vintage detectors

NOLA_Ken

Gold Member
Jan 4, 2011
5,214
4,178
Formerly New Orleans.. Now Pueblo Co
Detector(s) used
several, mostly Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
vintage detectors got the rest, pics added..

A couple weeks ago I was lucky enough to get a really good deal on seven vintage detectors that were in the collection of the late Reg Sniff. I'm thinking I'll probably keep a couple of them and sell the rest eventually after I've tried them all out. I figure there are others who would enjoy having one of their old memory machines back too, and why should I have all the fun?

So anyway, I spoke to the seller and I'm going to meet with her again tomorrow to pick up a couple more that I was interested in and if we can work out a reasonable and fair price I may get a pile of broken machines and some tubs filled with coils, shafts and other parts. My idea is to go through it all and try to identify everything and then put it up for sale online and I'm just wondering how much interest there might be in vintage parts for these old machines. I'm not expecting to get rich off of them, but maybe make gas and snack money for other adventures out of the deal and have a little fun in the process.

So what do y'all think? Is it something people would be interested in or would I just end up with a pile of stuff taking up more room in my storage forever?
 

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DeepseekerADS

Gold Member
Mar 3, 2013
14,880
21,725
SW, VA - Bull Mountain
Detector(s) used
CTX, Excal II, EQ800, Fisher 1260X, Tesoro Royal Sabre, Tejon, Garrett ADSIII, Carrot, Stealth 920iX, Keene A52
Primary Interest:
Other
Well, I recently purchased a circa 1983 Garrett ADS3 from a member here.
 

billb

Silver Member
Sep 23, 2010
4,569
10,145
New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Excalibur2,,silver sabre
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Still have a Fisher 1210 and silver turtle and silver Sabre from years ago..
 

Clad2Silver

Bronze Member
Jul 17, 2018
2,052
5,648
Eastern Connecticut
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Max/ Garrett AT Pro/ Garrett Ace 400/ Garrett Pro Pointer 2 / Garrett Z-Lynk AT Propointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
A couple weeks ago I was lucky enough to get a really good deal on seven vintage detectors that were in the collection of the late Reg Sniff. I'm thinking I'll probably keep a couple of them and sell the rest eventually after I've tried them all out. I figure there are others who would enjoy having one of their old memory machines back too, and why should I have all the fun?

So anyway, I spoke to the seller and I'm going to meet with her again tomorrow to pick up a couple more that I was interested in and if we can work out a reasonable and fair price I may get a pile of broken machines and some tubs filled with coils, shafts and other parts. My idea is to go through it all and try to identify everything and then put it up for sale online and I'm just wondering how much interest there might be in vintage parts for these old machines. I'm not expecting to get rich off of them, but maybe make gas and snack money for other adventures out of the deal and have a little fun in the process.

So what do y'all think? Is it something people would be interested in or would I just end up with a pile of stuff taking up more room in my storage forever?

Fix them up, put them up for sale and see what happens. that's the only way you'll know for sure.
 

Megalodon

Silver Member
May 13, 2018
2,650
4,373
Maryland
Detector(s) used
White's MXT
Tesoro Cibola
Tesoro Golden Sabre Plus
Garrett ADS Master Hunter 7
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I admire what you are considering. Too often, we need some part of a machine and find out that even if the company is still in business, they haven't supported that model in decades. It can be as simple as a knob or battery tray (thinking here about the old garrett ADS battery trays) or switch/toggles etc. IMHO, a working antique detector should be easy to sell - especially if the cosmetics are fine. The parts machines will have value too - especially if you can test the electrical parts in a working example.

Some people may enjoy using a detector that brings back memories. I still occasionally use some of my antique Fenwick and Orvis fishing rods that are over 50 years old.

IMHO, it sounds like a fun project if you enjoy making someone's day more than making a lot of money. We throw away way too much stuff.
 

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OP
NOLA_Ken

NOLA_Ken

Gold Member
Jan 4, 2011
5,214
4,178
Formerly New Orleans.. Now Pueblo Co
Detector(s) used
several, mostly Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I admire what you are considering. Too often, we need some part of a machine and find out that even if the company is still in business, they haven't supported that model in decades. It can be as simple as a knob or battery tray (thinking here about the old garrett ADS battery trays) or switch/toggles etc. IMHO, a working antique detector should be easy to sell - especially if the cosmetics are fine. The parts machines will have value too - especially if you can test the electrical parts in a working example.

