Bought paydirt on ebay 5 pounds only .12 grams, is this normal ?

[GoldMine21]

I bought for the first time paydirt. It was 5 pounds of Whiskey Petes Gold on ebay. I paid $27.75 for the 5 pounds and was super excited. I expected to get at least 10 dollars worth in gold but I only had .12 grams of gold. I sluiced it and panned it about 10 times. I couldn't believe how little was in there. I know paydirt is for learning experiences, but is this normal for 5 pounds of paydirt for that price ? He has such good reviews I assumed it would be good dirt. Is .12 grams a lot for 5 pounds of paydirt bought online ? Can you recommend anyone that has better paydirt ? Like I said I know its for learning experiences, but I still expected a bit more than that, or is this normal ?

 

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[BagLady]

Maybe you could write them and ask?
If I were ordering pay dirt, I don't think I'd go to e-bay. There are quite a few sites you can google.
I think it may be a case of, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is"..
I'm sure some of the sponsers here probably sell pay dirt?

I ordered pay dirt from a GPAA forum member on a gold forum once, I think I paid $15. I didn't get
any gold, but I sure did get the post office in a tizzy!! The bag in the box had leaked water, and they didn't know what to do,
so they opened a corner of it and saw gravel. They called me wanting me to go to town and pick it up.
I couldn't make it but I caught up with our mail carrier and told him what it was, and would he deliver it, so he did.
I had to open it in front of him to prove it was just river gravel!
We both had a laugh over that.

 

[vpnavy]

I searched Google and found a number of EBay Sellers selling Whiskey Pete's PayDirt for a lot cheaper. Heck - the first hit was 5 pounds for $18 "buy now." I then jumped over to the buyer's comments like "very good pay dirt," "definitely had gold but so small I had to use magnifiers," etc. The point is always review buyers comments before you buy - it is a great indication of what you are going to get.

 

[stephen583]

Unfortunately your experience is not unique. I've been a prospector for over 30 years, and I've seen a whole lot of theft and larceny perpetrated on unwitting, honest folk by unscrupulous businesses and scoundrels. Yes. I have bought "pay dirt" with no gold in it. I bought it at a reputable nationwide "outdoors" store in Colorado,, believing a store with a reputation of standing behind quality products wouldn't have anything to do with a "shady" company. Yeah, right !

Seeding, or dropping gold into the pan of an unwitting victim is also very common. Pay to pan operations across the country employ this deception routinely to keep tourists engaged in panning. Criminals also use this devise to trick those stricken with "Gold Fever" into investing thousands of dollars into mining equipment they never intend to buy, nor does their land contain any gold. These thieves are usually well known to local law enforcement authorities and are ignored, even befriended by some.

There is also a ton of gimmicky mining equipment advertised on the internet that is either astronomically overpriced, or makes untruthful claims about their product. Take for instance the popular product "Clay-B-Gone", which does dissolve clay, but as I am about to prove is way overpriced. Just out of curiosity, I contacted the archeology department of Tulane University and asked them what they used to emulsify and remove clay from artifacts. All it takes is a simple mixture containing a fee ion of hydrogen and a free ion of fluoride. I asked him, "Where do you find those" He replied, "take a gallon of water, squirt a tube of fluoride toothpaste into it, and add a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Cost ? Around $2 dollars a gallon. Compare that to the cost of an 8 ounce bottle of "Clay-B-Gone".

Production sluices are also a rip-off. For a prospecting sluice, I simply use what is referred to as a "poop tube" sluice. It's just a common ribbed plastic piece of irrigation/landscaping/sewer pipe sold at Walmart for about $3 dollars a foot (sawed in half). For better stability you can glue this into a rigged piece of 1/8th inch PVC (sawed in half of the same length). This works as good, or better than any Keen sluice I ever bought. It also has the added advantage of being super-lite and not being bulky.. which is critical for back country excursions.

