From the Pick and Shovel December 2014/January 2015 issue
By Brad Jones
GPAA Managing Editor
The Gold Prospectors Association of America is ready to roll for the 2015 Gold & Treasure Show circuit beginning with the first show in Pomona, Calif. in February.
GPAA Trade Show Manager Gene Glenn has been working on setting up the schedule and venues since May.
While the theme for the 2015 shows remains centered on education — teaching people how to find gold and where to look for it — the GPAA is also expanding its horizon by appealing to a wider outdoors market.
"We are really kind of going back to the grassroots — the foundation of the GPAA and building it up in local markets in places where people are already passionate about prospecting and giving them the vehicle to share their passion with more people," Glenn said "There are plenty of prospectors up in the Portland area ... out here in Southern California, Arizona, Denver, and Knoxville. We are in these areas because there is a community that is already passionate and we want to give them a bigger voice."
Glenn is confident that the choice of venues in larger metropolitan areas will draw a more diverse crowd and more newcomers to the prospecting family.
"We are kind of broadening the theme. Obviously, it's centered around gold prospecting, but we are trying to open it up to an outdoors feel," Glenn said. "There should be no separation between outdoor family-fun whether it's gold prospecting or fishing or ATVing."
Now that the show schedule is set, Glenn has been working on the marketing and promotion of the 2015 shows.
"We are giving a lot of the local chapters the opportunity to participate and they are benefiting from pre-registration tickets. Local GPAA chapters will have the ability to sell as many tickets and generate as much revenue for their chapter as they can," he said. "We are splitting the pre-sale revenue with them, at no cost to them. So, we send them blocks of 150 tickets and they sell those tickets at their own pace, hopefully quickly. It's really a good opportunity to generate revenue for their clubs because they're going to be able to make half the profit on door sales even if they don't end up participating in the show itself. Even if they don't send volunteers or set up a booth it is still an opportunity for them to generate funds."
Admission prices
Pre-registration tickets are $5 available on the GPAA website or through a local GPAA chapter, and tickets at the door are $10.
"Chapters are reaching out and if members want to reach out to them, you can find local chapters at goldprospectors.org/Chapters and really begin partnering with these local clubs," Glenn said.
The funds that chapters earn are used for outings, events, promotions, travel, seminars and small-scale mining equipment.
"It's up to the chapter's discretion how they use those funds. It's just a good opportunity not only for them to make money, but for the chapters to work together, too. At the end of the day, there shouldn't be a competition. We are all in the same family, all on the same team," he said. "We've reached out to chapters and are open to any chapters that want to participate leading up to the show — everything from unloading trucks, selling tickets, partnering, planning and promoting. We provide them the materials to promote, flyers to pass out at their events that they do on their own outside of GPAA headquarters and marketing campaigns. Onsite volunteers help with the smooth operation of the show. They assist vendors in setting up booths, assist us in setting up the hall and working the door."
More experienced chapter members are needed to teach people how to pan for gold at the GPAA Gold Panning Zone, a popular feature that was added to the shows last year.
Mesa, Ariz.
While the show in Pomona traditionally kicks off the Gold & Treasure Shows, the second show in Mesa is usually even more well attended.
"Ideally, we are shooting for upwards of 5,000 at each show — the more the merrier, obviously. It's only going to lead to vendors being more successful, the overall show being successful and with everything we are providing to attendees just really creating a great experience."
Speakers and special features
Glenn is currently working on the final lineup for keynote speakers for the mining and prospecting seminars and other special features for each event.
"We are hoping to get speakers from NASA because at the Knoxville show we are actually going to be displaying a moon rock as well as special gold exhibits and Civil War memorabilia," he said, "There's the possibility of getting the boot of Cortez nugget which is an 864-ounce monster that was found in Mexico. These are a few examples of some of the features we're pursuing."
Fun and family-oriented
A common sight at all GPAA events is families out having fun, whether its outdoors or at a Gold & Treasure Show just getting started as new GPAA members or advancing their skills and upgrading their prospecting and mining equipment. And, if the parents can't make it to the show, quite often grandparents will bring the kids for a day outing.
At the shows, all participants get a chance to pan for real gold. You can bring your kids and find some gold, learn how to pan, rub elbows with experienced prospectors and take those skills with you as a GPAA member.
