# Why did you quit metal detecting? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 9, 2013, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760 "2013-10-09T08:27:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/21 "2013-10-12T11:56:20Z")
I didn’t say I was a better person than you are; just that I have trouble believing you. 1-2 finds per trip makes more sense, though, so thank you for clarifying. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/22 "2013-10-12T12:27:13Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > It was before. Same year I spotted a teen girl wearing a Reitz High School shirt on the Jax Pier. The same school my sister went to. Over 40 years ago. 800 miles away. > [But that could never happen, right?](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v677/ural/Picture4770_zps7f2ead28.jpg) Because, what are the odds, right? Also, I don’t know what you think this proves, really. This is a coincidence, the likes of which happen frequently. It has zero to do with any of the less-believable things you’ve posted and trying to say that it somehow proves that all if your other stories must be true is pretty specious reasoning. And I wasn’t saying that it was evil to keep things----isn’t that the whole point? I’d keep objects that were not traceable to their owner. It was that it brought the total number of your finds even higher which is really out of line with most experiences with MD. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/23 "2013-10-12T16:44:04Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > I didn’t say I was a better person than you are; just that I have trouble believing you. > > 1-2 finds per trip makes more sense, though, so thank you for clarifying. I don’t just have trouble believing him – I flat out don’t believe it, period. Someone just randomly finding a ring worth over a million dollars (that’s probably insuranced to the hilt), and it just happens to belong to the neighbor of the finder’s sister-in-law? That’s one _hell_ of a coincidence. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/24 "2013-10-12T17:22:23Z")
There are only so many neighborhoods where people who join that kind of club live. In the South, Atlanta is a hotbed of the club set. Not surprising that people in the same area run in the same social circles. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/25 "2013-10-12T22:01:46Z")
> [@Glazer](#): > > There are only so many neighborhoods where people who join that kind of club live. In the South, Atlanta is a hotbed of the club set. Not surprising that people in the same area run in the same social circles. I suppose. Can’t really see bringing it all the way home rather than to the police, though. Surely someone who lost a ring worth—what? half a million dollars for a 7-carat diamond from Tiffany? Surely that person would have filed a police report. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/26 "2013-10-12T22:23:38Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I don’t just have trouble believing him – I flat out don’t believe it, period. Someone just randomly finding a ring worth over a million dollars (that’s probably insuranced to the hilt), and it just happens to belong to the neighbor of the finder’s sister-in-law? > > That’s one _hell_ of a coincidence. > > :dubious: It just sounds like an example of the theory of six degrees of separation: “Six degrees of separation is the theory that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world, so that a chain of “a friend of a friend” statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps” > **[Six degrees of separation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_separation)** > > Six degrees of separation is the idea that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other. As a result, a chain of "friend of a friend" statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. It is also known as the six handshakes rule. Mathematically it means that a person shaking hands with 30 people, and then those 30 shaking hands with 30 other people, would after repeating this 6 times allow every person in a population as large as the United State Th... ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/27 "2013-10-13T02:16:59Z")
I just happen to have a spa day planned at “the club” on Sunday. Maybe Ducati will allow me to verify his membership? I am surprised that he has pics of the high school shirt and none of the 7 ct diamond. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/28 "2013-10-13T02:20:19Z")
I don’t know why you guys are on his case, that’s not even close to the most impressive things that’s been md’d. The Hand of Fate gold nugget was found with md. Massive, multi-ounce gold nuggets are found all the time. Check your local craigslist. In my area, about 10 diamond rings are lost per page. About a week ago, some guy in England found a stash of Roman hand-stamped coins in museum condition. Massive MD finds are so common they aren’t even newsworthy. A lost ring is actually pretty mundane. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/29 "2013-10-13T02:30:41Z")
Had he taken it to the Police there is zero chance of his keeping it even if the owner is never found. Tiffany would have a much better chance of knowing who it belonged to than the local cops. Even if the owner lived in another country. And if they couldn’t find them then, “Hey half a mill!” ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/30 "2013-10-13T02:39:35Z")
[quote=“Superhal, post:28, topic:670760”] I don’t know why you guys are on his case, that’s not even close to the most impressive things that’s been md’d. The Hand of Fate gold nugget was found with md. Massive, multi-ounce gold nuggets are found all the time. Check your local craigslist. In my area, about 10 diamond rings are lost per page. About a week ago, some guy in England found a stash of Roman hand-stamped coins in museum condition. Massive MD finds are so common they aren’t even newsworthy. A lost ring is actually pretty mundane. double post ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/31 "2013-10-13T02:42:18Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > I don’t know why you guys are on his case, that’s not even close to the most impressive things that’s been md’d. The Hand of Fate gold nugget was found with md. Massive, multi-ounce gold nuggets are found all the time. Check your local craigslist. In my area, about 10 diamond rings are lost per page. About a week ago, some guy in England found a stash of Roman hand-stamped coins in museum condition. Massive MD finds are so common they aren’t even newsworthy. A lost ring is actually pretty mundane. Really? A 7 carat perfect D diamond is mundane?? What? I live in Ponte Vedra. That is not an average thing to find. Or to lose. We aren’t the lose a million dollar, no big deal set. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/32 "2013-10-13T03:01:26Z")
