Thoughts on how long it takes to pay for a new detector.

whiskers

Jr. Member
Dec 13, 2003
44
0
Silicon Valley
A month ago I broke down and treated myself to a new detector, a White’s DFX top of the line. Last week I was using it out in the woods and afterwards a fellow asked me how I had done. I told him I found 12¢, which I had. “Is it worth it?” he asked. I mumbled something about being out in the air and sunshine and he went on his way.

But his question made me think. It had been 32 years since I bought my previous – and still good – set, a Compass Coin Magnum. Dividing the $1600 paid for the DFX, a large coil, etc., into 32 years, it comes out to $50 a year. That’s pretty inexpensive for a hobby. But that wasn’t the figure I wanted.

The next day after my DFX outing a lady walking a dog asked me the same question, did I find anything. Quite coincidently I had found the same amount – 12¢. But this time I had done a little head figuring beforehand and my reply was, “The time it will take to pay off my detector at the rate I’m going - 133 years. 133 years spent out in the fresh air and sunshine – priceless.” She smiled, recalling the current commercial, and I went on my way. But that still wasn’t the answer I wanted.

I continued thinking about the fellow’s comment, “Is it worth it?” What was the answer I was looking for? Overnight the answer hit me --- how much would I be willing to pay to rent the same machine for the same outing?

The criteria I used were a four hour treasure hunting time period once a week, and searching at my usual spot in typical weather conditions. In those circumstances I figure I’d be willing to pay $5 an hour to rent the detector. That’s $20 for an afternoon, which I think is reasonable.

The next, and perhaps most important part, is: how soon will I pay for my detector? Based on $5 an hour rental fee, I figured:

$5 divided into $1600 equals 320 hours to pay for machine. Then 4 hours a week divided into 320 hours equals 80 weeks or just about a year and a half before I pay for my detector. Say two years to make up for weather, etc.

In my case I’m happy figuring I’ll pay for my machine in two years and anything after that is gravy. (I figure I’ll get another new machine in another 32 years, probably for my 100th birthday.)

If you think my method makes any sense take a minute and decide on what you’d be willing to pay to rent a detector. Maybe $2 and hour is all you can afford or want to pay. Or maybe you’re in a high stress occupation or perhaps only able to squeeze in a couple hours detecting a month, and it would be worth $50 an hour to get out in the field with your machine for a while. Each of us will have our own set of figures and other values.

-Jim Lyons
 

Hoosier Kingfisher

Sr. Member
Feb 26, 2007
376
6
Central Indiana
Many hobbies cost tons with no hope of getting your money back. 4Wheeling, fishing ($40,000Bass boats), sailing, etc. With a metal detector theres always hope. You could actually be in the black with one find. ;D
 

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,003
17,106
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
How long does it take a set of golf clubs or a pair of skis to pay themselves off? Though, I guess if you're good and play $5 a hole . . .

I figure if I hit nothing but parks two Saturdays a month I could pay off another detector in under five years on just the clad. But then it would be like work so why do it? Luckily, I pay cash usually so my equipment is always paid for already.

I just dropped $1,400 on the engine (26cc chainsaw engine, tee hee), smoke system, balsa & other wood, servos, receiver, batteries and covering for a 72" biplane kit for radio control. Probably going to take 18 months to build it. That ain't never going to pay itself off and could be worth $0 in a heartbeat.
 

Gypsy Heart

Gold Member
Nov 29, 2005
12,686
338
Ozarks
I bought a 79.95 Bounty Hunter in 1986.....hopefully I will have it paid off this year.......Of course it quit working in 1991 :D :D :D

But seriously.....it doesnt matter ....because the hours that I spend out in nature....detecting with my daughters....the adventures .....the joy we get from digging up history ...and the friends that I have made through detecting..... is worth more than I will ever pay for any detector....
 

teverly

Hero Member
Mar 4, 2007
921
16
central ohio
Detector(s) used
MINELAB E TRAC x 2 xp deus
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Since i have 2 detectors that cost 3000 total plus my gas,batteries ect...i doubt i will ever pay for my detectors.
But the thrill of the old stuff i find and the great people i have met and become friends with is priceless.
Happy hunting and good luck!!!
 

