I think metal detecting is becoming a dying hobby ....

[Donna(NJ]

It's so ironic as we have some great machines right now and the good old days are in the rearview mirror!!
I'm sure most beach detectorist will agree gold finds are waaay down. Coins are on the vast decline. Plastic and cell phones rule financial transactions.
Here a 'wedding ring' I eyeballed.
Years ago we thought stainless steel and titanium was going to be the end. Now we have have silicone....
Many years ago i found a local carnival. Morning after was like fishing in a barrel. I had to go back and empty my pouch, it was so heavy. My favorite spot was the ride, The Zipper It flung the kids and the spot was loaded with coins.
yesterday it was pretty pitiful. Just a handful of bright shiny coins. The field is a shared baseball & soccer park thus the brown coins. I remember way back when I had over 75 quarters. i never counted anything but quarters. That was my barometer. At least I found a silver necklace. Times they are a changing

 

[fwcrawford]

I have to agree with you that coin losses are decreasing.
I have never found lots of gold jewelry, but have found a few items over the years.
I started detecting lakes in 2012 and was doing pretty good for a few years, but that has gotten very slow the last few years in my area.
I figured others are detecting there too, and in some cases they are, but targets are just getting lost to start with now.
I even decided to do some river hunting and did good for a couple years, but that is slowing down too.
I will say when I started detecting in 2006, and got to know what I was doing, I could not believe the amount of quarters that had been lost in local parks and schools.
30-40 per hunt was the norm back then…..many times even more….i still get into a few now and again, but I am spending more time driving to new areas now.

 

[sprchng]

Coins have taken a back seat to credit cards and jewelry has passed the torch to tattoos. Access has fallen victim to fear of trespass and antiquity to pavement and concrete. In my case ambition has been tempered by age and heat but the general hobby is in a definite decline. Published tales of magnificent finds will keep a steady flow of neophytes falling down the rabbit hole but the zenith of detecting has come and gone.