Beach comber effects for metal detecting

[Talon]

So, I was out detecting a Lake Erie beach and started to ponder the mechanical beach combers that are often employed to pretty up beaches. I was wondering what effects these would be having for metal detectorists? Do you think they are dragging/collecting the gold and coins away? Does anyone know if they collect up the beach debris to be disposed of? Other than some smaller beaches that uses rakes to drag behind tractors, I'm not entirely certain what is used by the larger State Parks. I did however find huge mounds of zebra mussel shells that almost made my MD explode with the amount of signals in there. From the little excavating I did it was mostly can slaw. Would this pile have been leavings from a beachcomber? Anyone in the know please let me know! I'm a little disheartened by the state of the beaches here (just moved here) they really got tore up by Sandy, and there is junk as far as the eye can see.

 

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[Sir Gala Clad]

Follow and detect the tracks, you might find gold in the depressions and at turning points.

 

[DewGuru]

Most all of the beach comb machines are for large trash which operate with tines only, and have no bearing on coins, rings ... etc. Here locally, they run the same setup, and i've spoken with several of the operators over the years. About the only thing of value they found (btw, they also get to keep what they find), were purses and wallets. One fella told me a gold chain got caught in the tines about 20 years ago. Large hoop earrings also get caught up on occasion. With that said, there are some machines which are screen based, instead of tines, and thats another ballgame, but are much more costly and i've personally never seen one used anywhere.

If your digging shallow trash (bottlecaps ... etc) thats a good indicator that their tine based.

 

[lookindown]

I saw a youtube video of a tine sweeper. It was called a Barber Surf Rake. It was picking up cigarette butts and said it picked up glass and pulltabs. If it picks up pulltabs and cigarette butts, I dont see how rings and coins wouldnt get picked up. Sand fell back through small holes but they were too small for coins or rings to go through. I dont think the guys that run the sweepers would be telling people that they find gold...just like most detectorist say they have only found a few coins and trash when asked what they are finding.

 

[ron lord]

They will chop up a Gold chain.