Just how desperate are YOU to find GOLD in the dirt ? (no, didn't find any gold :)

[GKL]

This is meant to be related to only finding gold in the dirt since digging and replacing plugs is more time consuming than scooping sand

Recently I had been reading threads on the forum related to finding gold in the dirt, and the recurring theme seems to be you have to be willing to dig a LOT of trash in order to find gold.

.......so back to my initial question:

Just how desperate are YOU to find GOLD in the dirt ?

IF you were focused ONLY on finding gold and ended up digging nothing BUT trash every hunt, how many hunts and for how many weeks in a row would you be willing to keep it up if all you kept finding was all trash ?

Could you keep bringing home nothing but trash for weeks figuring eventually you will find gold ?

I know you might accidently find something like an occasional nickel, but other than that about 99% trash.

This is no big deal, I was just wondering after the hunt I had today

After reading about the Nox signals to dig when looking for gold (+7 to +22) I figured I focus my hunt today on only looking for gold, I was trying to dig only signals in that range, though I did dig one signal I though might be silver only to dig a bottle cap

Anyhow when it was time to finish up my hunt all I had found was trash, and I don't like a 100% trash hunt, so I finished up now looking to dig signals that might be coins, after digging a few more holes, I dug a penny and could now call it a day !

Anyhow after digging an all trash + one penny hunt, I was wondering how many more hunts like this could I handle, I know it's the price we need to pay to find gold, but how many 99% to 100% trash hunts would most of us do in a row ?

My hunts usually last 2 1/2 hours, very occasionally 3 hours, so I wanted to focus each hunt on either coins or gold as trying to do both in that amount of time might not get me either

I know location has a lot to do with the chances of finding gold, people who live in more highly populated areas might have a better chance than those of us who live in small towns.

Now I'm not giving up on finding gold, but I need to try to have several hunts of finding some good finds in between the hunts where I might focus on gold only and find only trash

Now having said all that, I still really do enjoy detecting regardless of the finds, sure, I'm not crazy about a 99-100% all trash hunt, but I'd still rather had done that hunt rather than sitting home just thinking about hunting

 

[diggin4clad]

When Sue and I go out for a hunt our objective is to have fun rather than obsess about finding gold or silver. Sure, we'll take it if we find it but if we don't, then so be it. We dig all signals that could be COINS, including those nickel signals that can turn out to be the dreaded pulltab. In my detecting "career" I've found only three gold rings and one gold coin. Sue has found two gold rings. Together we've found hundreds of pieces of silver jewelry. All of those finds are by-products of our coin hunts. If I were to dig only the signals that might be a gold ring and ended up making the hunt become a 100% trash find hunt I'd soon take up another hobby.

 

[MuddyMo]

"how many 99% to 100% trash hunts would most of us do in a row ? "

Less than "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootie Roll lollie pop?" which if I remember right Mr Owl did it in 3.

When
Sue and I go out for a hunt our OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE FUN rather than obsess about finding gold or silver. Sure, we'll take it if we find it but if we don't, then so be it. We dig all signals that could be COINS, including those nickel signals that can turn out to be the dreaded pulltab. In my detecting "career" I've found only three gold rings and one gold coin. Sue has found two gold rings. Together we've found hundreds of pieces of silver jewelry. All of those finds are by-products of our coin hunts. If I were to dig only the signals that might be a gold ring and ended up making the hunt become a 100% trash find hunt I'd soon take up another hobby.

I couldn't say it any better! Although in certain situations I will dig everything above iron and small foil.

 

[culcuhain]

I go out expecting to find only trash. Anything else is a bonus... now my 6yo desperately wants to find a gold ring... I told him, that would be nice, but don't expect it. I currently have found 3 silver rings in about a 2 month span. Heading back to our favorite spot and see if it has been reseeded.

 

[LovestheShiny!]

I've found 3 gold rings so far this year. I rarely find gold rings as I chase silver coins. I am certain I've passed my coil over a few gold rings and did not dig that signal. I don't detect parks, schools, or athletic fields so perhaps my chance of finding gold is less than others.

