Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
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| Group of Metal Detector Finds. |
As I've said before, the find photos I've been showing show finds that generally come from a period of around two to four weeks. This group, like others that I recently showed, include a number of chains and pendants and a few bracelets, but unlike the last group that I showed, this group includes some finds that I remember very clearly.
Near the center of the second or third row is a big Georgia ring. It is a large glitzy national championship ring, and I remember exactly where I found it. It came from where a parasailing boat took off. Areas where jet skis or other water sports equipment are operated make for some good finds.
I told some of the things that make for a lot of gold finds. Those include areas where there are a lot of people in a concentrated area who are young, relatively wealthy and somewhat carelessly involved in vigorous activities.
You can imagine how people getting onto or off or parasailing could easily lose an item, and it is not like they just dropped something at their feet and could easily find it again. Both the churning of sand and the rapid movement increase the range and difficulty of relocating any item that drops off.
In the top row, just left of the Georgia ring, is a 22K jade ring. Indians and Asians cultures tend to wear a higher quality of gold than people from most countries. This ring I'd guess came from an Asian tourist.
Another ring that I remember finding is a much less expensive ring. Just right of center in the bottom row is a cat ring. It is upside down in the photo. It is the only silver ring in that group (I usually didn't include silver in the photos unless I thought they were especially interesting.).
I found that one in an area visited by the local Caribbeans while on a vacation. I was snorkeling in about six feet of water. There were a lot of the local coins in the area but not much good. When at a new place, you might want to sample various areas. A local told me he found a 16th century coin one day while walking the beach, so I wanted to check it out.
A couple hundred yards or so down the beach from there was a beach visited by tourists where better things could be found. I found a tricolor gold band there, but I can't identify it in the photo. If I saw it in person, I would recognize it and would know where it was found but the photo doesn't make it cleaar enough.
I recognize many of the other finds shown in the photo but not exactly when and where they were found. I'm not sure but I probably was using the Fisher 1280 that time. It was a good general purpose detector that traveled well. I also took my Tesoro Royal Sabre when I wanted to detect one of the old battle sites. I took it apart for packing and left the rod assembly home In Florida I was probably using one of the modified Nautilus detectors most of the time back then.
In the Caribbean there are aeras with volcanic hot rocks that can cause false signals. I learned that on my first trip.
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Some people attribute metal detector finds to luck, and luck can certainly play a role, but you've probably also heard it said that the harder you work the luckier you will be. And that is true. You can't control all of the situational variables, but you can improve your chances.
A common dictionary definition says that luck is when success or failure is determined by chance rather than through your own actions. In reality there will be a combination of luck and skill. You shift the equation by increasing your skill level.
I've defined skill as intentional actions that increase the probability of success. Skill doesn't guarantee success but improves the probability of success. A skillful bowler won't score a perfect game every game but will score perfect game more often than less skilled bowlers.
There are some studies that provide some insight into the subject. Below is an excerpt from one article.
So, how can we increase our own “luck” and maximize our potential for success? Here are a few science-backed strategies:
- Stay Open to Opportunities: Engage in new experiences, meet different people, and challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone. New environments increase the likelihood of serendipitous encounters.
- Develop Resilience: People who bounce back quickly from setbacks are better at capitalizing on unexpected opportunities. Viewing failure as a stepping stone rather than a dead end enhances long-term success.
- Practice Positive Expectation: Research suggests that optimists are more likely to experience positive life events—not necessarily because of luck, but because they’re more attuned to opportunities and less deterred by obstacles.
- Trust Your Intuition: Wiseman’s research found that lucky individuals often make decisions based on gut feelings, which are shaped by subtle cues and accumulated experience.
- Reframe Setbacks as Lessons: Instead of seeing bad luck as a reason to quit, consider what can be learned and how the experience can fuel future progress.
Those are some good tips. I've previously mentioned those in the past in general terms as they apply to metal detecting.
First, be open to opportunities. There are several ways you can do that. One is to be very aware of what is going on. And I mean that in a variety of ways. When talking about my finds, I mentioned some of the situations that provide great opportunities. That means not only be aware of where things might be lost but also the conditions that provide the best opportunity for discoveries.
One thing I always encourage is being aware of a variety of types of treasure. It is possible to actually make a good find and then ignore or discard it simply because the item is not recognized as having the value or interest that it actually holds.
Try to learn something from every hunt - even when you fail to make finds. Sometimes you can learn something from failed hunts that will pay off many times in the future. What you learn can be more valuable than the finds you might make on a particular day.
If you learn something from failed hunts, that will make you more impervious to failure and discouragement and increase your perseverance.
I've talked many times of the benefit of being optimistic. An optimistic person will be more motivated to hunt. They will also be more alert and focused.
Some people self-identify as being lucky. That can become a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
My grandmother once said she wasn't lucky. She said she wouldn't play the lottery because she never won anything. I asked her how many times she played. She said something like once or twice. The probability of winning might be low to begin with, but you can see how expectations can affect your behavior and results. While the odds might not be favorable to begin with, there is no chance of being successful if you don't give it a try.
I've also talked about intuition before. That is one of those vaguely defined concepts that is not easy dto study, but I believe there is sometimes an understanding that is subliminal or subconscious. You know or recognize things that are difficult to clearly explain or describe. They seem like feelings but can be based upon a level of knowledge or understanding.
Skill and luck can be at work at the same time. A simple task can be accomplished successfully a 100 percent of the time, or nearly so, whereas a more complex task like metal detecting can involve more uncontrolled variables and therefore more impact of the uncontrolled factors, which we call luck.
There might be success of failure on any given outing, but in the long-term skill or the lack of the same will become more apparent.
Here is how the article I referred to above concludes.
Luck is an undeniable factor in life, but it is neither the sole determinant of success nor something we are powerless against. By adopting a growth mindset and engaging in behaviors that foster opportunity, we can tilt the odds in our favor.
So the next time you reflect on a lucky break or a challenging setback, ask yourself: How can I use this moment to grow? That shift in perspective might just create the luck you’re looking for.
Here is the link to that article.
The Role of Luck in Success: A Perspective on Hard Work, Progress, and Mindset - Sandstone Psychology
Here are a couple more links on the topic of luck.
The Role of Luck in Life Success Is Far Greater Than We Realized | Scientific American
The 4 traits lucky people have in common, according to author of 'The Luck Factor'
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More hot weather and small surf.
You might also want to be prepare for mosquitos or sand fleas these days.
Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net.
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