Expensive classifiers sold on the internet are also unnecessary. You can find alternative classifiers in the kitchen department of any size, both in metal and plastic, in any Dollar Store in the country. Cost ? About $2 dollars apiece.

Looking for an inexpensive way to separate black sand from gold without spending too much ? It's called "Winnowing", and all you buy is a piece of sturdy canvass. The classified dirt is dried in the sun, and a small quantity is then placed in the middle of the canvass and flipped into a breezy wind. The lighter black sand blows away, and the gold falls back onto the canvass. That's how the Ole' Timers used to do it. Again, the folded up canvass has the advantage of being portable and it allows you to work in the field, instead of transporting the heavy, bulky, unseparated material in buckets back to the house. Which in my opinion is as important as the low cost. The canvass is also a "dual" use item around camp. You can use it to haul your food up between two trees as a precaution against marauding bears and raccoons at night.

If you are going into the wild country, I recommend you buy a small spray can of WD-40. It is a wonderful product. Cost ? About $2 dollars. Sprayed into a gold pan, it will lubricate and help separate fine gold from other material just as efficiently as high priced internet products of the same ilk. If you sprain an ankle (not uncommon in rough country and around creeks) it can be used to relieve the pain. It penetrates and removes moisture. I use it for arthritis as well. Your clothes and tent zippers won't get stuck anymore, and with a lit bic lighter in front of it.. It makes a heck of a standoff weapon in a pinch. WD-40 contains ether and is highly flammable. Even on the dampest, or coldest day.. your fire starting aggravations are over. I've even sprayed it on hooks as bait (the trail of oil attracts catfish, a trick I learned in Louisiana, and a useful survival strategy). It also works as a temporary emergency substitute for gun oil if you need to clean your gun after firing it.

The one internet product I whole heartedly endorse are "Razor Hog" gold mats. I've used them for years to construct my own sluice boxes, and they are absolutely incredible and work as advertised. They've really turned the gold mat into a science. !00 percent recovery ! Particularly on fine flour gold. Their web site is very informative, and explains the science of hydrology and why their mat outperforms their competitors. The mats are also affordably priced, which in my view is very generous on the part of the owners of the company, who could be charging a whole lot more for an excellent product.

Just thought you could use some helpful advise from an Old prospector. Good Luck Friend.

 

[Hoser John]

WD 40 in a pan=insanity as oil based product-John

 

[Goodyguy]

I bought for the first time paydirt. It was 5 pounds of Whiskey Petes Gold on ebay. I paid $27.75 for the 5 pounds and was super excited. I expected to get at least 10 dollars worth in gold but I only had .12 grams of gold. I sluiced it and panned it about 10 times. I couldn't believe how little was in there. I know paydirt is for learning experiences, but is this normal for 5 pounds of paydirt for that price ? He has such good reviews I assumed it would be good dirt. Is .12 grams a lot for 5 pounds of paydirt bought online ? Can you recommend anyone that has better paydirt ? Like I said I know its for learning experiences, but I still expected a bit more than that, or is this normal ?

Do not buy paydirt !!!
I repeat DO NOT BUY PAYDIRT !!!

Buying paydirt is a potential rip off no matter whom you buy from. (they sell it to make a profit)
No seller of paydirt will ever put $27 worth of gold into a $27 dollar bag of dirt.

Buy $27 worth of gold and put it in the dirt yourself. You get your moneys worth that way.
Best practice there is because you know exactly how much gold went in to see if you recover it all.
Plus you will never feel taken advantage of.

Go for the Gold
GG~

 

[deserdog]

Hoser, I was about to say the same thing!!!! Plus no way a poop tube can compete with a regular sluice, if the operator knows what they are doing.

I have sold some "paydirt" before. How I make mine is just take sluice concentrates, rough pan to get the light stuff out, make sure that there is gold, and then dry it. But I don't sell it at a high price. And I tell them where it is from.

 

[Goldwasher]

wd 40 in a gold pan...DO NOT DO THAT!

poop tube better than a Keene. No way if it won't take a shovel it isn't for production.