I agree with the posters above, if detecting means 99.9% trash then I'd rather do something else. So... I focus on location when I even consider looking for and digging those 48-70 numbers on my AT Pro.

My first gold was a small 14K came out of a yard, and was a nickel signal so I dug it and was rewarded.

The second gold, a 10K wedding band, came out of an area where I purposely chased the mid tones as it was a large apartment complex where college age kids would have been doing frisbee, football, whiffle ball, catch, snow ball fights, and other activities that sure could make a person lose a ring. A buddy detecting with me found a 14K gold ring in that same location, and I pulled about 5 silver rings out of that spot.

My last gold ring was just this weekend, I was detecting a ca 1900 home, told myself to dig odd mid tones on the chance of finding something unusual, and I did get a 10K older Victorian era ring.

There is a thread here on the Forum that talks well about location being key to finding gold rings and other jewelry, like the edges of basketball courts, or where moms set down blankets on the lawn of parks or fields / play equipment to sun screen their kids, removing their rings at that point etc etc.

Purposely chasing Dirt Gold does mean digging a lot of pull tabs and foil, so I only do that if the location has promise.

 

[markinswpa]

Gary I feel your pain and frustration. Now I think I'm as greedy or maybe a little more than most but I have come to find I enjoy digging old silver and copper and saving little bits of history as much as finding gold. First, gold is so far few and in between that I put it on the back burner. When I head out the door I'm intent on unearthing a few wheats, Ihps, Merc's or Barbers, maybe a cool token or two. Also Buff's and war nickels are on the agenda. I dig just about all mid-tones but rarely go below 9. The other day at an old city park a five hour hunt netted me a pouch full of trash and one dateless Buff. I can only imagine the frustration of digging all the signals below 9. Not for me, I'll stick to coins and the like. Good luck, Mark

 

[amc rulz]

10+years I’ve gone out at times specifically with gold in mind and dig pulltabs, pennies and nickels.

Still looking for my first real gold.

 

[metaladdict]

Gold has eluded me this year.

 

[GKL]

When Sue and I go out for a hunt our objective is to have fun rather than obsess about finding gold or silver. Sure, we'll take it if we find it but if we don't, then so be it. We dig all signals that could be COINS, including those nickel signals that can turn out to be the dreaded pulltab. In my detecting "career" I've found only three gold rings and one gold coin. Sue has found two gold rings. Together we've found hundreds of pieces of silver jewelry. All of those finds are by-products of our coin hunts. If I were to dig only the signals that might be a gold ring and ended up making the hunt become a 100% trash find hunt I'd soon take up another hobby.

I think what happened is that after reading some posts of gold rings people found I just had to give it a try to focus on just "gold range" signals for an entire hunt, many signals I previously shipped over. I know gold is fairly rare but I had to see how it would go, well, I found out

And it's not out of any feeling of being "gold hungry", I have been very content and enjoyed my hunts even if I only found 3 or 4 clad coins (or even less) as it was the hunt itself I enjoyed, sure I'd prefer to find more good finds, who wouldn't, but as much as I'd like to have a good hunt rather than a poor hunt, even with my poor hunts I'd still come home feeling like I enjoyed myself, and I felt better for having tried than if I would have if I had just sat home just thinking about detecting

My wife is not interested in detecting herself, and that's fine, but I think a big part of wanting to find a gold ring was to impress her

Anyhow, yesterday at least was an education for me I think now I will focus mostly on signals that have a reasonable chance of being good finds and maybe just very occasionally dig a potential gold signal.

Less than "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootie Roll lollie pop?" which if I remember right the Mr Owl did it in 3.

I couldn't say it any better! Although in certain situations I will dig everything above iron and small foil.

I think very occasionally having a hunt where you might dig more of those signals than you otherwise normally would is fine, but after yesterday I would make that a VERY occasional exception for myself

I go out expecting to find only trash. Anything else is a bonus... now my 6yo desperately wants to find a gold ring... I told him, that would be nice, but don't expect it. I currently have found 3 silver rings in about a 2 month span. Heading back to our favorite spot and see if it has been reseeded.

