(10, 14, and 18-karat rings like some of those those pictured above are common finds for beach and shallow water detectorists. Image courtesy Kellyco Detectors. )
Lucrative Small-Scale Treasure Hunting
Treasure hunting takes many forms and just as many levels as I've mentioned from time-to-time in "Treasure Trove Dreams." Although hitting the "big one" with a large cache or trove recovery is often foremost in our minds, the reality is that few treasure hunters achieve success on the scale of a Mel Fisher or Tommy Thompson.
That said, one of the most lucrative forms of small-scale treasure hunting is beach or water hunting for coins, artifacts, and particularly, lost jewelry items. By water hunting I mean shallow or underwater metal detecting in rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans. (Coincidentally, each of these treasure hunting approaches has its own form of beach hunting as well.)
The art of beach and water hunting has developed into a fine art since the "old days" when I did my best to follow in the footsteps of beach hunting and beach combing greats like Warren Merkitch and others. New metal detecting technologies have moved things along rapidly since then and there are literally tens of thousands of beach and shallow water hunting enthusiasts out there now doing their thing and recovering large-dollar amounts of gold and silver jewelry.
Lucrative Small-Scale Treasure Hunting
Treasure hunting takes many forms and just as many levels as I've mentioned from time-to-time in "Treasure Trove Dreams." Although hitting the "big one" with a large cache or trove recovery is often foremost in our minds, the reality is that few treasure hunters achieve success on the scale of a Mel Fisher or Tommy Thompson.
That said, one of the most lucrative forms of small-scale treasure hunting is beach or water hunting for coins, artifacts, and particularly, lost jewelry items. By water hunting I mean shallow or underwater metal detecting in rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans. (Coincidentally, each of these treasure hunting approaches has its own form of beach hunting as well.)
(Just imagine the gold and silver jewelry being lost at this Oceanside, California beach.)
The art of beach and water hunting has developed into a fine art since the "old days" when I did my best to follow in the footsteps of beach hunting and beach combing greats like Warren Merkitch and others. New metal detecting technologies have moved things along rapidly since then and there are literally tens of thousands of beach and shallow water hunting enthusiasts out there now doing their thing and recovering large-dollar amounts of gold and silver jewelry.
The Real Money is in Jewelry
Some of the greatest monetary success I myself have had as a small-scale treasure hunter took place on popular beaches in Southern California. The sheer multitude of beach goers in that region ensured my success since so many of those poor unfortunates decided to wear their rings, bracelets, and necklaces into the water or shook their beach towels out at the end of the day and sent those same items flying into loose sand to disappear.
In my heyday as a beach hunter, I recovered many thousands of dollars in gold and silver jewelry by working nearby beaches I had staked out and knew intimately. Yes, I recovered coins too, but the real money in beach and water treasure hunting is in jewelry, which should come as no surprise to anyone. With gold spot prices as outrageously high as they currently are, it doesn't take much scrap 10, 14, 18, or even 22-karat gold to start making the proverbial cash register go "Ka-ching, ka-ching!"
Big-Time Pay Offs
If you're a novice to treasure hunting and are wondering how to get started in this great avocation and hobby, then there's no better way than beach and water hunting. Unless you live in a hardcore desert region somewhere, I suspect that popular lakes, ponds, river swimming holes, or other forms of recreational water bodies and their corresponding beaches are within reasonable striking distance of your home.
Who knows what results your efforts will bring? You may just find enough lost gold and silver jewelry to finance a larger treasure hunting expedition to search for the "big one" that'll put you on Easy Street.
One thing I know for certain...beach and water treasure hunting can pay off big time.
Good hunting to you.
If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Treasure Hunting Questions and Answers: Part 5"
(c) Jim Rocha (J.R.) 2012
One thing I know for certain...beach and water treasure hunting can pay off big time.
Good hunting to you.
If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Treasure Hunting Questions and Answers: Part 5"
(c) Jim Rocha (J.R.) 2012
Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com
