Full Time Metal Detecting???

[FloridaTreasureFinder]

Is it possible to live off of your metal detecting finds If you work full time at it?? I recently read a interesting blog about a guy in Australia that did a 30 day Challenge. To survive off of his metal detecting finds. He did have backup money coming in from his job. And he did manage to survive paying rent, expenses, etc.. with his finds. He worked about 5 days a week, approx 7 hrs a day. His name is Brad and this is his blog: http://metaldetectingchallenge.blogspot.com

In Australia they have $1, $2, type coins and he found many of them. And he also is a scuba diver and does recovery for people. That recovery money helped him alot during the month. He couldn't of made it without the recovery money.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knew of someone/anyone that actually does this full time, cashes in their finds, and actually is able to support themselves with the money from their finds? I think a person must have very low monthly expenses in order to even try such a thing??

Thank you,
Susan and my dogs Kelly & Tinky

[The Jersey DEvil]

Metal detecting is mainly & usually enjoyed as a hobby only. However, there are some detectorists that would like to do it full time, but is it possible to make a living just by metal detecting? You would really have to hit the big one, and that thought motivates a lot of detectorists. Just finding cool things like jewelry and old coins is enough to keep you "hooked."

Finding the time:
We hear some people sell their new detectors, right after they buy them. They bought them to try their luck at metal detecting and then realized they couldn't find the time.

Touching History:
What is it like to find a coin that was dropped a few centuries ago? The feeling can't be described, you have to experience it for yourself.

Conclusion:
Metal detecting is like fishing. If you practice a lot, you will become good at it and you'll start catching the bigger fish.

[Treasure_Hunter]

You probably could if you don't mind living in the back seat of your car or a cardboard box and eating out of the trash cans, but then it would not be a lot of fun, at least for me.....................There is a lot of competition from some very experienced hunters.............

[Sandman]

Of course, but it depends on your standard of living and if you could call that living. However you could make a lot more money by working part time at a fast food joint. Plus you can grab a Frence fry every once in a while for something to eat.

Add in marine salvage and you could by a stretch call that Treasure Hunting too.

[digluv]

Years ago I heard of one man who made a good living doing THing here in the U.S. I never knew him personally so who knows if the story was even true?

I'm thinking no, today in most cases it's not possible. The exception would be if one owns a totally unworked super treasure site but how often does this happen? Even then it will eventually play out.

Today you're doing well to cover your own basic costs in the hobby.

When young folks ask about finding loot with a detector I tell them to find loot via education and getting a good job with a future.

digluv

[Iron Patch]

Yes, but you'd have to be living in certain areas, finding certain targets, and most likely have a very inexpensive living arrangement. So I say possible but sure would put a lot of stress into something that should relieve it.

[FloridaTreasureFinder]

Thank you all for these very good answers. I guess there really isn't enough finds to cash in and keep a regular cash flow going. Like poker, it's a hard way to make a easy living!! lol. It's a very good and fun hobby that can bring extra cash. People will always be losing things, crimes will always happen (do some criminals try to stash their loot? and where?), some people still don't trust banks, etc.. I like the research part of metal detecting too.

ttyl, susan, kelly, tinky

[U.K. Brian]

I've been doing fine for many years. We have just had a month of non stop rain in the U.K. which made things difficult so I jumped ship and went to the Black Sea for a couple of weeks. When the ground finally freezes here again I'll be heading abroad to the sun for a month by which time the worse of the weather will be past.
There's quite a few detecting full time without having a pension or lottery win behind them but they don't want more competition than they already have.

[digluv]

I've been doing fine for many years. We have just had a month of non stop rain in the U.K. which made things difficult so I jumped ship and went to the Black Sea for a couple of weeks. When the ground finally freezes here again I'll be heading abroad to the sun for a month by which time the worse of the weather will be past.
There's quite a few detecting full time without having a pension or lottery win behind them but they don't want more competition than they already have.

It always amazes me how much some of you guys find over there. I've watched ebay over the years and have noticed a big drop in the going prices for many ancient artifacts due to so many being dug today. I recently purchased a dug and uncleaned Celtic bronze bracelet with FREE shipping for about $11. A couple years ago these would have been $50 or more maybe.

And the price of many common types of Roman coins has nearly bottomed out. The last batch of nearly perfect genuine 3rd-4th century bronzes (most with silvering) I got for about 50 cents each in an ebay auction. A few years ago these would have brought as much as $30 each.

I wonder how long the bargins will hold up?

[Iron Patch]

I've been doing fine for many years. We have just had a month of non stop rain in the U.K. which made things difficult so I jumped ship and went to the Black Sea for a couple of weeks. When the ground finally freezes here again I'll be heading abroad to the sun for a month by which time the worse of the weather will be past.
There's quite a few detecting full time without having a pension or lottery win behind them but they don't want more competition than they already have.

It always amazes me how much some of you guys find over there. I've watched ebay over the years and have noticed a big drop in the going prices for many ancient artifacts due to so many being dug today. I recently purchased a dug and uncleaned Celtic bronze bracelet with FREE shipping for about $11. A couple years ago these would have been $50 or more maybe.

And the price of many common types of Roman coins has nearly bottomed out. The last batch of nearly perfect genuine 3rd-4th century bronzes (most with silvering) I got for about 50 cents each in an ebay auction. A few years ago these would have brought as much as $30 each.