"It's a family-friendly event and kids love the GPAA Gold Panning Zone," Glenn said. "Most prospectors, if you talk to them, that's how they started out. Their grandfather taught them or they used to go out with their uncle or whatever and that's how you get into it. So, it's important to bring in a new generation of prospectors that will keep the pastime thriving and grow the industry."
Meeting the manufacturers
The opportunity to talk to the manufacturers of small-scale mining equipment and vendors at the show is invaluable and is often overlooked as a major resource for people who want to get into prospecting, Glenn said.
"You are meeting people in the industry face-to-face, whether they represent Royal Manufacturing, Keene Engineering, Jobe, White's, Tesoro, Minelab or Garrett — all the biggest names in mining equipment and metal detectors.
"You are meeting the industry leaders head on," he said.
Metal detecting demos
One of challenges Glenn is trying to create is a metal detecting demo area at the shows for attendees and also for vendors to do hands-on demonstrations with their products live and show people what they can do. It's in the preliminary stages, but it's in the works to have something available so people can get a real feel for what kind of metal detector would best suit their needs for gold prospecting, coin shooting or relic and treasure hunting," Glenn said.
Popularity of prospecting
Gold prospecting has re-entered the media spotlight with TV shows such as Tom Massie's Gold Fever on Outdoor Channel and Discovery Channel's Gold Rush and Bering Sea Gold.
"You have all these shows. It's more relevant, so I think people that are already curious about it or already can really develop skills and enjoy a hands-on experience with the GPAA and Lost Dutchman's Mining Association. Then, they can see what it's really all about ."
New TV show to debut in January
A new TV show, Gold Trails with the GPAA's Kevin Hoagland, airing on various local TV stations beginning in January, has created even more excitement among prospectors.
The main benefit the GPAA offers that TV shows like Gold Rush and Bering Sea Gold don't is its membership, education and training and mining claims — places where you can sign up and go gold prospecting.
Without the GPAA, you're basically limited to public lands, but when you are part of the GPAA, you have more than 300 mining claims where you can go mine for gold, he said.
"And, if you are a Bering Sea Gold fan, Steve and Shawn Pomrenke are going to be at the Portland show and you're going to be able to go there and meet them and get their autograph and hear their stories about using a giant ocean dredge and that whole experience," Glenn said.
It's not all about jewelry
While there is some jewelry at the shows, that's not what Gold & Treasure Shows about.
If it's jewelry you want, you can buy it at your local mall, Glenn said, but if it's outdoor adventure and the thrill of finding your own gold or gems, then a Gold & Treasure Show is the place for you.
"When you think treasure, you think gold and that's really the excitement of the industry. That's what keeps people doing it and that's what gold fever is," Glenn said. "I was just talking to somebody from a TV station in Portland ... His friend was out prospecting and there was a hole and he stuck his hand in the hole and pulled out a half-ounce nugget."
Then, of course, there are the tales of spectacular finds, such as the Butte Nugget. The story is featured in the November/December issue of Gold Prospectors about the 6 1/4 ounce troy pound gold nugget that was found with a metal detector in California, and recently sold for close to $400,000.
Community spirit
"When everybody is working on the same front and working with Public Lands for the People and working to show people what it's all about there is no reason why we can't succeed and teach people how and where to find gold. That's why this company was created, and to protect freedoms of the North American prospector," Glenn said.
"With our chapters working together, the support of GPAA headquarters and the Gold & Treasure Shows, the prospecting and mining community can thrive and prosper. Everyone is interested in it, and everybody wants to find buried treasure because everybody was a kid once."
2015 Gold & Treasure Shows
- Pomona, Calif., Feb. 7-8
- Mesa, Ariz., Feb. 28-March 1
- Stockton, Calif., March 7-8
- Portland, Ore., March 28-29
- Boise, Idaho, April 11-12
- Las Vegas, Nev., April 25-26
- Denver, Colo., May 16-17
- Charlotte, N.C., May 30-31
- Knoxville, Tenn., June 6-7
Brad Jones is the Managing Editor/Communications Director for the Gold Prospectors Association of America and Lost Dutchman's Mining Association.
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