“I can remember when I was nine or 10 years old. I was raised in New York City, and every summer we used to go out to places like Rockaway Beach and Jones Beach. I remember vividly in one of the areas there was a boardwalk. I never paid attention to it until one day I saw a man under the boardwalk with something and I was curious enough to go look and ask, ‘What are you doing, Mister?’ And, he said, ‘I’m sifting for money.’ You know, as a kid when I heard the word “money,” I started asking how you are doing it. He had a box and a sifter and he kept throwing stuff in it and by golly he found some coins and it knocked me for a loop. It intrigued me, and that’s why I read books about treasure and adventure,” said Auerbach. “I think I’m the persona of what the American dream is all about.”

From excavators and barbecues to camp digs and renovations, with 10 LDMA campgrounds across the country, there is always something going on!

Yes! You will get gold! All the participants share a split of the gold that is recovered in the outing common operation. Want more? There is usually a little picker or vial with some fines (small pieces of gold) that you walk away with as well. Many participants like to label their vials so they can remember all the fun they had for years to come.

My first day working for the GPAA was a very exciting day in my life. I had grown up around this organization from the age of about 9, and looked up to those who were involved at the time like they were generals leading an army of prospectors. People like my grandfather George “Buzzard” Massie, Tom and Perry Massie, my grandmother Wilma Massie, Corey Rudolph, Jake and Lynn Hardwick, Woody Caldwell and others. They were always so busy during the outings, but I do remember that, at the end of the day, they always had a smile on their face. It was very exciting to think that, one day, I would be part of the team. What kid doesn’t get excited at the idea of playing in the dirt with friends as a profession?

Gold Prospectors magazine and the Pick & Shovel Gazette have been accessible online for a couple years, but just recently has viewing these publications on the web been an interactive experience. We’ve implemented a new e-viewer with enhanced capabilities, giving you more control over the way the content is displayed. When you first access the new viewer, you’ll be given an opportunity to take a tour of the many features available.