Treasure Hunting for a living

[Amona]

Question for all

This is a simple idea that many folks takes just for vacation,...

Would be good take a license of 2,3,.. month in you present job to go treasure hunting after you had spent time researching for a cache?

Amona

 

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[CDMakaKvM]

Well, you could write volumes about this subject, but when it comes down to it, there's only three secrets to treasure hunting.

1. Persistence
2. Persistence
3. Persistence

or the other 3 magic words: DON'T GIVE UP!

 

[CaptJohn]

THE GRASS ALWAYS LOOKS GREENER ELSEWHERE.... I often think that a MD in AZ on BLM Lands looking for nuggets would be worth a try. Just a little research to where you can go and if nuggets have been found in the area. Humm... anyone know a PLACE like that let me know.

Here is another little thing to pick up a buck now and then. May not be legal.
I know a garabge truck driver that has some great routes in ritzy neighborhoods. He and his wife have a retail shop at a Flea Market in the "Next" County. He does real well. They take Cruise Ship Vacations about 3 times a year. Sometimes he makes an early run with his own truck, like spring cleaning times and what ever. They get items from nit nacks, china, Like new Clothes, chairs, motor cycles, boat motors..... Look around in your town, find out which day is garabge day, then.... cruise by the evening before...

 

[lastleg]

Capt John: Want to find out the skinny on detecting nuggets?
Go to nuggethunting.com & nuggetshooter.com. Lurk and learn.
lastleg

 

[The Digger]

I agree, I love this hobby, the way I look at it is if I'm going to put the time in to do this I'm going to go after the most valuable things that I can, you have to put yourself in the way of luck. Thats a really good post, thanks for sharing it. Dave

 

[Seamuss]

I'm lucky enough to have a good retirement plan and a wife that doesn't mind doing her thing while I'm prospecting or treasure hunting.

What I do for fun and profit.
1 Prospect
2 Rockhound (jade is my favorite)
3 Treasure hunting
4 Cache hunting
5 Garage/yard sales (for valuable stuff that's cheap to buy)
6 Dumpster diving (for profit furniture, books, antiques. And the recycled material, cans, glass, copper pays for the gas.)
7 Demolishing houses (There is a lot of treasure to be found gutting walls, removing appliances, and emptying attics and basements)
One through four are often done in any order on any given trip and one or all of them on the same trip.
HH and put your knowledge to work for you. Research, research and more research, then look diligently for what ever your looking for. I've seen people hit it big enough early on by having a plan of active researching very heavy and then acting on that plan. Their not rich but are happy campers for their efforts.

P.S. I use my metal detector a lot on these trips. One through four.

 

[deepsix47]

Heyas
i think its all about knowledge...Finding treasure:...95% Research....5% Luck.....

Look at the great archeologists out there!! They have only made their discoveries through dilligent research, piling through hundreds of pages of historical documents.

Why not get a degree in archeology and then you might be able to make a living treasure hunting..If you do that then ..Some venture capital investors or a couple of million will be needed as well.

Actually, that is not entirely correct. Virtually all of the major archaeological finds of the 18/1900's have been made by armatures. The professional archaeologist, backed by grant money, then steps in and takes credit for the development of the site. The original finder is pushed back into the background (no, this has not happened to me but has to a few I've known).

Most (not all but most) professional archaeologists are hypocritical in the extreme. They will seldom, if ever, go out and dig just for the fun of it. OK, I'm going to stop now before I get myself in trouble but I am very tempted to start a thread on this subject due to a recent trip I made. This isn't my thread though.

Deepsix

 

[airborne1092]

I would think you'd have to be independently wealthy, or financed by someone who is, to be a full time treasure hunter.

My idea is, shipwreck salvage would be the most rewarding. The oceans cover 70%+ of the earth's surface and man has navigated the oceans since the start of recorded history. Anything you do is going to be hard work, require quite a bit of outside influence and assistance and perhaps 1 out of 100 times, you'll find something of real value (not nec. monetary, mind you) to someone that might put you back to square one and allow you to break even.

Notice I said rewarding, not profitable...