That is a very good attitude, while I do hope for an occasional really good find, I do have a realistic attitude, especially with the trashy locations I've had so far, and while I don't expect to find only trash, I know that if I can dig even 5 or 6 clad coins in a hunt that is pretty good for the locations I've had so far

I've found 3 gold rings so far this year. I rarely find gold rings as I chase silver coins. I am certain I've passed my coil over a few gold rings and did not dig that signal. I don't detect parks, schools, or athletic fields so perhaps my chance of finding gold is less than others.

I agree with the posters above, if detecting means 99.9% trash then I'd rather do something else. So... I focus on location when I even consider looking for and digging those 48-70 numbers on my AT Pro.

My first gold was a small 14K came out of a yard, and was a nickel signal so I dug it and was rewarded.

The second gold, a 10K wedding band, came out of an area where I purposely chased the mid tones as it was a large apartment complex where college age kids would have been doing frisbee, football, whiffle ball, catch, snow ball fights, and other activities that sure could make a person lose a ring. A buddy detecting with me found a 14K gold ring in that same location, and I pulled about 5 silver rings out of that spot.

My last gold ring was just this weekend, I was detecting a ca 1900 home, told myself to dig odd mid tones on the chance of finding something unusual, and I did get a 10K older Victorian era ring.

There is a thread here on the Forum that talks well about location being key to finding gold rings and other jewelry, like the edges of basketball courts, or where moms set down blankets on the lawn of parks or fields / play equipment to sun screen their kids, removing their rings at that point etc etc.

Purposely chasing Dirt Gold does mean digging a lot of pull tabs and foil, so I only do that if the location has promise.

Good points, location is a big factor and I know I need to also try to get some private yard permissions and not rely just on trashy parks. (and I'll keep basketball court and the blanket ideas in mind too)

I'm glad you mentioned nickels, I do like digging the nickel signals, and maybe very very occasionally it might be something better than a nickel

Gary I feel your pain and frustration. Now I think I'm as greedy or maybe a little more than most but I have come to find I enjoy digging old silver and copper and saving little bits of history as much as finding gold. First, gold is so far few and in between that I put it on the back burner. When I head out the door I'm intent on unearthing a few wheats, Ihps, Merc's or Barbers, maybe a cool token or two. Also Buff's and war nickels are on the agenda. I dig just about all mid-tones but rarely go below 9. The other day at an old city park a five hour hunt netted me a pouch full of trash and one dateless Buff. I can only imagine the frustration of digging all the signals below 9. Not for me, I'll stick to coins and the like. Good luck, Mark

Wow, a 5 hour hunt and all trash except for one dateless Buff ? sorry that happened, but at least I know I'm not the only one that has some trashy hunts.

I learned my lesson yesterday and not that I give up on finding gold eventually, but it will not be from trying a "gold only" hunt like yesterday my focus is now right back on signals that have a better chance of being coins and other good finds.

 

[GKL]

10+years I’ve gone out at times specifically with gold in mind and dig pulltabs, pennies and nickels.

Still looking for my first real gold.

Hey, yesterday I would have been glad to at least dig some nickels instead of all that trash

Gold has eluded me this year.

Still looking for my first gold, but after yesterday it's not a main focus

Getting ready to go on a hunt shortly, heading to a small recreation park not too far away that I never been to yet, found it searching online, and I will be focused on coins and silver, not gold only like yesterday

 

[diggin4clad]

If you dig only "gold signals" you'll most likely miss most silver coins and jewelry. The only gold coin I've ever found gave off a penny/dime signal and if I was only digging those nickel/gold signals I would have missed it.

 

[KingTotsalot]

When KT was MDing, starting out His first Royal Detector was a BHIV, and once He learned to use it properly, with the correct settings it was a coin finding monster. After many hunts, KT realized something was a miss as no gold and not finding anything deeper than 4 inches, tho he had made a surface find of a 14K gold chain, but saw it before the detector reached it. So KT was off to the detector store and purchased a Tesoro Compadre. Learning it by running wide open and then with each signal, He would run the descrimination up until the signal disappeared, trying to guess what the signal might be, hoping to find a sweet spot for gold. Well, it happened while the Royal Family were on vacation in Galveston, TX!