> [@keturah](#): > > Really? A 7 carat perfect D diamond is mundane?? [Yes](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4124649697.html) [it](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4124298360.html) [is](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4124649697.html). Seriously, just look at the lost and found in the craigslist in your area. Glancing at the first page of results today, I’d guess at least $100k in lost jewelry, all except 1-2 are rings. Rings seem to be second only to pets and ahead of car keys. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/33 "2013-10-13T03:08:03Z")
2nd page of results: Diamond tennis bracelet: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/laf/4118644317.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/laf/4118644317.html) Engagement ring: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/laf/4117690587.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/laf/4117690587.html) Children’s ring, CZ in yellow gold: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4115152538.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4115152538.html) Men’s wedding band: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4106301500.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4106301500.html) SEC championship ring: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4109687045.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4109687045.html) Hawaiian bracelet, if 14k worth around 3k, if higher, worth 6k or more: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4098985086.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4098985086.html) ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/34 "2013-10-13T03:27:24Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > 2nd page of results: > Diamond tennis bracelet: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/laf/4118644317.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/laf/4118644317.html) > Engagement ring: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/laf/4117690587.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/laf/4117690587.html) > Children’s ring, CZ in yellow gold: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4115152538.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4115152538.html) > Men’s wedding band: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4106301500.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4106301500.html) > SEC championship ring: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4109687045.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4109687045.html) > Hawaiian bracelet, if 14k worth around 3k, if higher, worth 6k or more: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4098985086.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4098985086.html) Uh, OK. A 7 carat diamond D colour flawless is worth about a mil. As in a million US dollars. ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/35 "2013-10-13T03:38:04Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > 2nd page of results: > Diamond tennis bracelet: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/laf/4118644317.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/laf/4118644317.html) > Engagement ring: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/laf/4117690587.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/laf/4117690587.html) > Children’s ring, CZ in yellow gold: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4115152538.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4115152538.html) > Men’s wedding band: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4106301500.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4106301500.html) > SEC championship ring: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4109687045.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4109687045.html) > Hawaiian bracelet, if 14k worth around 3k, if higher, worth 6k or more: [http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4098985086.html](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4098985086.html) And your links are to lost CZ’s and such. Jeez. You don’t know much about 1. Diamonds and 2. The difference between lost and found. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/36 "2013-10-13T03:40:23Z")
“roman coins found” in google shows 3 finds this year of over 100k pounds on just the first page of results. “gold nugget auction” shows several over $400k. [This article](http://ringreview.net/diamond-ring/7-carat-diamond-ring)from january says a 7 carat flawless diamond is worth at most 250k, but more likely lower. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/37 "2013-10-13T08:37:48Z")
> [@Glazer](#): > > There are only so many neighborhoods where people who join that kind of club live. In the South, Atlanta is a hotbed of the club set. Not surprising that people in the same area run in the same social circles. This. We run in to many people in PV from our general areas of Atlanta. It’s simple economics and tradition. The local Tiffany’s was helpful in finding the owner. It had initials, and some hidden marking. Took them two days, and we spoke with the owner before leaving. Based on the situation and mutual friends we discovered, it was her decision for us to bring it home. It was purchased in 1980 for what I gather was less than 150k. It’s not exactly the Koh-I-Noor, and for the neighborhood, not exceedingly rare. Down in Palm Beach, they’re probably common. Nonetheless, she was delighted and treated us to a nice dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/38 "2013-10-13T09:34:52Z")
Yeah. $150K in the 80s could only buy maybe two small houses. Not a big deal. Last time I lost a quarter-million-dollar trinket the State Farm guy just handed me a gym bag full of cash, and jokingly referred me to that “Craigslist” thing. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/39 "2013-10-13T11:39:16Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > [Yes](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4124649697.html) [it](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4124298360.html) [is](http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/laf/4124649697.html). > > Seriously, just look at the lost and found in the craigslist in your area. Glancing at the first page of results today, I’d guess at least $100k in lost jewelry, all except 1-2 are rings. Rings seem to be second only to pets and ahead of car keys. Do you know what a 7-carat diamond looks like? It’s what Ben Affleck gave to Jennifer Garner. It’s not the lost earring you linked to. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760/40 "2013-10-13T11:40:57Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > [This article](http://ringreview.net/diamond-ring/7-carat-diamond-ring)from january says a 7 carat flawless diamond is worth at most 250k, but more likely lower. Does that include the Tiffany setting? They’re not exactly giving those away. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-quit-metal-detecting/670760.md?page=3)