Hello from a Florida "youngster"

MaxG

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Joined
Dec 17, 2018
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UPDATE: Thank you for all the people who read this, and an even bigger thanks to all the people who took the time to reply! I didn't realize this many people are this friendly and willing to help!

Hi there to everyone reading this!

My name is Max, I live in Florida, and I am 14 years old.
In the world of metal detecting, that makes me feel especially young.
I want to share my metal detecting story (that is in no way over yet) with all of you, and tell me if this seems relatable (probably not).

Ok, so I live in an area with a lot of very nice hotels that are insanely expensive and giant beachfront houses and condos bigger than my entire house, etc. etc., and it feels weird to be so close to all that wealth and not be able to access it.
Living 10 mins away from the beach, I always have loved to go there, and every once in a while I would see someone with a metal detector, and my 5-year-old self would always run up to him and ask what 'treasure' he found.
So I've always found the idea of metal detecting cool, but up until I turned 13, it wasn't something I seriously considered doing. THEN, I read an article about how a man found a $100,000 Sanskrit plate about 20 miles away from where I live. THEN I got the "treasure bug".

SO, after a bunch of research and pleading, I convinced my parents to spend pretty much all of my birthday money (and future birthday money) for me to get pretty much a professional metal detecting set. I got a Tesoro Sand Shark, a Garrett ProPointer, a knee-high sand-scoop, and some special pouch for holding my finds. I was as happy as can be, I went out... and found a lot of stuff (mostly trash) and I couldn't believe the world of treasure underneath the sand. Soon, I found my first 'good' find. A 1944 Washington quarter. After that, I knew that I was never going to stop doing this.

1 YEAR LATER: So I probably go to the beach now maybe once or twice a month, this isn't a hobby I can do every week because I'm a kid, I have school, people can't always take me to the beach etc. I realize that I am probably not the only one metal detecting here because I cannot go at the best times, usually only during the afternoon to sunset, so I feel that the best stuff is already taken. This year, my parents surprised me with something shocking:
a Garrett AT MAX (funny, it's also my name). With this amazing gift, I realize there is a whole world of treasure outside the beach.

The only problem is that there really isn't anywhere else to metal detect in Florida, and I don't want to use the AT MAX at the beach for various reasons. At the same time, I don't want to just sell it or give it away because it is fantastic pretty much everywhere else, and the way things are going, I'd love to go on some metal detecting adventures this summer. I just really don't know where or how (yet).

So that's my metal detecting story, thank you for reading this, and my question for you is, where do you think I should go from here?
 
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, so I live in an area with a lot of very nice hotels that are insanely expensive and giant beachfront houses and condos bigger than my entire house, etc. etc.
Living 10 mins away from the beach,

That sounds really terrible:laughing:

How about schools? I bet there are a bunch of schools with big PE fields in your area?
 
All the schools are fenced in now after Parkland (we live about 2 hours away from there, in Naples)
 
Keep hitting the dry sand at the beach. I know it may seem like there's nothing good there, but trust me, NOONE gets it all. You could try curb strips, or even try asking family members/friends for permission to hunt their property. Until you have more time for better research, seems your best option might be to keep hitting the beaches whenever you get some free time. It WILL pay off. Oh and welcome from central MA!
 
Welcome from South Carolina !!!!

Interesting story, thanks for sharing !

If you do detect on private property (even relative's and/or friend's properties) make sure you have permission of the owners and be very sure not to leave any unfilled holes, try to make it look as if the hole was never dug to begin with.

:mder:_____:mder: _____:mder:_____:mder:
 
:fmdfwelcome:... the cold & snowy state of Minnesota! :lotsasnow::snowtruck::snowballfight: Thanks for joining, we're glad to have you with us. :yes:

1 YEAR LATER: So I probably go to the beach now maybe once or twice a month, this isn't a hobby I can do every week because I'm a kid, I have school, people can't always take me to the beach etc. I realize that I am probably not the only one metal detecting here because I cannot go at the best times, usually only during the afternoon to sunset, so I feel that the best stuff is already taken.