Rather than beach hunting...KT had seen many detectorists on the beach....KT opted for a park..naturally one with a large totlot. After searching it with the BHIV, and finding the normal coinage, KT decided to try out the Tesoro. Running wide open, KT dug several deeper trash pieces and then, next to a slide, KT got a nice signal, and began to dig, 4" did not reach it, 6" did not reach it, finally 8" out popped a ladies 10K ring !

Upon getting back home, KT was hunting a small volleyball field composed of deep sand. Got no signals with the BHIV Tracker, so again out came the Tesoro Compadre on full non-discrimination mode, hit a signal, and pulled a small 14K toe ring at 8".

So, the lesson olde KT learned was sometimes you just have to have a gold finding machine to find gold! KT used this same method...when one machine gets few signals then switch to another machine and dig it all.

Final example, at a local school, there is a 40 x 40 patch of grass where KT observed children standing around waiting for the school buses. KT had tried to hunt it with the Tracker but it was solid signals! Could not figure out how to dig it. So His Majesty decided to run his Garrett ATPro over it with a total iron discrimination. Started getting distinct individual signals, and dug them, many on top of the soil at the base of the grass. KT dug over 300 clad coins in 4 hours off that grass patch! So again, you need the right machine for the items you are hunting, and need it set up correctly. That day managed to get the right combo! Incidentally, this is the kind of MDing that eventually ruined KT's Royal Knees!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

These topic/threads have always left me scratching my head. It's as if the "age-old-question" is : How much trash are you willing to dig, to get a gold ring ?" And/or "how patient/tolerant are you willing to be ?"

As if each question were the magic formula/recipe of how-to-get-gold rings.


For starters, yes, it's a *given* that alloyed gold rings and aluminum trash share the same TID's. Ok ..... granted. BUT NO, that's NOT the "secret recipe" to : "Go dig trash till your arms fall off so that you can be a hero and dig a gold ring".

Instead, the MUCH BIGGER "recipe" is : Location location location.

Why oh why, if someone's objective is gold rings, are you doddling around in junky urban park turf ? Why not simply go to swim beaches ? Sand volley-ball courts ? Or certain types turf that are more conducive to sports, and less conducive to picnicking/eating/drinking ?

I've been in a zone one time where I got 5 gold rings one day, with ZERO aluminum (in fact .... zero zinc pennies that day too). The "secret recipe" was : Beach storm erosion which washed away all the light-weight targets.

And I can think of inner city blighted turf where the ratio would easily be 500 to 1 @ aluminum vs gold . Why oh why would anyone punish themselves in that way ? Heck, even sand boxes have better odds (and easier digging) than that.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

If you dig only "gold signals" you'll most likely miss most silver coins and jewelry. The only gold coin I've ever found gave off a penny/dime signal and if I was only digging only those nickel/gold signals I would have missed it.

And the "secret recipe" to digging gold coins too, is not a function of TID #'s either. It too is a function of "location location location".

 

[metaladdict]

One thing on gold and the Equinox, I noticed pulltabs usually hit 14
Nickels 13
Gold ? I think 13 or less but can be up to 21 too.
So far with it I got one gold ring at 21 and it was a beach.

 

[GKL]

Hey, yesterday I would have been glad to at least dig some nickels instead of all that trash

Still looking for my first gold, but after yesterday it's not a main focus

Getting ready to go on a hunt shortly, heading to a small recreation park not too far away that I never been to yet, found it searching online, and I will be focused on coins and silver, not gold only like yesterday

Well, got back a little while ago from hunting that park I mentioned above, it was my first time there......

There were 2 old basketball poles/backboards, but no hoops so not sure how long since those were usable. There was one picnic table pavilion and a fairly large totlot.