I wonder how long the bargins will hold up?

Same for a lot of things. It might improve a little if the enonomy picks up, but most things will never see the prices they once did.

[Silver Searcher]

I think you would have to be very good, lucky and put a lot of time in. Do the beaches in summer, the fields in winter, and be prepared to travel. I know of people who detect professionally here, Cru does to...but they ain't many. And as some have already said prices for finds have slumped, Saxon porcupine sceats fetched about £150 eight years ago, the same coin you can pick up know for about £40

SS

[FloridaTreasureFinder]

UK folks, wow, that is interesting. And the prices for stuff dropping. Yes. I was thinking if we get as many say gold rings as possible (lots of gold bling around here!!) and be able to melt it down. Gold is going for over $1100 an ounce now. Must have to find "alot" of gold bling jewelry to make some good cash. I was reading in these forums on a section about scrap metal, and such, and someone mentioned a good place to have your gold smelted and turned into cash. Midwest something. I took notes. So, that is something that would be nice. I think of all the cool dudes that like to "bling" themselves out, and may lose some of that. I found a mans ring and necklace at a beach in Clearwater a few years ago. Without a metal detector though. Just got luck and saw it sticking a tiny bit out of the sand. I grabbed it. It may be worth about $100-200 to sell. But add that with other gold to melt, and we should get more for it.

I was going to do some hunting while stuck at a truck stop all day yesterday in Ohio, but the ground I felt was too frozen for any good digging. I would have had to maneuver my coil around dog poop!! lol...Wow, what prime hunting grounds that is!! lol.

I will enjoy this hobby alot. My expenses are not too high right now, and will become even less in a few years time when I work of some small debts. I look forward to finding great stuff!! And I don't mind travelling also.

ttyl, skt (susan,kelly,tinky)

[U.K. Brian]

The trouble with looking at "finds" on E-Bay, coin or relic, is that a huge amount are out and out fakes. Genuine finds in good condition still fetch big money.
I dig more iron than most to get the gold many pass over. The plus side is you also find spears, arrow heads, keys etc and anything that makes a good display will always be worth having.

[U.K. Brian]

I think its Midwest Refinery your thinking about. They are supposed to pay a fair rate.....meanwhile on British television this morning they had a bag of gold rings/scrap gold and it was valued at £300. It was sent to some of the major gold buyers in this country and one offered £60, another £62 so you would get about a fifth of the true value. Rip off Britain rules!

[TXPIRATE]

I would say there or some Prospecters that make a good living. But with just ever day treasure hunting it would be hard to do. But I still dream.

[Dan Hughes]

Listen to my podcast #025 at http://thetreasurecorner.com. It's all about the chances of making a living with your metal detector.

Just scroll down to the program and click the pink button to listen to it on your computer.

[FloridaTreasureFinder]

Hi UK Brian and Dan Hughes. Nice wall of keys! wow! I like the different styles. Dan, I recently found your podcast and will make sure I listen to #25 and of course, all the others. Very good. Thank you.
Susan,Kelly,Tinky

[GibH]

I think it would be possible to make a living doing it, but not practical. If you get sick, no income. Two weeks of driving rain, no income. Too many ways to lose. Of course if you lived in a cave.......

[U.K. Brian]

Think negative and keep pumping gas and parking cars. What you should think is that a beach strips and instead of missing it your the one who stays for a few days and clears the area out. A farmer ploughs a productive field and you park your camper on the edge and work it till the next crop goes in....which is not very long nowdays.
We have just had weeks of none stop rain. I got fed up with getting soaked each day so picked up a cheap flight to the Black Sea. When the ground here finally freezes its back to the sun again.

Mel Fisher had an exciting and financially productive life....he could have stayed on his chicken farm !

[FloridaTreasureFinder]

I think it would be possible to make a living doing it, but not practical. If you get sick, no income. Two weeks of driving rain, no income. Too many ways to lose. Of course if you lived in a cave.......

Alas Matey! (lol), I hear ya bro. But I've got a plan for the down days. I like to say to my friends, Treasure hunt by day, Ebay by night!. I have several other ways of pulling in income during any down times. Problem with trucking is "I'm stuck in this dang truck!!". And not making any money other than what I can do on ebay from the truck (ebooks, zazzle, etc). I am feeling a very strong need to "get out and produce". To take charge of my financial opportunities. Instead of a trucking co telling me no loads today, check back tomorrow. At home, there will always be ways for me to make cash.

Trucking used to be a good source of income. But they are going to rail more often now, plus the economy wiped out many of our customers. We are hauling mostly food products (and beer, of course) now. So my trucking income is barely over min wage and that bothers me, and many other truckers out here.

I have been feeling very strongly lately that it is "Time for a Change". When times were good, I socked away cash to live on. Now I can use that savings, and hit my home biz hard. And md'ing will be fun and I'm sure I can make some cash doing it. I plan to hit md'ing pretty hard too. Because it's there, and I will have the opportunity.

Right now, I'm parked in Illinois, battling a high wind and snow storm. I can't drive with the high winds so I'm just sitting here. Till tomorrow when the winds die down. I am thankful that I have my sprint evdo aircard and some internet coverage.

ttyl, skt