How much of California has been metal detected?
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marcuss112
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Hey buddy ,welcome first of all. Don’t worry about that , there are more coins and Artifacts in the ground then they are out!![emoji1]
marcuss112
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AirmetTango
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I'm going to guess that California isn't much different than most other areas in the US. In my area, I go into every hunt, whether it's a public place or private permission, with the assumption that the site has been detected previously or otherwise disturbed with the addition or removal of soil at some point in the past.
Sure, there are still "virgin" public sites out there, but they are definitely the rare exception, not the rule. Private permissions will yield much better results, but even then, you need to think outside the box a little. For example, if you go into the oldest area of town, and knock on the doors at the oldest houses, you'll probably get some permissions and you might even find some old coins, but the chances are extremely high that someone has already knocked on those doors in the past and at least cherry picked.
Personally, my best success has been at permissions on private property, either on the edges or well outside of town, or in fields where the buildings disappeared long ago. Research is key - fortunately, people tend to be lazy and avoid research. So if an old building is still standing and is in an easily visible location, it's probably been detected. If you need to do research to learn that a building was ever there, you have a greater chance that it wasn't detected.
Sure, there are still "virgin" public sites out there, but they are definitely the rare exception, not the rule. Private permissions will yield much better results, but even then, you need to think outside the box a little. For example, if you go into the oldest area of town, and knock on the doors at the oldest houses, you'll probably get some permissions and you might even find some old coins, but the chances are extremely high that someone has already knocked on those doors in the past and at least cherry picked.
Personally, my best success has been at permissions on private property, either on the edges or well outside of town, or in fields where the buildings disappeared long ago. Research is key - fortunately, people tend to be lazy and avoid research. So if an old building is still standing and is in an easily visible location, it's probably been detected. If you need to do research to learn that a building was ever there, you have a greater chance that it wasn't detected.
Tom_in_CA
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If you go to the "obvious spots", you will find much-competition has preceded you. I've been in this for well over 40 yrs. now. And I can recall parks that .... back in the late 1970s, we would routinely pull several silver , and multiple wheaties, any time we wanted. But I wouldn't touch those same parks now with a 10 ft. pole. And I pity the poor md'r who tries them now. They are now zinc riddled clad infested parks.
Some other parks can still produce, but you have to be a zen-master-md'r to sleuth out any more oldies.
I recall researching out virgin picnic sites (and/or hunting along side the guys who'd found them a few years earlier). Sites where there had never been structures (hence no iron). And sites that ceased-all-usage by the 1920 or 1940 or whatever. So there was utterly zero new coins. Any time you got a beep, you knew it was about to be another old coin (or a bullet shell at worst). But now .... 30 to 40 yrs. later, you can not even get a beep from those spots
Same with some stage stops we researched: Used to get seateds, and an occasional gold coin. But ... I pity the poor fellow now who researches the same sites, and tries it.
BUT WITH THAT SAID : Even now, in my late 50's, I continue to research out new sites. Tends to require a bit of travelling now though, doh ! I still find old coins.
Things like beach storm erosion can continue to pork out old coins (if you know when/where to go after winter storms). And old town urban demolition tearouts are a continual frontier that never ceases. Eg.: old-town sidewalk tearouts, or building teardowns. Or old town parks that get scraped to prepare for basket-ball court or artificial turf installs. Be there @ the first night when the turf is ripped off to 4 to 6" deep, and it's like being in a virgin park
Some other parks can still produce, but you have to be a zen-master-md'r to sleuth out any more oldies.
I recall researching out virgin picnic sites (and/or hunting along side the guys who'd found them a few years earlier). Sites where there had never been structures (hence no iron). And sites that ceased-all-usage by the 1920 or 1940 or whatever. So there was utterly zero new coins. Any time you got a beep, you knew it was about to be another old coin (or a bullet shell at worst). But now .... 30 to 40 yrs. later, you can not even get a beep from those spots
Same with some stage stops we researched: Used to get seateds, and an occasional gold coin. But ... I pity the poor fellow now who researches the same sites, and tries it.
BUT WITH THAT SAID : Even now, in my late 50's, I continue to research out new sites. Tends to require a bit of travelling now though, doh ! I still find old coins.
Things like beach storm erosion can continue to pork out old coins (if you know when/where to go after winter storms). And old town urban demolition tearouts are a continual frontier that never ceases. Eg.: old-town sidewalk tearouts, or building teardowns. Or old town parks that get scraped to prepare for basket-ball court or artificial turf installs. Be there @ the first night when the turf is ripped off to 4 to 6" deep, and it's like being in a virgin park
Thanks! How do you figure that?
I'm in the Placer County area. Hopefully i'll be able to find SOME untouched spots.If you go to the "obvious spots", you will find much-competition has preceded you. I've been in this for well over 40 yrs. now. And I can recall parks that .... back in the late 1970s, we would routinely pull several silver , and multiple wheaties, any time we wanted. But I wouldn't touch those same parks now with a 10 ft. pole. And I pity the poor md'r who tries them now. They are now zinc riddled clad infested parks.
Some other parks can still produce, but you have to be a zen-master-md'r to sleuth out any more oldies.