MEinWV

Bronze Member
Mar 10, 2007
1,166
17
West "by god" Virginia
Detector(s) used
Fishers CZ5 and 1280X
Well, I have had pretty good luck then over the years with paying off detectors. My first unit, a Heathkit, was somewhere in the $69.00 range. I was lucky enough to find a 10k ring w/small diamond ( my first ) and it netted me $75.00. My next one was a Whites coinmaster 2D @ $169.95+- , that helped me find thousands of regular coins,hundreds of silver coins, and a dozen or so gold rings. That silver was sold later during the silver boom @ $24.00 on the dollar, (on just 1 trip to the coin shop I turned in $30.00 in silver at face value).

Of course, I lived right on the coast where I took advantage of all those winter storms with flood tides and massive beach erosion. We would find 200+ coins per night during and after storms in the winter months. My best night, if I remember right was 250 coins in about 4 hrs. That is a lot of digging, over 1 coin per minute, but in that instance every signal was a coin and it was clean beach sand. Me and my buddy were going nuts digging. The coins had been classified by the wave actions and deposited at the apex of the slope. The area was approx. 10 feet wide. What stunned us afterwards was the fact that we were only able to work a relatively small amount of that area, given the fact that the beach we were on, ( Old Orchard Beach, Maine ), is 7 miles long. Boggles the mind.

Man, I talk to much! Sorry, but I just love it! I am going to try to find some of my old log sheets and post some of those hunts here. One of my best hunts in memory was finding 7 rings ( 1 silver & 6 gold ) in a 2 hr. period at Kennebunk Beach, Maine.

Been lucky enough to have paid for all mine, except for my CZ5, which I am finally starting to use after a 5 yr. lull, since moving to WV

.......HH
 

Montana Jim

Gold Member
Sep 18, 2006
11,697
148
Montana
I could prolly sell all my relics and pay for both my outfits.

But I will never get payed for the time I spend researching, the gas money for my V-10 pickup, the batteries, and the time I spen detecting.

I always knew it was a hobby that would not literally "pay for itself" because I keep all my finds ('cept the clad).

Having said that... the hobby to me is priceless, so I'll keep spending.
 

EDDE

Gold Member
Dec 7, 2004
7,129
65
Detector(s) used
Troy X5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
took me 18-19 months to pay off a 1000 dollar machine
i had incentive the GF was pissed off to high heaven that i bought it so
had to earn it back on the fly :D
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
But seriously.....it doesnt matter ....because the hours that I spend out in nature....detecting with my daughters....the adventures .....the joy we get from digging up history ...and the friends that I have made through detecting..... is worth more than I will ever pay for any detector....
Gypsy says it well.

I started years ago with one detector and was happy if I found enough to pay for the batteries that thing ATE. I used to bass fish, then fished tournaments, became a field tester for a manufacturer and had to miss some work to fish tournaments. All to the tune of $$$$. But when I took up detecting, I stopped the tournaments, sold the bass boat, some tackle, etc. I became happy with finding a Wheatie in the dirt that I had to chop out of the frozen ground. Soon I had a few more detectors because I was happy learning the machines as much as I was finding stuff. When I got into water hunting is when I knew I had found my true love. I've made some fantastic finds over the years. When you divide the time spent detecting by the amount found, you learn it's not about the money. It's because we find money that people think that's all there is to it and the only reason we'd spend our time looking like a nerd on the beach or park.
 

G

garbage digger

Guest
I try not to think about how much money is involved in MD'ing.Detecting gives my wife and I (soon my daughter to) a wonderful hobby to be a part of together and every time her or I make a discovery weather it be a dog tag or a gold ring we both find that wonderful satisfaction. While we are out MD'ing we only have two things on our minds, Enjoying the nature, and the hopes of making a great find all the while spending quality time with my family. This allows the stress of day to day life, bills, etc. to be long forgotten and in my eyes you can't put a price on that. Not to mention if I wasn't a MD'er I wouldn't be here shootin the breeze with all you lovely TH'ers ;D
 

gold fish

Bronze Member
Sep 21, 2006
1,116
20
N.W.A.
Detector(s) used
Tesoro - Cortez Minelab SE
Is it worth it ??

