I'm sure Kevin Hoagland and crew will be explaining the strategy in their publications. I've gotta think it's good for everyone involved. I've only attended two so far but with 11 on the calendar I'll be disappointed if I can't find a way to make my third this year. Open to the public for a nominal fee ($5 ahead of time and $10 at the door).

I get an email from the UCLA Meteorite Collection which is on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles. I've attended a number of their lectures in a small lecture room which is usually attended by less than 50 people. You have the ability to ask lots of questions and see the meteorites on display in the gallery. The November lecture and link to the website is here: https://meteorites.ucla.edu/events/ The January lecture is going to be of importance because they will be discussing one of the largest stony meteorites ever found. Here is the preview: Advance notice of the next lecture Title: "A coming out party for a large stony meteorite" Lecturers: Dr. Peter Utas, a physician meteorite collector, and Dr. Alan Rubin of UCLA When: 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, 26 January 2020 Large iron meteorites are common, big stones are rare. Our atmosphere presents a formidable barrier to large rocks, efficiently transforming boulders into pebbles. But a few survive the fiery plunge. Peter reviews the roster of these great intruders, with a short description of several, and introduces a rare survivor, NWA XXXX, the 15th largest surviving stone. Discovered five years ago, in Mali or Mauritania, this flight-marked 205-kilogram specimen was largely buried, the soil-line still clearly visible. Rubin describes the analysis and classification of chondritic stones; naked eye examination of hand specimens gives important clues, but quantitative techniques are needed to avoid being misled. Hand samples of chondrites will be available for examination by attendees. Admission Free and open to the public.

Hello i was wondering if anyone here will be attending the show in chattanooga on july 27th and 28th?

Dang, I was planning on getting a booth to demo the Sweep Jig. Can't find any mention of the Boise show on the 'net. Jim

Anyone going? I’ll probably make it up there for a bit this weekend. My goal is to do all the panning at all the stations I can and get as much advice as possible from anyone who’ll give it out. ? Oh, and I’m also going to win all the door prizes. This will be my first GPAA event I’m attending - anything in particular I should make sure to see? -Julie

The Las Vegas GPAA Gold and Treasure show was always the "big event" of the year for this organization, and something I looked forward too attending as well. Yeh I know there are show dates in other places but there's no place like Vegas! What's up with this organization anyways.......any idea? I haven't been a member in a long time.

My thinking to have a really great gold show you need to be in gold country to start with. It’s a long drive for me from San Antonio to Phoenix but I’m going to do my best to make it. It’s just a more exciting time had there than others I’ve made . Chris do you think maybe you will be there and Steve too ? I was there once before and had the pleasure of meeting you both and hope to get that opportunity again. Chuck