Things I keep in mind along the vein of operating costs:
lawyer retainers
divers, medical staff, pilots, ship captains, translators.
Political advisors, researchers
Insurance and bonds

Relating to anything you'd find - it's value is based on only three things:

How much it's worth to someone willing to pay for a luxury item (assuming you're after gold or artifacts)
How important the item is from a historical point of view, and then usually it's desired by a person or collective body that cannot pay for it's monetary value (i.e. a historical society or museum)
Is it worth more to you on your mantle for prosperity or on the auction block for a profit to recoup your operating cost (see bullet 1)

If you're a guy or gal with a SCUBA qual you could look for things in shallow water and break even finding jewelry. If you had a full blown operation (ala Ballard) you could find historical wrecks or commercial wrecks and salvage them for the company who either lost the ship or is interested in its recovery.

Again, become independantly weathly or find someone who is, and share their passion.

I'm the first to admit I love a good daydream or fantasy, but when I get down to it, I try to remain realistic even if that's not fun.

If I'm totally off base here, please - set me straight.

 

[lastleg]

Airborne, you are absolutely correct. Even all those resources
would not guarantee success.

 

[crumbo]

I live within walking distance of and am currently looking at 6+ abandoned gold mines where several million ounces of gold has been removed (at least that's what is recorded.) Yeah I can see them from my living room window. I have tailings on my property and the 150 year old chinese built water canal which still carries water across my property. I think I had a small placer mine on my property 150 years ago...

I'm more interested in how these people lived and what motivated them than finding the bonanza. Have I found valuable stuff? I sure have. And I will continue doing this because I enjoy finding things. The truth is...It's the hunt; I get an adrenaline rush every time I get a coin sound. That has always been what motivates me. In fact, I've got a large rock with a sizable amount of visible gold decorating a flower pot on my front porch. People continually ask what I'm going to do with it. Nothing, I just like the way it looks. I like rocks.

I think what the question missed is: Does the current American lifestyle encourage successful treasure hunting. Does the current American lifestyle encourage any kind of success? (I don't think so.) How many people could be self employed. At one time most Americans were self employed. America did great things. Now only 15% of Americans can currently claim being self employed of which I can say I am (not treasure hunting.) I think it really take someone who is willing to wake at 4 and be digging in the park before most Americans are even awake. I think this is the step most responders missed.

Talk of research is okay, but very little is recorded. In fact I think most of the more interesting finds are probably in areas were society went up in flames (or sank) and ended abruptly, such as when a gold town caught fire, without any records, except for an old crab apple and a rambling rose on the side of a hill.

I think the driving force behind great finds is curiosity, not the drive for wealth. I've always believed if you need wealth, you will never find it.

 

[Jeffro]

I live within walking distance of and am currently looking at 6+ abandoned gold mines where several million ounces of gold has been removed (at least that's what is recorded.) Yeah I can see them from my living room window. I have tailings on my property and the 150 year old chinese built water canal which still carries water across my property. I think I had a small placer mine on my property 150 years ago...

I'm more interested in how these people lived and what motivated them than finding the bonanza. Have I found valuable stuff? I sure have. And I will continue doing this because I enjoy finding things. The truth is...It's the hunt; I get an adrenaline rush every time I get a coin sound. That has always been what motivates me. In fact, I've got a large rock with a sizable amount of visible gold decorating a flower pot on my front porch. People continually ask what I'm going to do with it. Nothing, I just like the way it looks. I like rocks.

I think what the question missed is: Does the current American lifestyle encourage successful treasure hunting. Does the current American lifestyle encourage any kind of success? (I don't think so.) How many people could be self employed. At one time most Americans were self employed. America did great things. Now only 15% of Americans can currently claim being self employed of which I can say I am (not treasure hunting.) I think it really take someone who is willing to wake at 4 and be digging in the park before most Americans are even awake. I think this is the step most responders missed.

Talk of research is okay, but very little is recorded. In fact I think most of the more interesting finds are probably in areas were society went up in flames (or sank) and ended abruptly, such as when a gold town caught fire, without any records, except for an old crab apple and a rambling rose on the side of a hill.

I think the driving force behind great finds is curiosity, not the drive for wealth. I've always believed if you need wealth, you will never find it.

Good post!

 

[Old Dog]

I believe My friend Don Jose said it best...
Basically be well researched and well prepared.
Inspired is one thing we all need to be.
But success is only one percent inspiration and 99 percent persperation.

 

[Goodyguy]

To make a living at treasure hunting takes total commitment, you have to wake up treasure hunting and go to sleep treasure hunting. If it's not in your blood you can forget it, because you wont make that total commitment necessary otherwise.

