Prospecting For Another Kind Of Gold (long Read) & A Little Success. Part #1

[Gerry in Idaho]

Those who know me well, realize I enjoy many aspects of swinging a metal detector while chasing gold.  Here's another way some of you folks can add a little weight to your collection of heavy metal.  Forum boss - if you need to move this thread, I understand.

 

Merry Christmas followers and friendly competitors.  Boss said it’s time to check out and get on board. 

Lesson as we age.  Take a picture of your luggage before you check it all in.  It's amazing how so many bags look the same.

 

It’s the holiday season, what better way to wrap up the recent Caribbean work trip my Secretary booked us (my wife, Manti, and I).  She’s pretty dang good at her job and when she schedules these conferences, it’s mandatory Manti and I show up.  Even though we have more priority things to do, making the boss happy is a must. 

 

Cancun in Dec is usually pretty nice weather as it’s typically not the rain season and the humidity isn’t at peak.  Yes I’ve detected there in the off season (better resort rates) but the humidity is tough to handle when coming from Southern Idaho (we don’t have any).

 

After spending an hour at the bar enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvres for the meet & greet with a new hand of Servers/Bar Tenders and explaining the importance of clean beaches, proper disposal of trash and why Manti/I would be helping protect the visiting guests and Sea-life, I was assured most of the work agenda has been checked off.  Interestingly only 1 remaining bartender there who remembered me.  Seems MX has the same issue as the USA, most folks are not interested in working.

 

Now time for the hunt- 

1^st day grid plan in place and a quick chat with the lifeguard assured me nobody had recently detected this area, or at least what I could gather from him.  He did point direction he seen other detectorists down the beach though.  I jumped in walked out to waistline and powered Manti up for a hunt.  Not much time and a few normal targets into the trip and I was hearing/seeing “chatter” as I have never in my life pulled someone’s dentures from the depths below.  I stood out in the water laughing so loud it caught the attention of the gawkers who’s always watching every minute and target retrieve. 

 

One of them actually ask what it was and so I proudly showed the bystanders. Half of the retired folks immediately grab their mouth, which made me laugh even more so. 

Sorry, but I guess you just had to be there…. because I was laughing so much… it actually threw me off my game for another 20 minutes.  The one good thing of this find, I was expecting the actual metal would be white gold or platinum.  I’ve since been informed many modern dentures are not precious metal, but made with Cobalt.  I need to get this one tested before I just assume.

OK, now over the chatter, bite me, tooth fairy, all I want for Christmas jokes by half a dozen bystanders and I’m back to chasing low tones and finger gold.  I get a few more targets through the day and finish with a total of 7 rings,

a fake gold with diamonds bracelet

the chompers,

a nice dainty and dirty sterling ring with green stone (it tumbled up sharp),

a pair of sunglasses and a few coins. 

Total gold count was 3 rings with the best of them having a solitaire diamond on white gold.

The other is a small 14K band with a little religious cross and then a really thin worn out band that’s been in the ocean forever.  Usually my trips start out strong and then slowly dwindle as I clean up the targets below.

Day 2 started with a full breakfast at 7AM and 2 tall boy bloody mary drinks to celebrate the gold on the 1^st day.  I’m in the water today trying the backup set of headphones.  They have the best volume of all headphones I have tried and actually got them with a trade.  Well they lasted 1 dunk below surface and as soon as the headphone earcups filled up, I had no sound quality what so ever?  Time to head back to the room and get the other headphones.  I guess I should have “properly” tested my back up headphones.  Now I realize it’s only day #2 and I only have my 1 pair of WP phones.  I say to myself “just be careful Gerry” and be sure there’s a loop tied off at the end (stress relief) going into the detector.

Back in the water with my proper gear and on the hunt again. Still chasing low tones (the majority of gold), I was able to find 4 rings before lunch, but none of them gold. 

After a quick lunch of fried fish, fruit and fries,

I was back in with Manti gridding the last part of my section. 

That afternoon I only scooped 2 more rings with one of them being a small 18K yellow gold with diamond chips, it weighs only 2.1 grams. 

The other is a really cool religious ring with a cross.  Sadly it’s is not white gold, platinum or even sterling for that matter.

 

Towards the end of the day I was running out of low tones and started after a few of the high tones (less chance of gold) when I hit a really cool sterling bracelet.

After getting home and running the bracelet through the tumbler, it really started to shine up and looks stunning.  There’s 2 pieces of opal inlaid in the bracelet as well. The maker is a well-known Silversmith company, JS and these type sell for $350 to $600.  So even though not gold, it was a nice score. The take for Day #2 was a total of 6 rings with only 1 of them gold, a tungsten wedding band, other cheaper modern bands and also was the usual stuff including 2 pair of sunglasses.

 

Day 3 – Cooler temps are predicted to come in today with some undesired winds.  I start the hunt an hour earlier than yesterday, just in case of the winds.  As soon as walk in and only 2 feet depth of water I get strong repeat low tone Signal. I must have walked past this one the previous hunts as it’s shallow water and could have been during low time, which would have made it even more shallow. Swinging Manti over the target I’m able to glance down and see the #38.  Normally I like upper 30’s and all 40’s on the readout of a Manticore.  From many ring digs and testing if it’s actually a gold ring, it will be of decent weight.  I easily scoop the ring and when I pull it up, I’m quite shocked at what I see. 

It’s a monster gold ring and so big I immediately thought it to be fake. With so many people around, I quickly drop the ring into my pouch and proceed without an hesitation or change of facial expression or body language.  It’s interesting how some people are so keen to know when I find something different.  Back at it and nothing else exciting until it’s lunch time.

