Treasure Hunting for a living?

[thehunter]

is there anyone here who does this full time? small mine operations, detecting, salvage any sort of treasure hunting or combination of to live etc

I am curious as I have logn thought to do this full time and have some questions for anyone doing it or looking to do it and want to meet up with someone like minded. I have resources.

thank you

 

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[njnydigger]

This question comes up every so often. I think I myself even posted a similar thought years ago. In short, YES, there are indeed some folks who make a living from treasure hunting. However, you can probably count them on one hand. By far, most of them are the 'big dogs' that go after sunken treasure ships & things of that nature. The lucky few metal detectorists that make a living are mostly the beach guys. They're out there grinding away everyday looking for the yellow. They are fortunate enough to live in areas where the weather permits year round hunting. Also, the smarter ones work the major hotels & resorts in their areas. Some even travel throughout the year to the Bahamas, etc. It can be done as a few are doing it, but...

It is one TOUGH way to make an easy living

 

[thehunter]

You would think if its such a common question would be a section for it lol thank you for your input as well

 

[George (MN)]

Maybe some mfr tells about someone who does it for a living. I suppose Minelab makes their detectors heavy because those Australians are so strong from lugging around all those gold boulders LOL.

Of course the hardest part of making a living would be cost of home rent or apt or motels. I suppose with good planning one could find many low cost or free campgrounds or else it's $30+ a night for motels or stay at a hostel.

Then a vehicle that gets 60mpg or runs on something other than gas. Or stay a month in each city rent a room or apt, take the bus. megabus.com goes cheap (and fast, for a bus) between several high crime cities. Or hitch-hike with a metal detector & a sack full of treasure?

Maybe the way to go would be move to Canada where the $1 coins circulate & $2 coins also & specialize in wealthy neighborhoods?

Of course if one digs up ship treasure, there needs to be a plan to keep govt from taking it all & what does an ocean boat cost & how many gallons of diesel per mile?

Probably the best way to make a living might be advertising to find property stakes, say $100 for a 20 minute job? Wonder what kind of legal trouble there could be with that?

Doesn't sound real easy, does it? I like my dream where I'm digging into the sandy ground with my hands & there's lots of 1800s coins. Yeah, that's it, find a cache & retire. Don't tell the owner. Maybe just wait for a hurricane to push up on shore a barrel of those ancient gold coins.

But for some dreams come true, just look on this forum under banner. If a silver dime is worth $3 & a silver quarter $7.50, how many does one need to find every day to make a living? Even a $100 find may be once in a lifetime.

I hope to find over $2 in 1 day before the season ends. Think that's the average reality. Best wishes, George (MN)

 

[thehunter]

well dont take this the wrong way but I guess i am looking for people currently doing it full time rather then dreaming about it? not just swinging the detector, but a combination of things. I am currently putting together a company that plans to own small mining operations, scraping, things like that etc.

I agree 100% no one is making a living combing the beachs and parks. However I feel a well rounded treasure company could do well and also provide a good living if it was diverse etc

Some things I am having at this company is industry space costs around $600 a month for 1500 sq ft. eletronic scrap recyleing, place to store equitment for mining ops, plus other trips etc

 

[Frankn]

The big factor is LUCK. You have to exist thru the lean times and learn to conserve thru the good times. All that research could amount to an empty hole or a chest of gold. You will hear about the holes, but probably not the chest of gold. Once you find a big one, your worries are over if you handle it the right way. Frank

 

[Terry Soloman]

well dont take this the wrong way but I guess i am looking for people currently doing it full time rather then dreaming about it? not just swinging the detector, but a combination of things. I am currently putting together a company that plans to own small mining operations, scraping, things like that etc.

I agree 100% no one is making a living combing the beachs and parks. However I feel a well rounded treasure company could do well and also provide a good living if it was diverse etc

Some things I am having at this company is industry space costs around $600 a month for 1500 sq ft. eletronic scrap recyleing, place to store equitment for mining ops, plus other trips etc

When I decided to go pro, I knew I needed a 9-5, so I started a school teaching people how to prospect for gold - Arizona Gold Adventures - an d I haven't looked back! If you really want - or need to do it, you'll find a way!

 

[chukers]

its not practical to live off of treasure hunting... now it does supplement an existing income... but only the top 1% of treasure hunt find would make you enough to live off of.

I do supplement my main income with treasure hunting/scrapping/yard sales/ but not enough to live off of it.


You'd have to live like a hermit to live off your finds of the average treasure hunter... and that is no life...

so the answer is not really... its just not practical.


Chukers

 

[kblackphoto]

I know of two people that have a living similar. One person travels around to consignment stores like Goodwill and looks for silver or gold- then takes it to a smelter and get the cash for the price of the metals. She familiarizes herself with the times that they put out the jewelry and then sifts through with a magnet or small magnifying lense. This combines with MD'ing could possibly allow a profitable income- but just like owning a business- you will prob face slow times. Like hunting for gold and silver, one other person I know of trades and sells sports memorabilia on ebay. He also uses Goodwill to find things at the best price. He knows the guys that sort in the back by name and knows when they put certain items out. I don't believe MD'ing alone could make enough profit- but Im sure that combined with finding treasure at estate sales, garage sales, and consignment stores could do the job- you just have to know what to look for! American Pickers for example- they travel around to peoples houses who have way too much stuff- negotiate deals and see if they are willing to sell...and then theysell stuff through their website. They call themselves antique archaelogist's. Take the show Storage Wars for example- brilliant idea- bid on storage units- sell the antiques, gold and silver for what they are worth and then the rest of the "junk" sell in their own thrift store. Not necessarily MD'ing alone but treasure hunting in its own right. So if there is a will there is a way!! Passion and consistency as well.