Oh you may play at it, but unless you eat, sleep, and drink treasure hunting it will never be more than a hobby or pipe dream. It has to absolutely drive you, only then will you do all that is necessary to achieve success. Because then you are doing what you love and are passionate about. That's how you achieve success at anything. You have to give it 110% just like anyone else who is successful at what they do. If you fail, then you just didn't want it badly enough.

You must believe to achieve, "Today is the day" -Mel Fisher-

GG~

 

[GrayCloud]

Very well said Goodyguy. Most do not have the passion or dedication.

 

[Old Dog]

Most guys who do it for a living have alternate sources of income.
I do, so do all the others I know. But the inherant thing that rules the mindset is the everpresent question,
" Is today the day that provides that one piece of info?"
As it sits the mind is always working on all the possibilities and combinations of information.
as well as trying to be openly presentable and personable.

LOL, taking one day at a time.
Planning farther than that is mainly out of the question.
Each day has it's own set of concerns. Getting ahead of ones self opens a can of worms and brings on attention you don't want.

Thom

 

[lastleg]

You not only have to want to find a big ticket, you may have to
completely change your comfy lifestyle. What if your spouse is
violently opposed to your passtime? What if you are handed a
strong lead and work out the legalities? Then you make a couple
of exploratory trips having the contract in your pocket.
Everything looks good, the landmarks are there, the old log
cabin still stands on the 300 acre homeplace. The big river still
flows where the gold bars were discovered.
This was all Comanche territory in the last century and pilgrims
had to want their own place really bad to settle there. There was
a fort to the North, about a days ride in the wagon. It's still there
too with a museum.
The kids played with the bars stacked under a bed until one
night the Dad brought the wagon to the cabin door. He tossed
the bars on board and was gone about 45 minutes. He told his
wife about placing a big round ploughwheel over the spot.
This tale was written up but I have never been able to find the
right treasure rag.
Me, I went home 85 miles to my job, my spouse, my routine.
Did one of the kids go back and dig it up? I would have.

lastleg

 

[Goodyguy]

You not only have to want to find a big ticket, you may have to
completely change your comfy lifestyle. What if your spouse is
violently opposed to your passtime? He told his
wife about placing a big round ploughwheel over the spot.
This tale was written up but I have never been able to find the
right treasure rag.
Me, I went home 85 miles to my job, my spouse, my routine.
Did one of the kids go back and dig it up? I would have.

lastleg

You are right Lastleg,

That is exactly what I am talking about. If you have another source of income that requires your time and attention or a wife and kids then you cannot possibly give your treasure hunting full focus.

If all you had to do was look for that treasure you would have a better chance if you were spending 100% of your time focusing on that and nothing else.

As I am sure you know, lost treasure stories that are written up in magizines are usually a waste of time to persue. The treasures that will be found are by researching obscure documents that had only contained a piece of the puzzle and then you put the pieces together by gathering more and more info until the puzzle is complete, that is what finds treasure.

I have over two thousand treasure related magazines from the 1960's to present and either the stories were made up or the treasures that could be found have been. Working cold case treasure stories written in treasure magazines as you know is mostly a waste of time. Definitely not worth quitting a job over.

However, Pm me with enough info and I will research my inventory of magazines to find the story you are looking for. Maybe you already have the missing piece of the puzzle. The name of the story and name of mag and approx year would make it too easy. I am good at research but I at least need a clue

Good luck,

GG~

 

[Jeffro]

Goody guy, you are now officially on my friends list-

You are correct in that most, if not all, of the treasure stories in the mags are either found or fantasy, however I still pull a few leads from them especially if they list references. Never hurts to backtrack- in fact I prefer it.

 

[GrayCloud]

Can be done by posting the following add.

WILL TEAR DOWN OLD HOUSES AND REMOVE ALL DEBRI AT LITTLE OR NO COST TO OWNER.

You will need a truck, trailer, storage shed and a strong back.
Reward= Valuable reclaim wood, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, copper, etc.
Extra Reward=Hidden cache, chance to detect old properties.

Once I quit this working thing, I plane to do this. If the government comes after my salary any more than present, I will retire now.

 

[lastleg]

GrayCloud:

That is one great plan. Stay under the radar and have the
equipment in place before retiring. Your best years are to come.
I retired in '97 and don't know how I had the time to work all
those years. I really like your plan.

lastleg