Metal Detecting in Mexico?

[rocmoc]

Anyone every do any metal detecting in Mexico? OR Should I ask if it is allowed?

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[rocmoc]

kmykimi wrote:
Well, I don't know whether metal detecting is allowed in Mexico. If not, why not bring your metal detectormetal detector to Africa. Hunt gold there.

WOW, Tokyo! Welcome! It is allowed!

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[kmykimi]

Well, I don't know whether metal detecting is allowed in Mexico. If not, why not bring your metal detectormetal detector to Africa. Hunt gold there.

[rocmoc]

My problem is I have a gold detector not a treasure detector. Doesn't work so great doing the beach thing, higher freq which makes it more sensitive. A Fisher Gold Bug 2 for those into MD.

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[daveB110]

Camped at Rocky Point'a Sandy Beach at Reef RV this last February, on an unusually dull morning, a group of four or five of what we took to be locals, covered the beach on about a two hour hunt. Around the main park a camper did regular-ish rounds with his detector. I have had one with me for a couple of years, but have yet to use it!

[rocmoc]

I will be taking mine with me this winter!

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[qtla9111]

Here's a club in Mexico and their forum. It talks about the laws. It's in Spanish though.

Buscadores de Tesoro

You need to make sure that you don't dig up any antiquities as those are property of the Republic. There is some legislation:

B.-Sobre zonas arqueológicas y ruinas, está vigente la Ley Federal Sobre Monumentos y Zonas Arqueológicos, Artísticos e Históricos. Le anotó sólo algunos artículos de esa ley, mismos que son muy entendibles, y con la lectura de ellos tendrá una mejor idea de lo que comenta de sus amigos de Yucatán.

ARTICULO 27.- Son propiedad de la Nación, inalienables e imprescriptibles, los monumentos arqueológicos muebles e inmuebles.

ARTICULO 28.- Son monumentos arqueológicos los bienes muebles e inmuebles, producto de culturas anteriores al establecimiento de la hispánica en el territorio nacional, así como los restos humanos, de la flora y de la fauna, relacionados con esas culturas.

ARTICULO 28 BIS.- Para los efectos de esta Ley y de su Reglamento, las disposiciones sobre monumentos y zonas arqueológicos serán aplicables a los vestigios o restos fósiles de seres orgánicos que habitaron el territorio nacional en épocas pretéritas y cuya investigación, conservación, restauración, recuperación o utilización revistan interés paleontológico, circunstancia que deberá consignarse en la respectiva declaratoria que expedirá el Presidente de la República.

ARTICULO 29.- Los monumentos arqueológicos muebles no podrán ser transportados, exhibidos o reproducidos sin permiso del Instituto competente. El que encuentre bienes arqueológicos deberá dar aviso a la autoridad civil más cercana. La autoridad correspondiente expedirá la constancia oficial del aviso, o entrega en su caso, y deberá informar al Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, dentro de las 24 horas siguientes, para que éste determine lo que corresponda.

ARTICULO 30.- Toda clase de trabajos materiales para descubrir o explorar monumentos arqueológicos, únicamente serán realizados por el Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia o por instituciones científicas o de reconocida solvencia moral, previa autorización.


ARTICULO 32.- El Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia suspenderá los trabajos que se ejecuten en monumentos arqueológicos sin autorización, que violen la concedida o en los que haya substracción de materiales arqueológicos. En su caso, procederá a la ocupación del lugar, a la revocación de la autorización y a la aplicación de las sanciones correspondiente.

Ahora le anoto la sanción probable:


ARTICULO 47.- Al que realice trabajos materiales de exploración arqueológica, por excavación, remoción o por cualquier otro medio, en monumentos arqueológicos inmuebles, o en zonas de monumentos arqueológicos, sin la autorización del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, se le impondrá prisión de uno a diez años y multa de cien a diez mil pesos.

[bigdog2]

My wife gave me one for my birthday. I plan to take it to San Felipe and the main reason I wanted one is to retrieve lost fishing lures.

[silversand]

I've seen metal detectors used all over Mexico (and Central America). As far as I can tell, metal is legal to take out of the country (or, off the find site), but archaeological artifacts (pre-Columbian pieces) aren't. If you find a galleon load of silver or gold (or, if you find gold, and you inadvertently find a ton of pre-Columbian emeralds along-side sad), on-shore, all bets are off. Then, get yourself a good team of lawyers to retain a small finder's fee.

I once stumbled across 7 large cast-iron English cannon partly buried in sand on an island in a massive brackish lagoon, on the Mosquito Coast of Honduras. I didn't need a metal detector :B I also stumbled across a long lost (how does one lose a locomotive in the middle of a jungle?) narrow-gauge locomotive roughly 3 miles from shore into one of the densest and unexplored jungles in the tropical Americas (that was interesting and bizarre, I'll tell you! This locomotive has yet to be identified; if anyone here is a professional rail historian, please PM me, and we can pick up the stalled investigation into this most unlikely locomotive locale, and it's {the locomotive's} identification).

Have fun.

[Talleyho69]

See them on the beach here in Zihuatanejo used by both locals and North Americans.

[clarlk]

I see folks using them all the time around the Mazatlan area.. watched them on the beach lots of beer caps... Anything worth money has been hauled to the scrap yard just like the States.. shell casing would be a Bonus, More ammo sold and shot NOB..

[rocmoc]

gjwarneke wrote:
I have never heard thats its not allowed. My parents live in San Felipe and have a metal detector and we have used it to search for things lost on the property, I also took it to the beach a couple times. Never found anything exciting. (its and old "white's unit I beleive)
I am planning to purchase a good one in a year or so and most definatly have it with me San Felipe when I am down there for ha;lf year when retiring.
Jo

I'm buying one in March for use in the States but will take it with me South given the feedback thus far!


rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[rocmoc]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Very popular mid-peninsula searching for "pepitas" gold nuggets. The Fisher 1275-P seems especially coveted for this.

THANKS!

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[rocmoc]

Tequila wrote:
Too many shell casings around to make it practical. LOL

That's funny. All metal prices are climbing, casings maybe a treasure, LOL!

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Very popular mid-peninsula searching for "pepitas" gold nuggets. The Fisher 1275-P seems especially coveted for this.