Finding some silver coins but where is the gold coins in Hawaii????

[makahaman]

I live in Hawaii and have been metal detecting for some time with good results usually at the beach finding gold rings etc. I enjoy finding old silver coins at old house sites and was wondering what are the chances of finding gold coins at these sites?? Is gold that elusive?? My grandmother lived in Hawaii and when she was living she owned a couple of gold coins but unfortunately they were stolen!! I heard of a guy in Maui finding a gold $5.00 underneath a clothes line when he was doing some yard work. I hear of all these great stories but haven't had the opportunity in finding these coins and the spots that I look are quite virgin!! What am I doing wrong? Also, what is the best detector to be using to search these places?? Aloha!!

 

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[dahut]

Okay , honest, the reason you hear these stories is that they are few and far between. If they were common as pennies, how much would you hear? Yes, it happens, but only rarely.

Gold coins were NOT widely circulated even when they were around. When you got one, you hoarded it - a $5 dollar coin was worth a lot back then. Also, gold as coin or bullion was recalled by Congress and actually made illegal for private ownership in 1933 at the urging of Franklin Roosevelt. Many people, including him, believed that the wildly fluctuating price of gold caused the Great Depression. We were quietly placed on the silver standard for currency (and coin) thereafter and you suddenly became a criminal if you didnt turn in any gold you held. That law wasnt repealed until the 70's.

"All these stories" you hear my friend are indicators of rarity, not of commonality. It is a disservice to you that they are repeated over and over, you do yourself a disservice that you stolidly adhere to a belief in them. They most often afford a way to sell equipment and magazines for those who do so. I mean, which is going to sell more:
"Using metal detector 'X', I found a bunch of pennies."
"With detector 'Y', I found a GOLD COIN!"
That worked well in the gold rush days, driving hundreds of thousands to discover the REALITY of gold hunting back then. It still works now.

There were a lot of gold coins minted over the years, it's true. Millions, in fact. The chance exists that you can find one; other's have, after all. If you are sincere in your edsire to find one - put your detector away. Instead, learn the Why, Where and How of gold coins, and only go insearch of them when you have asnwered those questions. In the meantime enjoy your hobby, the fresh air and the other benefits - like gold jewelry. It may be awhile before you turn up a gold coin.

Hunt today, and maybe you'll get it all.
Or maybe not.
You can go back tomorrow and get the rest.
Or maybe not.
Another may get there first and get it all before you.
Or maybe not.
Regardless, you soon die and leave it all behind...meaningless.
Act accordingly.

 

[Night Stalker]

Aloha! I was stationed at Schofield Barracks during the early 90's (Army). Anyways, my friend and I went to an old church which overlooked Northshore, we dug pounds of clad and silver, after a few hours, an old man came by and ran us off! Had a great time while it lasted.

I would search for gold during low tide, after a storm and the ocean churns up the bottom. You should make some decent jewelry finds around the beaches.

Thanks for posting - bring on the pics!

 

[makahaman]

What kind of silver coins did you find on the church site? How old was it and where was it on the north shore? Just wondering about the coins was it recent or was the kind of coins you were finding like mercury dimes etc? I am just trying to find out the kind of places I should look, I have some really old places that were back in the 1800's like old house sites and plantation sites from 1800's. If I have any pics in the future I will show you guys but until then thanks for all your help!! Aloha!!