Yeah, definately a question that needs to be answered in more than monetary terms. I picked up this hobby last sept. and it has been one of the best decisions I have made. Before I got an MD, I had no idea what a half-dime was (take THAT "iceberg"). And since, the camaderie and companionship that this hobby has brought about have been so much more valuable than anything measured in ounces. I have grow much closer to a friend I now refer to as my huntin' buddy, and I have learned more about the areas I live in and near than pretty much anybody, except the people at the hist society, maybe. I hope this summer to be able to take a few days hiatus and get out and meet some of my fellow TN'ers, because nothing is more valuable than new friendships. Yes, it was worth it.
 

seas1to2

Sr. Member
May 17, 2006
307
1
fl
if your looking at cost your looking at the wrong thing. The machine is cheap but the labor will kill eat up everything you find. You would need to find at least 80.00 to 100.00 :o a day to make it worth it money wise.But if you look at it as only a hobby with no cost to worry about then the .12 an fresh air is a good day out. ;D
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,301
54,453
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I do hunt parks, but I am primarily a beach hunter, the fresh air, the exercise, the sound of the surf rolling in, the moon and stars when I'm hunting at night, the solitude and stress release, and of course the eye candy during the summer days are all "rewards" that I get from my detecting experience.....The jewelry and coins are just extras.

Mine have paid for theirselves as far as I am concerned................Now my wife would probably disagree, but then again I don't have 50+ pairs of shoes and 25+ hand bags. ;D
 

Ray S ECenFL

Silver Member
Feb 17, 2007
2,536
20
East Central Florida WP
Detector(s) used
Whites XLT / M6
There is not too much left to say. It has all been said in the above posts.

I look at it this way. What other hobby pays for itself? Over time you will earn back the $$$ you spent plus have many memories of your MD outings. That in itself is priceless.

Happy Hunting with your new DFX.

;D
 

halfdime

Silver Member
Oct 31, 2006
4,496
1,419
Zelienople
Detector(s) used
White's XLT
It took me about seven seconds to write the check and hand it over, and I haven't thought about the cost since.
 

gregl01

Hero Member
Apr 19, 2005
594
4
land of the free-taxed to death
Detector(s) used
Whites M6
Nokta Fors CoRe
It could be paid for on the next signal!!!! It might be a penny OR it could be that gold and diamond ring we always dream of. Thats what keeps me going, not how much I have spent, but the thrill of that next signal!!!!!
HH
Greg
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
85,461
59,220
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
In theory, You could buy a top of the line detector

Swing it once, Get a signal, Dig a hole, And pay
for it & a new home. all within 30 seconds.

Just dig the Right Signal.


You could also, in theory, Buy a Top of the line detector
at an Auction for $10.00 & Never pay for it.

Just never swing over the right spots.
(SUPER BAD LUCK)

Bought My Sovereign in 99 & paid for it twice in Cash
I'v made & probably 3 more times If I were to sell everything
I ever found.
 

W6PEA

Full Member
Mar 7, 2007
229
4
San Diego, Mexifornia
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sovereign Gt, Minelab SD2200v2, Minelab ExlporerSE Pro 2
halfdime said:
It took me about seven seconds to write the check and hand it over, and I haven't thought about the cost since.

Let's see here. It took one swipe of the credit card to buy my sovereign.....if i pay minimum payment maybe 15 years :'(
 

DFX-SE Gregg

Silver Member
Feb 6, 2007
2,865
251
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800 SE and DFX
Well...heres a little more upbeat response!

I figure it is going to take me two years! I am very motivated and I will get it done! Once it is paid for I will use profit to buy new detectors/equipment. I don't need the money and never thought of getting rich from it. But I know it is supposed to be for fun, but I have this driving force and plenty of areas loaded with clad! :) Then I think it will be more fun for me once it is paid for. I am planning on $450 in clad this year, had almost $100, in just a few months last year. And like everyone else said....one swing and you might hit a home run!
 

Blind.In.Texas

Bronze Member
Sep 1, 2006
1,696
29
Lone Star State
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Nope. Nonsense to me. I would never knowingly rent a detector. So I figure I better get my butt moving and dig up more clad......sell my silver and win the lotto, because, a DFX is out of the question for me ;) With all the clad I have and the nice silver I have dug up, I am about half way through my BH......from nine months ago...I gotta stay outta the woods ;)
 

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