Those of you who frequent this forum (especially the general gold forum) are familiar with posts by Gerry in Idaho (https://www.detectorprospector.com/profile/182-gerry-in-idaho/) who among other things is a full-time multiline dealer with 40 years of metal detecting experience and 20 years detecting for native gold. He conducts four 3-day training classes each year, two in central Nevada (Rye Patch) and two in Southeast Oregon. The tuition varies depending upon whether or not and which detector you've bought from him. You can see the details on his website (http://gerrysdetectors.com/training/), on one of his Ebay ads (e.g. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Minelab-GPX-5000-Metal-Detector-with-7-Coils-3-Days-Gold-Nugget-Training/273599397260?hash=item3fb3cb7d8c:g:2zsAAOSw5tNb-KBu:rk:1:pf:0&LH_ItemCondition=3000) or by calling him. He hasn't asked me (nor did he know until I told him in an e-mail today) that I'm writing this review, so everything here is strictly my view/opinion from having taken the class. Everything is from memory so there may be some errors but I'll count on responses from others in attendance to correct my inaccuracies. Overview: The class consists of one day of 'lecture' and two days of 'lab' (in-field experience). Gerry himself conducts most of the lecture part (Lunk: https://www.detectorprospector.com/profile/401-lunk/ talked about coil design and applications) but the meat is the hands-on training for which is provided an expert staff of assistants. Each day consisted of (approximately) 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM contact with 30-60 minute lunch break. Demographics: There were 16 students in attendance (18 signed up with 2 no-shows) and a total of five instructors (besides Gerry and Lunk: Scott, Mark, and Spencer) for a very generous 1::3 teacher to student ratio. The 16 students were from the following states (I may have missed a couple): California, Nevada, Montana, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Texas, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, and Virginia. My estimation of age split is two younger than 50 years old. (I'd like to think I, at age 65, was about the median but probably in the highside tail....?) All were male although some brought spouses/significant others. Four of the five instructors were from Idaho and the fifth from Nevada. (I think 2/5 were under 50 but I may be being generous. ?) We wore nametags with first name, state of residence, and detector. Location, etc: Many here are familiar with the Rye Patch area, a high (4000 ft elevation), relatively flat desert with little vegetation. The site of the actual class is only 15 miles driving distance from the I-80 superhighway and all but the last 1.5 miles are on maintained 2-lane 'gravel' road. One student actually arrived daily (by commute from nearby town) in a 2wd compact (Ford Escape?) which was likely challenging over the last 1.5 miles of rutted single lane road. The area where we met had several 'primitive' (no ammenities) camping spots and about half the attendees took advantage of that, all the way from tents to fully-outfitted travel trailers. The weather was quite cooperative (typically mid-60's and sunny daytime but freezing or lower overnight) with no precip. The lecture part was outdoors with seating provided. No sound system (but Gerry didn't need one). Requirements: basically few, but you were allowed to train on one detector (pre-approved to make sure at least one instructor had familiarity with it) and any accompanying family members could sit in the lecture but otherwise would receive no field training. Detectors: nine students brought the Minelab GPZ 7000, three brought Minelab GPX's (mostly 4500's but I think there may have been one 5000) and one SDC 2300, 1 1/2 White's Golmaster 24k and 1 1/2 Minelab Equinox 800. (1 1/2 because Gerry made an exception on the "one detector per student" rule for someone to train one day on each.) Day 1 Lecture: began with personal introductions of all 21 (students and staff). Gerry related some of his many experiences in the morning session, including lots of detector info. Afternoon began with explanations equipment he brought for sale (and why he stakes his reputation on them) then continuation of general detecting advice. The day ended with a demonstration of how the various technologies (PI, VLF, ZVT) respond to various types and sizes of native gold in air tests. Much of the day was a review for me since I've read a lot of articles, forum posts, and books on finding gold. The highlight was the last part where the different gold specimens were exposed to the detectors and the responses (or lack of such) were demonstrated. Days 2&3 lab / hands-on experience: As mentioned above, this was for me by far the most valuable part of the course. Students were split into five groups (typically 3 per group) and assigned instructors for anywhere from 2 to 4 hours of personal training. The division was by detector type, so there were three Z7000 groups, one PI group, and one VLF group. The instructors were rotated such that each group experienced the expertise of each of the five instructors. Their styles varied but I learned something from each. For example, it was interesting to see the different setups preferred between instructors for the same detector (in my case the Eqx 800). One added feature is that if a student got a promising signal (verified by an instructor) the others were given the option of watching the dig and (more importantly) trying their own detectors pre-recovery to monitor the response. Day 2 training was close to the lecture site and day 3 was another part of the area. Summary/Conclusion: I was one of the few who paid the full tuition (since I had not bought my detector from Gerry) and it was worth every penny. The comaraderie was great (kind of like on this website ?) with (as far as I experienced) no bickering and a lot of encouragement and support among the participants. There was not a weak link among the instructors. I was left wishing for more, but that only emphasizes my satisfaction of 3 full days of instruction/training. I think a majority of GPZ swingers found gold but the rest of us (PI's and VLF's) drew blanks (well, until the encore, for me: https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/8195-lost-my-gold-virginity/).