SO... You want a detector to make money ? The rude reality of "life in the slow lane"

[coinman123]

There is a difference between a hobby and a job. I'm guessing some one already said this but I have not had the chance to look through all the comments. Between the cost of gas, new equipment, batteries, I don't think you are making your money back with the 92 cents in clad that you may find in an hour of metal detecting

 

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[CincinnatiKid]

Pays more than golf!
I too can say that my finds have at least paid for my equipment.
Whatever loot is leftover, I buy silver with. I'm nowhere near rich yet, but my dreams of riches ain't over.
Great thread.
Peace

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Mine are paid for too but you can't count on that always happening.

 

[kingskid1611]

I guess I never thought about it as profitable. I was and still am in it for the historical finds and the shear enjoyment of what could be out there. I would absolutely starve if I relied on it for a living........unless you can eat iron.

 

[Shorty Buckshot]

I agree completely also....I got into metal detecting with no expectations...never even thought about finding the "Big score" or the life changing cache....I just do it for the fun and relaxation of it....even if I only find junk I still enjoy myself.....I have only been doing this for a couple years...I have never found a piece of jewelry or a coin before 1957, but I am ok with that....its relaxing to me regardless.....

I buy storage units on the side also...its nothing like the TV shows make it out to be.....see many folks every week at auctions thinking they are going to get rich on one locker.....ain't gonna happen but they think they're gonna hit the mother load...oh well, guess they'll learn the hard way....for me its like detecting...I enjoy it and if I happen to find something good then yay for me, but I have no expectations of retiring off one find...guess its the "unknown" factor that keeps me doing it....Shorty

 

[coinman123]

One more thing, I don't think I am the only person like this but I have never sold a find and never will, if anything I would make a display to put on loan at the local town historical society museum. I think of what I find as history and it's context, not dollar signs. That's just how I am, not sure about others.

 

[Higgy]

I have friends here. I find a ring once in a while. I drink a beer once in a while, and smoke fine tobacco in my pipe. Some days I even catch a fish or two. Who needs to be rich when you got all of this?

Good thread, Archie.

 

[dirtscratcher]

Of all the people I've seen come in this hobby locally not one has mentioned making money or getting rich detecting. I would laugh at them if they did.

 

[signal]

Hunting is a natural instinct. Just like people like to hunt game and fish. But I would rather chill out at the beach.

The best thing I get out of it is the work out. You can definitely make extra money. Look at people posting finds of $10k+ all the time. Those can add up! Some hunters like Gary Drayton have probably pulled substantial amounts of extra income. I found a $12k Tiffany platinum ring the other day, I know the price of it, because I ended up returning it to the owner. Got a $150 reward, which I felt was a bit "light", but I got some in the karma bank.

In Florida, any decent beach hunter will pay for their equipment with no problem. Gas and parking should work out as well over time. But there have been times I have left the beach empty handed with $4.00 in parking and a few bucks in gas.

 

[Slingshot]

I thought I was going to strike it big when I got into detecting over 50 years ago, but it still hasn't happened. Hahah! I have found some goodies along the way, but have learned a lot too. I still love digging but have curtailed it to only doing it as a sideline to any excursion I make in my vehicle to do something else that has to be done, so no gas expense that can be directly attributed to MDing. I sold my expensive rig & got into a lower value detector, a used one at that, and it does all I need done, and has already paid for itself several times over. Then I swapped over to rechargeable batteries, which do work for me despite the warnings to only use the expensive alkalines in my unit. I hunt in notch, and block out the zincs, but still dig nickels and get an occasional gold ring and dig everything 25c & up. Hunting old stuff is fun, but I usually go in the hole with time and money spent opposed to just raking in quarters. You would be surprised at how many you can find if you ignore the pennies and dimes, so more 25c's in the time otherwise spent recovering lesser coins. Finally detecting is paying in a consistent fashion with the bonus surprise gold that comes with the nickels. It's still a peasants game, but fun to rake in a pocketful of oxidized quarters that are so much fun to spend. I'll leave all the other stuff for you fellows to find. Good luck & cheers!!

 

[el padron]

...

 

[Capt Nat]

If you were to try to get your wife to wear a string of plastic beads you got for .03 she would scoff at you. At Marti-Gras however, women show, do, all kinds of things for the same cheap plastic beads.

A wheat penny has little value and I wouldn't pay anything for one however, digging one makes it a valued treasure to me and feels GREAT!

I wouldn't drive across town for a quarter but to dig a clad quarter is a feeling of victory! This is a great hobby and satisfies something inside me. I don't care if it costs me a little money...

 

[Higgy]

I wouldn't drive across town for a quarter but to dig a clad quarter is a feeling of victory! This is a great hobby and satisfies something inside me. I don't care if it costs me a little money...

You got the right idea, Cappy!

 

[ivan salis]

heck to turn a profeit at all ... one needs a machine for cheap .(bountry hunter tracker 4 ..on sale) .. a close spot that one can walk to (tot lot) on a regular basis ...that has enough clad to pay for the batteries and a bit extra to slowly pay for the machine a bit at a time .. and then if your very lucky ...YOU MIGHT SCORE A DECENT ITEM .. LIKE A RING --YOU CAN SELL

 

[relic nut]

I have had a lot of hobbies in my life. Still do some of them. Hunt,fish, camping. Tractor pulls,etc. This is the only one that can at least support its self. I live in a place that it is possible to make great finds. I have never sold any but like to know there worth. Can this hobby make you rich? In terms of money, probably not, but in terms of fulfilment, education, thrill and joy, ABSOLUTELY! It has made me very rich. HH. RN

 

[coinman123]

Can this hobby make you rich? In terms of money, probably not, but in terms of fulfilment, education, thrill and joy, ABSOLUTELY! It has made me very rich. HH. RN

Very true...

 

[ARC]

Tn is my hobby :P
Finding stuff is a way of life for me.

 

[Dirtslinger]

There's a couple of opportunities in my area to hit it big. Stolen gold bullion never recovered from a robbery less than ten miles from my house is the largest thing I have heard of while researching local areas. The astronomical odds of ever finding that stash is something I accept. It's a whole lot like a dog chasing a car. If you stop, it has no clue what to do with a motionless bumper. Drive away and the barking starts again. If I were to uncover that stash of gold, I'm not going to quit hunting, ill just find another bumper to bark at!

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

I prospect and metal detect as a hobby. If my hobbies made me money then they would become jobs.

 

[bill from lachine]

ARRC,

I've had people ask me if it's worthwhile detecting....A couple of years ago an elderly couple asked that question late in the season...I told them I had managed about $1,000. which included 3 or 4 gold rings....some silver coins and jewelry and clad as well as some relics which I don't assign a value to.

They were pretty impressed until I told them that it involved about 500 hours of detecting and who in their right mind would work for $2 per hour....lol...

It's all about the thrill of the chase and having a bit of fun.

Regards + HH

Bill