I dug ONLY ONE signal I thought might be gold but it was trash, so the rest of the signals I dug were ones I thought would more likely be coins or silver, except one 12 I dug thinking it might be a nickel.

Well, I did do better than yesterday's total of all trash and ONE penny......

Today I dug a total of all trash and TWO pennies and ONE clad dime, not a huge haul, but still an improvement from yesterday

I think part of it is being in a relatively low population small town as compared to those who live in or near big cities or highly populated suburban areas. Another part of it is likely some detectorists long ago got most of the coins, and especially the silver as I have yet to dig a silver coin, just clad, pennies. and some nickels.

Hey, at least I know I likely am not missing much at that particular park, not that I might not go back there occasionally, but after today there is no big rush

There is another park are I want to try tomorrow I haven't tried yet, and I know my better chances for good finds will be with getting private property permissions. I did stop by a fenced in construction site today and asked permission to detect areas where the grass was scraped off the ground, the supervisor was very nice about it but said if his bosses came by he'd get in trouble and I could respect that.

If you dig only "gold signals" you'll most likely miss most silver coins and jewelry. The only gold coin I've ever found gave off a penny/dime signal and if I was only digging those nickel/gold signals I would have missed it.

Yep, I'm learning, dig for coins and silver and hope I might happen across a gold when not looking for it

When KT was MDing, starting out His first Royal Detector was a BHIV, and once He learned to use it properly, with the correct settings it was a coin finding monster. After many hunts, KT realized something was a miss as no gold and not finding anything deeper than 4 inches, tho he had made a surface find of a 14K gold chain, but saw it before the detector reached it. So KT was off to the detector store and purchased a Tesoro Compadre. Learning it by running wide open and then with each signal, He would run the descrimination up until the signal disappeared, trying to guess what the signal might be, hoping to find a sweet spot for gold. Well, it happened while the Royal Family were on vacation in Galveston, TX!

Rather than beach hunting...KT had seen many detectorists on the beach....KT opted for a park..naturally one with a large totlot. After searching it with the BHIV, and finding the normal coinage, KT decided to try out the Tesoro. Running wide open, KT dug several deeper trash pieces and then, next to a slide, KT got a nice signal, and began to dig, 4" did not reach it, 6" did not reach it, finally 8" out popped a ladies 10K ring !

Upon getting back home, KT was hunting a small volleyball field composed of deep sand. Got no signals with the BHIV Tracker, so again out came the Tesoro Compadre on full non-discrimination mode, hit a signal, and pulled a small 14K toe ring at 8".

So, the lesson olde KT learned was sometimes you just have to have a gold finding machine to find gold! KT used this same method...when one machine gets few signals then switch to another machine and dig it all.

Final example, at a local school, there is a 40 x 40 patch of grass where KT observed children standing around waiting for the school buses. KT had tried to hunt it with the Tracker but it was solid signals! Could not figure out how to dig it. So His Majesty decided to run his Garrett ATPro over it with a total iron discrimination. Started getting distinct individual signals, and dug them, many on top of the soil at the base of the grass. KT dug over 300 clad coins in 4 hours off that grass patch! So again, you need the right machine for the items you are hunting, and need it set up correctly. That day managed to get the right combo! Incidentally, this is the kind of MDing that eventually ruined KT's Royal Knees!

Sounds like you did great KT !!!! Thanks for sharing all those details, you definitely had some good locations !

These topic/threads have always left me scratching my head. It's as if the "age-old-question" is : How much trash are you willing to dig, to get a gold ring ?" And/or "how patient/tolerant are you willing to be ?"

As if each question were the magic formula/recipe of how-to-get-gold rings.


For starters, yes, it's a *given* that alloyed gold rings and aluminum trash share the same TID's. Ok ..... granted. BUT NO, that's NOT the "secret recipe" to : "Go dig trash till your arms fall off so that you can be a hero and dig a gold ring".

Instead, the MUCH BIGGER "recipe" is : Location location location.