I can relate to that. :mder: I wasn't able to get out as often as I would've liked, but we had a really busy spring/summer/fall this year with school and other misc. stuff. :(
 
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Join a club if you can, MAX

Here is a link that has several clubs in Florida listed. Hopefully, you'll see one near you that you can contact and perhaps visit, as a guest, with a parent or trusted adult. You may meet so members close to your own age and learn a lot from all the experience that's sure to be present at the meetings.

http://www.mdhtalk.org/cf/club.cfm?st=FL

I've belonged to the Massachusetts Treasure Hunting Association for over 30 years.

Good luck Max. Welcome from Boston, to the hobby and the forum.

Jim
 
I checked out that site and it looks really cool, but every one of the places that are active is at least 3 hours away. Thanks anyway, though!
 
Welcome to the hobby, from South Wales, UK....the land of the ultimate finds....such as the saxon hoard!

Matt.

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
 
Hey Max. Welcome from Idaho. Glad to see a young man who's not stuck in front of the TV. I'm sure it's frustrating not being able to get out when you want or when it's best, but hang in there until summer and maybe you can make metal detecting your summer job. Be patient and keep reading here, there are lots of pros to learn from. And pretty soon you'll be showing them up.

Take care and keep us updated on your adventures.
 
Welcome. From South Carolina. Don't over look parks and playgrounds that you might be able to detect.
 
Welcome to the forums from Pensacola, Florida. I live near the beach, have been detecting for about 8 months, and haven't been to the beach yet. I go beep at parks and sports complexes. In that time, I've found over 4800 coins, 40 rings (including 7 gold and 20 silver), numerous silver necklaces and charms and pendants, and a bunch of other cool things.

Just looking at google maps, I see several places that I would beep, if I were to visit Naples. Cambier Park, Anthony Park, Fleishmann Park, Pelican Bay Community Park. Just use the "Roads" view and scroll around looking for green colored patches.

In my area, only elementary schools are fenced in. Middle schools have fencing, but not gates, so you can still access the school grounds. Found my first silver ring, first wheatie, and first silver coin (Rosie dime) at a middle school. High schools have the football and baseball fields locked up, but the school grounds are open.

Just get out and beep. It took me 4-5 months with the AT Max to get to know the machine enough to really start finding good stuff. I run it in Zero mode, no discrimination, and dig any solid signal from 45-50, and every signal above 50, even if it bouncy. You'll dig plenty of trash, but digging that trash is the only way to dig anything worth having. The surprise and rush of finding precious metal is worth the work. I found a tungsten carbide men's wedding band with carbon fiber inlay this weekend (it is on Kay Jeweler's website for $400) at a soccer complex, but I would not have dug it the first 4 months or so that I have been beeping because it wasn't a coin signal.

Point being, the beaches are not the only place to find good stuff. Get out, beep, learn your machine, and happy hunting, Max!
 
Hi Max from the east coast. I'm glad you have joined the group. There are a lot of places to hunt if you look around. Older houses just always ask permission. Old businesses, Public parks around benches ,play equipment, and around schools under outside bleachers. You being in school will maybe give you the chance to hunt there. Tell them you'll take the trash you dig up that may help. Areas where concerts are held, curb side in the older part of town. Sometimes when you know where the most people detect isn't the best. Just turn around and look where no one has been. Good luck Max and show us some finds. It don't matter have small they are. Merry Christmas. By the way. Hang on to the ATP-Max.:lol:
dd
 
Welcome from Baltimore.
My son is 13, He uses my AT PRO. He's been at it on his own for a few months now he rides his bike to all the schools and play ground's within a mile from our house. Good to see you young men getting into the hobby. We have a lot of our schools that are fenced off too. However the athletic fields are not. Maybe try them.
 
Welcome to the forum Max! Sounds like you are doing great with metal Detecting. Keep it up and eventually you’ll swing that coil over the gold.
Best of luck!
 
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