During lunch I hand the ring to my wife to read the inside of band.  If I don’t have my glasses, it’s impossible for me to read such fine detail, and especially when out in the water.  She confirms the makers mark and appropriate inscriptions inside.  I’m totally flabbergasted at such a score.  This ring to me is the nicest I’ve recovered (without being hired) in the wild.  Folks, I’ve recovered a few dandies in my time and probably a dozen of more weight gold or platinum, but usually class rings or big wedding bands.  I’m just amazed and quite happy.  After some discussion with the wife and telling her to take it to the room after lunch, I mentioned, it will easily be the best find of the trip and so now all pressure is off.  She’s optimistic though and tells me, “you really never know”, which is quite true at these higher end resorts.  Some of the things I see the tourists wearing while in the water is just jaw dropping.

Side note.  My Field Staff, their wives and I were in Bahamas on a trip.  One night we were hanging in the casino and my eyes kept catching this guy wearing a monster gold chain.  He seen me checking it out, so I told him I had never seen one so big.  Right there on the spot he took it off and let me hold it.  It was 9 ounces of 18K gold.  He made a comment about, I bet you have never held that much gold in your hand at one time.  I didn’t have the heart to tell him otherwise and just shook my head.  The next day I’m out swinging my CTX and there he was with some model lady in the beautiful tropical waters and not only was he wearing the chain, she was decked in gold as well.  Why???

On that same trip through, one of my Staff did find this 14K Jesus.  Interestingly Celo Green was wearing the exact stunning piece when I seen him on the TV show “The Voice”.

Back to the present - I only dredge one more gold for the day and a bracelet. Interestingly it’s a decent size 9.3 gram white gold wedding band and stamped 19K.  Research shows it to be from Portugal. This is my first ever 19K gold.  Has anyone else every found a 19K?

Total treasures for day #3, 4 rings (2 of them gold), a pearl necklace (probably fake), a pair of sunglasses, a few coins and another ankle bracelet. 

 

That night, we had an enjoyable steak filet dinner and wine.  One thing about the steaks in MX, being I’m from Idaho (meat & potatoes state), my standards are much higher.  MX steak (even the filet) is just ok in my standards.

I like my beef and or venison...

 

When I got back home, one of my Facebook followers mentioned a find I was not proud of.  Seems the silver colored bracelet is a “CD”.  I had no clue but Christian Dior is a French luxury designer and this bracelet sell for $500 to $700.  Anyone interested, I’ll certainly let it go for much less.  That makes 2 high end luxury finds in the same area at this resort and in the same day.

 

to be continued.

Merry Christmas.

[phrunt]

You may as well throw in the towel as a dealer and just become a full-time jewellery hunter on the beaches, a nice lifestyle and you are always paid off with great rewards for your efforts.  

[Gerry in Idaho]

1 hour ago, phrunt said:

You may as well throw in the towel as a dealer and just become a full-time jewellery hunter on the beaches, a nice lifestyle and you are always paid off with great rewards for your efforts.  

Well once I retire these write off trips will be a little more costly and out of pocket.  I'll still go down, just probably not as often, maybe once a year. 

You really need to look into it Phrunt, as you're already a gold hunter and understand tecknyke and patience. My style of Prospecting gold jewelry incorporates both. 

[RickUK]

Some truly amazing finds,the beach Maestro at work,very well done.

[LuckyLundy]

What a trip!  I like that big Gold Ring 😛

Rick

[Lunk]

Great saves south of the border once again, Gerry…WTG!

[Steve Herschbach]

Fabulous story and even more fabulous finds Gerry - thanks for writing it up and posting for us to enjoy!

I'm guessing you are pretty happy with the Manticore. 

[rvpopeye]

Geeze Gerry ....wrap up post is all days in one amazing.🤯 

I hope the trip planner gets a bonus for knowing location location location ! 👍

(I assume you must have taken that detector training course those guys up in Idaho do ,,,, maybe even more than once?)🤔

That gold ring is a stunner , even with already seeing it when you first posted the find ! At first I thought "OMG , he found another one ! "🤑 

And a couple/three to keep it company this time too ! 😜

I'm sure the difference in the finds would go a long way to offsetting the future cost difference of the higher end over the average places ?

(I've played the work "vacations" card (for 30 years straight) and the actual tax savings on the deduction is WAY less than that deduction was....) You COULD do it full time , well assuming the trend towards "el cheapo" wedding rings fades out soon.....

 

 

 

[Gerry in Idaho]

10 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Fabulous story and even more fabulous finds Gerry - thanks for writing it up and posting for us to enjoy!

I'm guessing you are pretty happy with the Manticore. 

Getting more acquainted each time I go with it. This was only my 3rd time.  Hunting in Saltwater 3 to 6' depth is totally different than beach hunting. 

Still feel my FBS 3030 was better at depth on men's wedding bands. I'll work with Iron Bias and Recovery Speed a little next time.

It's so hard to stop hunting and start playing around with unknown settings when on vacation standing in the ocean.  Idaho has nothing similar to test.

Love the more compact and ergonomics of Manticore vs 3030 though. 

[midalake]

On 12/25/2023 at 3:54 PM, Gerry in Idaho said:

Merry Christmas followers and friendly competitors.  Boss said it’s time to check out and get on board. 

Great trip!!!  Yes, save the steaks for back home!!! LOL  Can't wait to get into that fresh Tuna sushi! 

I should be out for my first day Saturday, starting the winter season. Going to encompass New Years and Easter. Hope the gold gods are kind!!!!!!