If you want to buy paydirt get it from the vendor that advertises here.

The weight of the dirt doesn't matter don't get caught up in that. You are buying gold with dirt around it. Buy from amazon. read the reviews. Guys stuck in midwest garages have been very good about calculating the ROI.
Don't expect more than 50% it is a retail product. One of the few that you can keep for decades and actually gain value. Try to buy from someone that does bonus bags.
many people who want to pan just want to try it. Most concessions are a great experience for young and old alike. Its a good way to start the fever.

I'm located right next to Coloma if you go to the panning place in the state park it's $7.00 to scrape in the trough and have a museum docent help you figure out what pyrite, amethyst and quartz look like, And occasionally get more than one flake. They have a sign beginners only

If you come to my shop It's $ 8.99 you get a real panning lesson from a pro, you are also going to leave with at least 1/10 of a gram of +30 gold and pyrite, amethyst, ruby rough, sunstone emerald rough, and a smile. Also free advice on local places open to check out and pan.
Different types of paydirt are available for more with more gold and harder to pan gold smaller than 30 mesh for those that want to pan later or gift to someone. Shop around read the reviews. I also advise against ebay sellers unless they are a store that just happens to use ebay as one of their outlets.
I dig my own inventory so I don't have to buy gold to sell that does affect what I can sell it for.

 

[Goldwasher]

Do not buy paydirt !!!
I repeat DO NOT BUY PAYDIRT !!!

Buying paydirt is a rip off no matter whom you buy from.
No seller of paydirt will ever put $27 worth of gold into a $27 dollar bag of dirt.

Buy $27 worth of gold and put it in the dirt yourself. You get your moneys worth that way.
Best practice there is because you know how much gold went in to see if you recover it all.

Go for the Gold
GG~

not every one that does it is ripping you off goodyguy. If you buy $27 dollars in gold you are not getting $27 dollars in gold. If you take a gram to a jeweler right now you will get about 27 bucks. If you go into the same jewler and ask to buy a gram of gold you will pay between 35 and 40 depending on the size of the gold.

People, prospectors,miners what ever you want to call them always hate on paydirt. They can go dig their own gold. Most spend way more than 27 bucks a gram to do so.

I sure as heck don't but it has taken years and dedication to get to that point.

Paydirt is not going away the demand has increased over the last few years even. People like the surprise it's just the way it is.

 

[Goodyguy]

not every one that does it is ripping you off goodyguy. If you buy $27 dollars in gold you are not getting $27 dollars in gold. If you take a gram to a jeweler right now you will get about 27 bucks. If you go into the same jewler and ask to buy a gram of gold you will pay between 35 and 40 depending on the size of the gold.

People, prospectors,miners what ever you want to call them always hate on paydirt. They can go dig their own gold. Most spend way more than 27 bucks a gram to do so.

I sure as heck don't but it has taken years and dedication to get to that point.

Paydirt is not going away the demand has increased over the last few years even. People like the surprise it's just the way it is.

Except of course when the surprise is one like the original poster experienced or the ones who came up empty handed.
Not really hating on paydirt sellers, everyone has to make a living.
My hat is off to you for your honesty in telling buyers that they are paying 50 percent more for their gold for surprise value.

Yes you pay a little more than spot price when buying gold but you know exactly what you are getting up front.
Beats over paying by 50 % or even more from a paydirt seller in my opinion.

I'm aware that selling paydirt is here to stay, but I wanted to share my thoughts with someone who obviously wanted some sound advice.
The other advice I have is don't buy from a jeweler if they charge more than spot + 10 percent.

Today a gram of 24K is worth 39.78
It's not only the amount of gold in the bag but it's purity that makes the value. Not counting the surprise value of course.



GG~

 

[Underburden]

If I was on a claim and I panned just 5 pounds of dirt and got .12 grams of gold, I'd say that's a pretty darn good claim.

