Hey Peter
Bobs on the money there (so to speak) $800 wow and I thought I was doing well! All good, it just resets the bar for me
I don't need to dig because the ground is so wet (monsoon here ATM)
I was approached by the security guard yesterday and said I cant do that because there is retic buried around the place. I invited the guard to follow me for a while and showed her how easy it is to pop a coin from the grass. I use a chisel style tool and just part the grass where most of the coins are sitting. She just said "finders keepers hey good luck to you!. I also handed a set of keys in that I found which put them on my side.
As a tip I carry a finds bag with two pockets. One for the good stuff and the other has a selection of nasties I have found...bottle tops, ring pulls, needles, hair clips, nails, screws, torn aluminium from cans. All you need to do is pull a handful of this stuff out and show them explain that you are helping to keep the area clean and safe for other users and the few coins you pick up is just the environments way of saying thankyou.
The coins are in an area of about 10 acres that has many events and its a popular place for tourists to sit and watch the world go by.
I have found over $10 in one coin drop where someone has sat on the grass and lost all their change from their pocket but mostly I just watch the 705 until I get a signal for a goldy and then pop it out. I usually don't need to take anymore than two steps to find the next coin.
As for permission, its a public place and I am doing no more damage than a family playing footy or a woman in high heels. I have as much right as anyone else to be there.
Its prudent though if they insist to apologise and politely leave and return some other time.
BTW where are you from?
Cheers
Shane