Beaches are gold jewelry hot spots for the enterprising treasure hunter.
(CC) Larry D. Moore

With schools in session, the summer winding down and Labor Day approaching, crowds at local beaches are starting to thin. For some, the end of summer is a tough transition, but for beachcombers and shallow water treasure hunters armed with a good standard, hybrid or submersible metal detector, it means an opportunity to cash in on lost gold and diamond jewelry, I.D. bracelets, rings, watches, necklaces, and other goodies that beach-goers typically lose during the crowded summer months at the beach. All that "bling" makes metal detectors sing, and if you follow a few simple guidelines, you’ll be singing, too—all the way to the jewelry appraiser.

Beaches and swimming holes offer some of the most lucrative treasure hunting hot spots to metal detecting enthusiasts for several reasons, including the following:

•    Swimmers and sunbathers don’t wear much when they hit the sand and water, but they often do wear jewelry.

•    Lost items can easily hide under the sand or slip into the water out of sight. 

•    The inventory of lost valuables is replenished annually, so once you establish a good location you never run out of potential finds.

Choosing a location

The first step for successful beach and shallow water treasure hunting is, of course, to locate a beach or swimming spot near you. There are two strategies to choose from:

1.    Look for abandoned swimming spots that may have never been hunted or that were hunted years ago with less advanced shallow water hunting tools and equipment than that available today. Advantages to this strategy are less competition and older, often more valuable, finds.

2.    Locate the busiest recreational spots that you can get permission to hunt. Any beach near an affluent neighborhood or one that attracts a wealthy crowd has great potential for obvious reasons.

Getting permission

Once you find a spot, you will need to get permission to hunt or make sure that metal detecting is allowed, whether the area is on private or public land. For example, depending on which state you are in, recreational metal detecting may or may not be allowed. In Texas, metal detecting is prohibited according to Texas Parks and Wildlife, but in Oklahoma metal detecting simply requires that a use permit be obtained from the park office. Metal detecting on all federal land is prohibited. On private land, you should always ask permission from the property owner. In all cases, always make sure you have permission to use a metal detector, or you could be in for some serious fines, confiscation of your equipment or worse. 

Equipping yourself for beach and shallow water hunting

In the next installment of this series, we will explore the types of recovery tools, accessories and metal detectors that are ideal for beach and water treasure hunting, as well as what you need to know about using standard metal detectors in or near shallow water.