 

[bearbqd]

I think it is feasible and I'd love to do it myself. You gotta think that these guys detecting on bling beaches like Miami only need to find a couple rings a week worth around a thousand bucks to make a decent living. I've considered it often. I'd just hate to be far away from civil war properties. Maybe I'll move to Savanna area and buy a plantation where I could have both worlds.

 

[fishbone3d]

Finding a major cash find, is like hitting the lotto. But on the bright side, you can increase your odds by studying maps ect. Do what you think is right. Try it part time, with another job as backup. You never know what you will find. A lot of people buried their money back in the day. It takes a lot of studying, and luck. I always wanted to do it, but it is not reliable; and I have other family obligations that stand in the way. Good luck friend!

 

[NewsMan]

I'm sure some of the idiots that tear apart indian mounds make enough to do it full time. Dicks...

 

[coin_diver]

Yes it is possible. Rather than the big ones, take consistent small wins, everyday. Turtle vs. hare.
I combine hunting with manufacturing, water, land, writing, you name it. I get to meet some great people but you have to learn the tricks of research and exponential opportunities!
Opportunities are probably greater than ever before, just don't be dissuaded.
GL!

 

[fibberjibber]

Ok, that last post about the indian mounds was weird but..
I think like any job, there would be a lot of work involved. If it was easy, we would all do it!
If you are thinking about the Hollywood/ Disney kind of treasure hunting, be prepared to do years of research before hitting something big- or moderately big. Then there is the learning curve you have to factor in.
But there are lots of kinds of treasure as you can see from the different posts here already. Just scrapping like you are planning can be very lucrative. But its messy, can be VERY risky because of stolen property, and you regularly deal with messy people. You also have to pay attention to both current markets and market futures so you know what to buy, when to buy and how much to buy it for. The same for selling to the smelters.
But even in scrapping there are treasures. Lots of antiques and collectibles come through scrap yards.
I think the best way to make a living at treasure hunting without getting too dirty is to work a real job, retire, and then MD or dive or whatever while you are retired. At least then during lean times you have a cushion.

 

[thehunter]

I have been working on a plan for the last couple of years. trying to find a combination of things that opens treasure hunting up and I think I have it. But always looking for more info and more partners etc. how many in the south dakota area?

 

[gildeal]

well one things for sure, gold is at a premium right now. and there is jewelry out there on the beaches... say San Diego, Miami, Daytona, even places like Myrtle Beach, or the beaches of Los Angeles, San Fransisco, etc...... with the right equipment, and putting in the hours, perfecting technique, and just plain luck, maybe be able to swing a detector for a very slim margin? say 2-6 rings, or gold jewelry pieces a month, @$100-$500 per piece, if you have a retirement income, or a side business, maybe a part time job while hitting the beach, hell ya it can be done! and if you have a really good find, say a bling for a grand or two, well then your ok for that month. of course this is only conjecture, maybe somebody out there is hitting it hard and coming home with gold and diamonds 2 or 3 times a week, and is laughing at this thread? more power to em!

 

[chukers]

well one things for sure, gold is at a premium right now. and there is jewelry out there on the beaches... say San Diego, Miami, Daytona, even places like Myrtle Beach, or the beaches of Los Angeles, San Fransisco, etc...... with the right equipment, and putting in the hours, perfecting technique, and just plain luck, maybe be able to swing a detector for a very slim margin? say 2-6 rings, or gold jewelry pieces a month, @$100-$500 per piece, if you have a retirement income, or a side business, maybe a part time job while hitting the beach, hell ya it can be done! and if you have a really good find, say a bling for a grand or two, well then your ok for that month. of course this is only conjecture, maybe somebody out there is hitting it hard and coming home with gold and diamonds 2 or 3 times a week, and is laughing at this thread? more power to em!

now if someone is out there doing that they certainly not going to tell anyone they are doing good at it... I wouldn't...


Chukers

 

[scaupus]

I live in Broward county, and I'd like to get out to the beach every day. But i'm pretty far from the beach, and i have a gas guzzler. I've been living off estate and yard sales for many years, and it has been sort of sketchy sometimes. The reason I do it, is it's enabled me to be there for my son as I'm a single dad, I didn't want him raising himself or living in childcare. I like metal detecting because its recreation that pays for itself.

 

[dld]

I guess you could say I do it for a living, have not been able to work in 2yrs but with all my finds counted up, I am negative $38,657 in the hole, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Boy is it a long way off.
Just that next find and I might break even

 

[Seamuss]

I'd probable have to give up eating if I were to treasure hunt for a living. Can't part with a couple of the good items and the coins and junk(costume)jewelry wouldn't pay the bills. Still looking for that five pound nugget, or twenty pound meteorite. Which ever shows up first.