Some people may enjoy using a detector that brings back memories. I still occasionally use some of my antique Fenwick and Orvis fishing rods that are over 50 years old.

IMHO, it sounds like a fun project if you enjoy making someone's day more than making a lot of money. We throw away way too much stuff.


yeah I'm definitely not looking at it as a big money maker, more like just some spare cash for batteries and snacks and if I can get these parts back out into the world and to people who will get some use and enjoyment out of them then it's a good deal
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,153
19,933
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I got about 6-7 from the 70s
I started hunting at age 12 - 1975 with a used Compass 94B
always wanted a Bounty Hunter Red Baron - it was a hot machine in my area when it came out
found a brand new one on E bay few yrs back and got it cheap cause not many out there
knew what it was
put batteries in it and it caught on fire :BangHead:
 

ToddsPoint

Gold Member
Mar 2, 2018
5,204
12,161
Todds Point, IL
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I still have my 1981 White's 6000-D Coin Master. I can't find any coins around here with my Nox or AT so maybe I should try the "Coin Master". Problem is it takes 14 AA batteries! Gary
 

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NOLA_Ken

NOLA_Ken

Gold Member
Jan 4, 2011
5,214
4,178
Formerly New Orleans.. Now Pueblo Co
Detector(s) used
several, mostly Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I got about 6-7 from the 70s
I started hunting at age 12 - 1975 with a used Compass 94B
always wanted a Bounty Hunter Red Baron - it was a hot machine in my area when it came out
found a brand new one on E bay few yrs back and got it cheap cause not many out there
knew what it was
put batteries in it and it caught on fire :BangHead:


I have one here, I think it needs a little work but it didn't catch fire yet...
 

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OP
NOLA_Ken

NOLA_Ken

Gold Member
Jan 4, 2011
5,214
4,178
Formerly New Orleans.. Now Pueblo Co
Detector(s) used
several, mostly Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I went and got a pile of stuff today, I haven't even begun to go through it but there's some cool stuff for sure.... Here's some pics
pile.jpg pile2.jpg pile3.jpg probe.jpg big coil.jpg coils.jpg
 

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NOLA_Ken

NOLA_Ken

Gold Member
Jan 4, 2011
5,214
4,178
Formerly New Orleans.. Now Pueblo Co
Detector(s) used
several, mostly Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
ok, here we go with some early sorting pics.... There are a lot of coils not pictured because they don't have names on them, or they were his own home made coils... and there are more machines and parts to sort through still.... These are some highlights....

27.jpg Bounty Hunter 1 and 2
26.jpg
9.jpg
10.jpg
18.jpg
 

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DeepseekerADS

Gold Member
Mar 3, 2013
14,880
21,725
SW, VA - Bull Mountain
Detector(s) used
CTX, Excal II, EQ800, Fisher 1260X, Tesoro Royal Sabre, Tejon, Garrett ADSIII, Carrot, Stealth 920iX, Keene A52
Primary Interest:
Other
Problem is it takes 14 AA batteries! Gary

I know what you mean, my ADS III takes 6 - 9 volt batteries = pretty expensive for around 12 hours of active hunting.....
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,153
19,933
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,153
19,933
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
owned a Mark II also - my son used it when he was like 5-6 yrs
good machine for kids especially at the bch

ok, here we go with some early sorting pics.... There are a lot of coils not pictured because they don't have names on them, or they were his own home made coils... and there are more machines and parts to sort through still.... These are some highlights....

View attachment 1915448 Bounty Hunter 1 and 2
View attachment 1915450
View attachment 1915451
View attachment 1915452
View attachment 1915453
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,153
19,933
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

Another.hole

Greenie
Aug 28, 2012
12
10
Miami, FL
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030, E-Trac, Nautilus, Quatro
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
ok, here we go with some early sorting pics.... There are a lot of coils not pictured because they don't have names on them, or they were his own home made coils... and there are more machines and parts to sort through still.... These are some highlights....

View attachment 1915448 Bounty Hunter 1 and 2
View attachment 1915450
View attachment 1915451
View attachment 1915452
View attachment 1915453
Compass was my first detector. Saved my money from mowing lawns and bought it. maybe 1981 or so?
 

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