I recall researching out virgin picnic sites (and/or hunting along side the guys who'd found them a few years earlier). Sites where there had never been structures (hence no iron). And sites that ceased-all-usage by the 1920 or 1940 or whatever. So there was utterly zero new coins. Any time you got a beep, you knew it was about to be another old coin (or a bullet shell at worst). But now .... 30 to 40 yrs. later, you can not even get a beep from those spots
Same with some stage stops we researched: Used to get seateds, and an occasional gold coin. But ... I pity the poor fellow now who researches the same sites, and tries it.
BUT WITH THAT SAID : Even now, in my late 50's, I continue to research out new sites. Tends to require a bit of travelling now though, doh ! I still find old coins.
Things like beach storm erosion can continue to pork out old coins (if you know when/where to go after winter storms). And old town urban demolition tearouts are a continual frontier that never ceases. Eg.: old-town sidewalk tearouts, or building teardowns. Or old town parks that get scraped to prepare for basket-ball court or artificial turf installs. Be there @ the first night when the turf is ripped off to 4 to 6" deep, and it's like being in a virgin park
metaladdict
Elite Member
Groundskeeper is also in placer area. You will need to be lucky to find old coins but at least you are in a nice old area. You should find some oldies.
Sounds more difficult than i thought. I guess whenever i get permission on private property i can ask them if someone else has been there.
metaladdict
Elite Member
Yeah permissions are the best for finding old coins.
More interested in being a potential ally.
I was joking of course. GS is a super nice guy and wont lead you astray if you reach out to him.
maxxkatt
Forum Supporter
I see you are about 130-170 miles from the ocean. So an overnight trip an ocean beach might be in order. Beaches, lakes are restocked each week. Volley ball courts are also restocked. areas along creeks and rivers where people swim are great places to hunt.
Wolf-Dog
Elite Member
... from the Land of 10,000 Lakes - Minnesota! 
We're glad that you have joined us. Happy hunting! 
Tom_in_CA
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Don't take their answer as necessarily conclusive. I have heard property owners/managers say .... many time ... "No one's ever detected here before". Yet I know first-hand that they are mistaken. Because I know of others who've hammered it already.
The reasons are usually that whomever you're talking to, is simply unaware. Yet... humorously ... they will always be adamant that they *know for certain*. But they could be unaware that a prior owner allowed someone there. Or that another family member allowed their friend there. Or that the caretaker (ranch-hand, employee, janitor, etc...) let someone there. Or that ... quite frankly ... someone could have "helped themselves".
I have seen this phenomenon frequently. That just because someone you're talking to has never seen anyone detecting there, they announce "No one's ever md'd here before".
So basically, us newbies are going to have a very difficult time finding anything worthwhile.
Tom_in_CA
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It will be more difficult than it was 35 to 40 yrs. ago. I recall a time when ... locally .... we'd take someone to our downtown park, to "train" them. And on their first time or two, they could usually start snagging silver. Those same parks today would require a hard-core ace, with the top-notch gear, to score any silver. But 35 to 40 yrs. ago, they did it with humble 6000d, etc....
Same with "spots" : Back in-the-day, we opened the history books, and thus knocked on doors and/or hiked out to spots that were apparently virgin (stage stops, country picnic sites, etc...). But as time went on, I began to focus more on the "obscure" type things. And avoided the "obvious spots" for fear they'd already been hammered.
And in the recent decade or so, I've noticed that it depends on regions. Some regions had "hard-core" guys , who weren't timid. Yet other regions, (even despite high #'s of md'rs) the guys must have stayed in turf, beach, and sand-boxes. Because it amazes me what's left un-touched in their back-country regions.
And, go figure, it's not a "renewing resource". So there's a bit of exclusivism going on
It's going to be just like Tiger woods and golf. Or Bobby Fisher & chess: The old-pro's are going to tend to want to compete with like-minded pro's. And the biggest factor is: How hardcore do you want to be ? Do you think it's merely a matter of posting on a forum, and someone's going to come along and point you to spots ?
I can give you scores of ways to "find old coins" in your part of CA. But you might "bristle" at the work involved. And while *everyone* says "I'm committed" and "I'm not timid", yet .... we see the machines "go in the closet" and the first sign of hard-work and balls-required.
Any pointers would be very appreciated. Thank You! I'm no stranger to being outside in the elements.
Tom_in_CA
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As can be expected, no one's going to say "I'm a wimp" and "I'm timid" . But .... if you're serious, here's a starter :
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=263294
And another that I can't recall if I made a post about :
Become a local history museum volunteer. Eg.: a docent . After a year or so, of attending monthly and/or quarterly meetings, you'll begin to rub shoulders with local historians and archies. Be a "fly on the wall" (ie.: you don't talk about metal detecting). This might require 6 hrs. per month to be a docent or volunteer. Where you man a desk, lead tours, archive mindless junk in files, etc... But after awhile, you'll get your credentials up. You'll have access to "white glove" stuff. You casually research old stage stops, old resort/camp sites, etc... (in the name of your "historical research/interest").
You'll find that your credentials will lead to "in's", after a few years. Ie.: when you're knocking on doors, you "flash your credentials" telling them about the "research you're doing" about the "stage stop that was said to be on their back-40", blah blah.
As you can see, this requires years of stealth to be the "fox guarding the hen-house". Not even my most brazen buddies (with no scruples whatsoever) have done this. But ... you asked. Same for the builders-exchange tip: I know of no one else who's taken on this expense, and studied mindless daily email alerts, to scout for potential old-town demolitions. And ... of course ... very few have the balls to ... uh ... do them . But ... again ... you asked.
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