2nd Time Out and Struck Gold!

Hockey_Detectorist

Hockey_Detectorist

Jr. Member
Aug 15, 2016
83
131
North Eastern NC
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 200 & 250
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Well Folks, I have done it! On my second time detecting the beach I have struck gold. It has been a long road (insert sarcasm here) to get to this point. I figured on being about 20+ hours until I hit a big score like a gold wedding ring, but only too about 3.5 hours of detecting. I am beyond happy.

The gold wedding band was sitting right where a beach access was leading to fairly ritzy condominiums. Only sitting about 2 inches from the top, the ring was just waiting to be claimed! Apart from the ring, I also came up with $1.05 in change, a wood file for carpentry, and a pair of reading glasses.

I did have just one question to ask anyone interested in answering. Now that I have found some gold what is the best method for me to yield the most for it? I've heard that pawn shops really take a lot off the top from the melt value so I wasn't wanting to go that route. Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Anyway, here are the pictures of the finds from both the 12th and the 13th. Enjoy!

Happy Hunting

Hockey_Detectorist

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Upvote 22
I've never had a problem with Mid-west Refinery, believe they pay 95%.
Check them out online, and if you do use them, (or whoever), when you mail, insure for the value.
Also helps to get a delivery confirmation.
Great second time out find! Really helps when pays for a piece of the detector!
Carl
 

ScubaDetector said:
Returning wedding rings is hopeless even with dates and initials. You have to know what county they were married in on top of that. Impossible to search every county in a state for the initials. i tried a couple and gave up. I have returned every ring I have been hired to find. Totally different. Class rings you can contact the school librarian and most are totally willing to help give you the name of the graduate.

Now for your ring. Go here:

Ultrafast Live Scrap Gold Calculator [USD] from Dendritics

Plug in the weight in grams and the karat. Then hit calculate. That is the value of it in scrap. Subtract 2% and that is what ARA in Texas will give you. I have been using them for years and they are the best by far. Better than jewelers, Midwest in Michigan and pawn shops.

Welcome to - American Recycling Associates - Gold Refining, Karat Melting, Stone Recovery in Dallas, Tx

If you need help PM me. You can send one ring or as many as you have to them. Turnaround time is around 10 days.

So if your ring is worth 150.00, subtract 2% or 3.00, as long as the marking is true you should get 147.00 for it after shipping costs. I never insure my shipments. I do go priority mail with signature though. never had a problem in 9 years.
Click to expand...

Scuba, this is good info. Is there a way to save or bookmark a post/comment? I'd like to be able to find this in the future....If I EVER do find anything worth sending off!!
 

Truth1253 said:
What did it ring at...55?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

It rang in at a nickle/pull tab reading on the display at about 2" from surface. thought it was just another peice of foil and was about to not dig it. good thing i did!.
 

curbdiggercarl57 said:
I've never had a problem with Mid-west Refinery, believe they pay 95%.
Check them out online, and if you do use them, (or whoever), when you mail, insure for the value.
Also helps to get a delivery confirmation.
Great second time out find! Really helps when pays for a piece of the detector!
Carl
Click to expand...

I have heard and seen plenty of problems with Midwest. Glad you have had none. The biggest problem I have seen is when they tell you something isn't gold that you sent them, their policy is to keep it and never send it back. Not something I sent in but a friend and lots of others. I also have heard they have shorted others big time.

I heard enough to stay away. When I was researching refineries, I talked to the owner. I was not impressed at all. They will never tell you when they lock in the price. I think they lock it in at the lowest price of the day. ARA will lock the price as soon as they get it unless you want to call them before you send it in and lock the price in then.

They will send you an advance check also. They do anything they can to keep customers happy and are absolutely great. I have two friends that will never use Midwest again, and I have heard from a lot of other people. They also give less than ARA. I help people get the most. Best I can do. I am not affiliated with any company at all.
 

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I taught myself how to build a portable smelter. If I find gold, I usually melt it with the other gold. If you add borax to the molten gold it will slag out the other metals slowly. Gold is the ultimate store of wealth. I wouldn't sell it unless I was desperate. Anyways you know it is gold when you melt it. It won't but cool back to nice shiny gold. All the other metals slag due to oxygen chemically combining with the metal. Gold won't combine, and stays shiny. A million dollars in gold, will most likely fit in your cars glove compartment.
 

Nice gold ring!! Congrats and HH
 

H-D, first off, nicely done on your find.

If you are intent on selling the ring, I might throw another option out to you...Local small town or private jewelers often take items on consignment. Sure, they will offer you spot (or less) for the ring, but they are often limited on immediate inventory compared to the larger chain stores. I have one here in College Station that will take any ring I find (so far only two), and broker a percentage of the sale, which turns out to be better than spot on a 10,14, or 18K ring. It is a win-win proposition for them, as they are not out of the cost for new inventory, and you have the prospect of better than spot. My jeweler friend even polishes the rings before display (pretty common for even new inventory) at no cost to me.

The key is to get to know the jeweler by name, and explain that you will give them first shot at YOUR items found. Then do as you have done so well....FIND THEM. Hope you find many more, and that this becomes a "problem" for you to solve.
 

Great job! I have an atpro and it fits my needs well. Are you doing saltwater beaches? If so you may want to do more research for the best option there. Some have no difficulty, others have major problems. Not trying to push you one way or the other. There are members that have used many different machines that could probably give you excellent advice on what would suit your needs.
 

I'd avoid Midwest. Sent a few things to them a few years ago. They sent far less than expected. PLUS, they hand wrote a date on the invoice OVER a computer printed date. You guessed it, gold went down a day after they processed it, so they decided to pad their wallets a few more dollars. Never used ARA, but heard many good things about them.

You can always try eBay selling it for a premium. But keep in mind between ebay and Paypal fees, you'll lose about 15%.
 

Congrats...I also found gold on my second beach hunt( 3 in one day...enough to upgrade to an at pro) haven't found one since but the day will come...welcome and happy hunting![emoji108]
 

peruna said:
H-D, first off, nicely done on your find.

If you are intent on selling the ring, I might throw another option out to you...Local small town or private jewelers often take items on consignment. Sure, they will offer you spot (or less) for the ring, but they are often limited on immediate inventory compared to the larger chain stores. I have one here in College Station that will take any ring I find (so far only two), and broker a percentage of the sale, which turns out to be better than spot on a 10,14, or 18K ring. It is a win-win proposition for them, as they are not out of the cost for new inventory, and you have the prospect of better than spot. My jeweler friend even polishes the rings before display (pretty common for even new inventory) at no cost to me.

The key is to get to know the jeweler by name, and explain that you will give them first shot at YOUR items found. Then do as you have done so well....FIND THEM. Hope you find many more, and that this becomes a "problem" for you to solve.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the information. I will consider taking that route as well.
 

ONE LOST RING IS ANOTHER MANS FIND .NEET.
 

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