Has your metal detector paid for itself yet?

[GrizLeeBear]

Has it and if so, how long did it take? Was it one big find, or a number of small ones?

Mine has and it took about six months. I had one find that paid about half and then several small ones that put me over the top.

I am sure many new to this hobby will be curious.

 

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[lakeerie4ever]

No not yet just got my Xterra 705

 

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[spartacus53]

You mean I can breathe now? OK thanks

Hmmm, if I were out for a day and only came back with $0.11 cents and 2 golf balls, I'd hold my breath until I passed out, but then again, that's just me

 

[heathgeo]

Not yet... I'm only up .52 so I have a long ways to go :-)
But I bet if I saved all of the aluminum cans and pull tabs I have dug up I could have most of it paid off lol !!!

 

[bill from lachine]

Folks,

Paid about $500 for my everyday machine.....over 5 years probably came up with about $3500 in clad, gold and silver....just dump the clad and save or give away some of the jewelry.

The fresh air and exercise is what it's all about.....oh yeah that's about 500 hours per season so at $1.50 per hour nobody's getting rich....lol

Regards + HH

Bill

 

[Sandman]

I started with a BFO detector which I can't remember the name of and it never did pay for the batteries. Second MD was a Bobcat and that paid for itself by keeping me out of bars and pool halls. After that is was water hunting and that paid for my detector, and motor home in one year at the east coast beaches. Most fun you can have with your clothes on.....

 

[Twinkletoes]

Hmmm, if I were out for a day and only came back with $0.11 cents and 2 golf balls, I'd hold my breath until I passed out, but then again, that's just me

Well OK! If you say so. Holding my breath until...I...pass...o...u.......t........

 

[Digging Deeper]

I have had a lot of fun with my new machine. I have a job, I don't care if I ever pay for it. This hobby can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want it to be. As long as you get a little excitement with a good find that's all that matters. Those guys on Diggers are the only two I have seen make a living swinging a coil. That said it will take me years to recover the cost of the V3i, but I keep it all. I sometimes give things I find away, but not much unless it goes to the owner. Good luck, keep digging.

a day without pull tabs is like a day without sunshine.

 

[tmanfromtexas]

My Ace 250 paid for itself the first year in clad. The Tesoro Cortez didnt but traded up to a F75 which found an 18k diamond and garnet ring that would have paid for the F75 and the Cortez had I sold it. I traded the F75 in on an etrac and with in 2 years it and the sunray probe were paid for. Now its all gravy but I need to get back to detecting. I havent in a while and am in a good spot I think to find some good stuff. TMAN...

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

Yep, and that's all I'm saying.

 

[Firewolf]

Hmm so far one silver quarter, 50 cents, and some junk. a axe head. Nope just don't tell the wife.

scurvy, a friend of mine came up with a great idea for the wife issue. Any time she is along, keep one of the new gold dollars in your pocket, and every few finds throw that in also. She will think yu have paid for it long already :-)

HH

Phil

 

[fistfulladirt]

You can make money doing this?

 

[Dirt.Is.Good.4U]

Not even close.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[63bkpkr]

Pay as in dollars and cents? With the 6000D I found silver and gold, clad, bullets, brass sprinkler heads and I know I used some of the clad to purchase accessories for the machine. The XLT, no but that is my fault as I got busy with work and did not take time to detect in town. I expect to change that attitude very shortly. The GMT is close in gold I've found 'over the years'.

In relaxation, adventures, the thrill of the find, stories to tell and share, new places to see and doing stuff I'd never had done if I hadn't had the detector to guide me well of course they've all paid for themselves and then some.

But Grizz you know that already!..............63bkpkr

 

[GrizLeeBear]

Pay as in dollars and cents? With the 6000D I found silver and gold, clad, bullets, brass sprinkler heads and I know I used some of the clad to purchase accessories for the machine. The XLT, no but that is my fault as I got busy with work and did not take time to detect in town. I expect to change that attitude very shortly. The GMT is close in gold I've found 'over the years'.

In relaxation, adventures, the thrill of the find, stories to tell and share, new places to see and doing stuff I'd never had done if I hadn't had the detector to guide me well of course they've all paid for themselves and then some.

But Grizz you know that already!..............63bkpkr

Roger that!

 

[Ism]

I think it all depends on what and where you hunt (I focus on turf jewelry). The value of items found with my Vaquero and Deus have paid for all my detectors, but expendatures getting there, etc. are not included.
I net about $2/hr hunt clad at 2-3 hrs a day but made as much as minimum wage. Never went for a whole day and don't know how some people here do it. When I think about the overtime I've turned down in the summer, you could say detecting has cost me thousands. I don't regret a minute, it's my zen moment and I guess one couldn't put a price on that.

 

[G.I.B.]

TN members: Yeah, I've paid for my machines over the years. I have a hard time letting go of the gold though, unless one of the kids finds a ring that fits...

IRS: Nope- haven't found nothing. A total loss.

 

[EC.Mason]

I think mine has paid for itself. I have a Garrett Ace 250 which cost about $250. Ive found a Civil War Brass Eagle breast plate, as well as musket balls, a gold ring, countless modern change and other odds and ends. But the enjoyment from just detecting is priceless. Im about to upgrade detectors so I will be in the hole again financially at least for awhile.

 

[donb0078]

i have the whites sl II is it junk? and no it hasn't paided for itself yet I bought it new a long time ago back then it was in the 400.00 range lol

 

[TheOldMan]

Most folks don't factor in the cost of travel, batteries etc when detecting. You will more than pay for your detecting as a quality of life activity . . fresh air, less stress, good exercise etc. As for paying for it in a tangable way one will likely come out far ahead by instead flipping burgers at McD's. There are some exceptions to that rule. The exceptions are the search for and recovery of jewery items - the beach hunters have the best odds of coming out ahead in the profit angle. In the old days of coinshooting with plentiful items to find and living expenses much more cheaper one could take a week long vacation trip and have a reasonable chance of paying for the expenses while detecting. Go for the silver and gold if need is a profit. . .otherewise enjoy the activity while not worrying about everything.

 

[heathgeo]

Yeah I'd be happy if it at least covered the cost of batteries lol
But such is not the case yet...
Springs almost here though so keeping my fingers crossed..