 

[mikep691]

I didn't actually "sell" my paydirt from my claim, I just packaged it and sent to some friends for the price of the flat rate box. I also made no claims of gold in the samples, and as it turned out, there wasn't a lot of gold in the material. One sample however did have a nice picker in it. Brian, AKA AGP, was kind enough to video his sample, and he got that picker. I may do this again this summer. I may package any size flat rate box, with gravels straight off the bedrock of my claim. This is not for profit, and no warranty of any given amount of gold. It is what it is in each sample. While still a few months away from mining season in the Northern Sierras, if you're interested, send me a PM.

 

[mikep691]

If I was on a claim and I panned just 5 pounds of dirt and got .12 grams of gold, I'd say that's a pretty darn good claim.

I have to agree. We work hard for a gram or two each weekend of mining. Barely pays for the beer, but we wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

[Kenmitch]

OP....You did good compared to the Hoffman crew! Under Toads rule they run tons of dirt with little to no gold most of the time!

Buy paydirt for practicing with similar dirt found in gold bearing areas, not for the return. You got 5lbs of practice dirt, maybe just buy a gram of gold in various mesh sizes? You could always just cut up and smash some lead to different sizes when practicing or testing equipment. Lead isn't as pretty as gold but it'll act similar in the pan.

 

[Goldwasher]

Except of course when the surprise is one like the original poster experienced.
Not really hating on paydirt sellers, everyone has to make a living.

Yes you pay a little more than spot price when buying gold but you know exactly what you are getting up front.
Beats paying 50 % or even more from a paydirt seller.

I'm aware that selling paydirt is here to stay, but I wanted to share my thoughts with someone who obviously wanted some sound advice.
The other advice I have is don't buy from a jeweler if they charge more than spot + 10 percent.

Today a gram of 24K is worth 39.78

GG~

Placer isn't 24k buying placer from anyone that isn't the person that dug it means you are pretty much committed to paying spot or over for gold that is worth way less. if you go try to buy a gram of 24k you will pay more than spot.

heres a half gram for 50 bucks.https://www.amazon.com/Half-Gram-Ca...487521463&sr=8-2&keywords=placer+gold+nuggets That is right in line with paydirt prices for reputable sellers. that do tell you what you will get.

i do not recommend buying from anyone who calls it "unsearched"

Dirthogg is a sponsoring vendor and they tell you what you are paying for.

Like I said don't get caught up on the weight of the dirt. find a seller that tells you how much gold your buying. They are out there.

 

[Goodyguy]

Placer isn't 24k buying placer from anyone that isn't the person that dug it means you are pretty much committed to paying spot or over for gold that is worth way less. if you go try to buy a gram of 24k you will pay more than spot.

heres a half gram for 50 bucks.https://www.amazon.com/Half-Gram-Ca...487521463&sr=8-2&keywords=placer+gold+nuggets That is right in line with paydirt prices for reputable sellers. that do tell you what you will get.

i do not recommend buying from anyone who calls it "unsearched"

Dirthogg is a sponsoring vendor and they tell you what you are paying for.

Like I said don't get caught up on the weight of the dirt. find a seller that tells you how much gold your buying. They are out there.

A half gram for $50.00

Here is a half gram of placer with free shipping for $26.75
Beats the twelfth of a gram that the op got for $27.75 ...... Just sayin'



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alaskan-Yuk...024275?hash=item1ea9841413:g:2c0AAOSwAuZX1dzR

 

[nh.nugget]

I have found out that even if you only got .12 grams, had fun doing it. It's still more gold than you had.

 

[N-Lionberger]

spay some wd40 in your pan and on your ankles.

 

[Davers]

A very informative Post, lots to learn .

I'm close to some Gold Bearing areas here in N Ga, so I 'may' give it a try sometime.

 

[Tuolumne]

Anyone who sells paydirt is a crook, including people in this forum

Just make your own pay dirt. You can go to any pawn shop in Sacramento and they will sell 22k placer for under spot like 92%

Only reason to buy pay dirt is to give it away a present