Why oh why, if someone's objective is gold rings, are you doddling around in junky urban park turf ? Why not simply go to swim beaches ? Sand volley-ball courts ? Or certain types turf that are more conducive to sports, and less conducive to picnicking/eating/drinking ?

I've been in a zone one time where I got 5 gold rings one day, with ZERO aluminum (in fact .... zero zinc pennies that day too). The "secret recipe" was : Beach storm erosion which washed away all the light-weight targets.

And I can think of inner city blighted turf where the ratio would easily be 500 to 1 @ aluminum vs gold . Why oh why would anyone punish themselves in that way ? Heck, even sand boxes have better odds (and easier digging) than that.

Well said Tom, unfortunately no beaches close enough for me to travel to so I have to make the best of my local areas

Anyhow, you do have a very good point with location, location, location, as you can't dig it if it isn't there to dig

And the "secret recipe" to digging gold coins too, is not a function of TID #'s either. It too is a function of "location location location".

I like knowing the TIDs, but again, without the good locations those TIDs might more likely be trash.

One thing on gold and the Equinox, I noticed pulltabs usually hit 14
Nickels 13
Gold ? I think 13 or less but can be up to 21 too.
So far with it I got one gold ring at 21 and it was a beach.

Interesting, I know it's not always going to be the exact numbers you think it should depending on stuff like the ground, nearby trash, ect. but I was reading where some felt 12 is a more likely number for nickels, maybe we need a poll where people list what number usually gets them nickels

 

[Lee1968]

I set my NOX up to dig 12-14, and anything 17 and above. I have found 3 pieces of gold this year, but I am sure I have walked over more. One of the gold rings rang up a 13/14, and the other rang up a 18/19. The third gold was an earring that I dug by accident. It was in a hole with a dime, and was ringing up in the low 20's. I dig a lot of pulltabs and a lot of pennies. (Today I dug 54 pennies in a 3 hour hunt.) I used to pass on the penny signals, but there are a few cool things to find in the lower 20's. Today, I found a "Spoon Ring" that I would have passed over at one time. That all being said, I tend to pass over the lower tones in junky areas, as it can be overwhelming. If I am in a "clean" area, I am much more likely to dig those lower tones!

 

[GKL]

I set my NOX up to dig 12-14, and anything 17 and above. I have found 3 pieces of gold this year, but I am sure I have walked over more. One of the gold rings rang up a 13/14, and the other rang up a 18/19. The third gold was an earring that I dug by accident. It was in a hole with a dime, and was ringing up in the low 20's. I dig a lot of pulltabs and a lot of pennies. (Today I dug 54 pennies in a 3 hour hunt.) I used to pass on the penny signals, but there are a few cool things to find in the lower 20's. Today, I found a "Spoon Ring" that I would have passed over at one time. That all being said, I tend to pass over the lower tones in junky areas, as it can be overwhelming. If I am in a "clean" area, I am much more likely to dig those lower tones!

Thanks for the info, the thing is, so far all my local hunt areas have been junky

I'm not saying I won't dig any potential gold signals, but I no longer want to dig "just" gold signals after my hunt yesterday

Just wondering why you skip over 15 and 16, I'm not saying that might not be a good idea (I'm still learning) but I saw a Nox video the other day where someone dug a gold ring that rang up as a 15 so maybe that was a rare exception and not the norm.

 

[Lee1968]

Thanks for the info, the thing is, so far all my local hunt areas have been junky

I'm not saying I won't dig any potential gold signals, but I no longer want to dig "just" gold signals after my hunt yesterday

Just wondering why you skip over 15 and 16, I'm not saying that might not be a good idea (I'm still learning) but I saw a Nox video the other day where someone dug a gold ring that rang up as a 15 so maybe that was a rare exception and not the norm.

I used to dig the 15/16 numbers, but I have literally not ever found anything but trash. Not saying I shouldn't revisit them for a bit, but I got burnt out on the bad finds.

 

[GKL]

I used to dig the 15/16 numbers, but I have literally not ever found anything but trash. Not saying I shouldn't revisit them for a bit, but I got burnt out on the bad finds.

I understand and I can definitely relate to that