"I'll Give You 25%"

ToddsPoint

Gold Member
Mar 2, 2018
5,208
12,168
Todds Point, IL
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I stopped by and seen an old friend at his antique shop. When I mentioned metal detecting his eyes lit up. He pointed to an old house next to his shop. He bought it to use as storage. He said an old lady lived there who never used banks and stashed money in walls and buried it in the yard. I thought yeah, right. I've heard stories like that before. Looking at the house, she looked dirt poor to me. Anyway, he said to come and detect it and if I found buried money I could keep 25%. What? Only 25% and not 50/50? I almost felt insulted. Then I thought maybe I'm too greedy. After he said "25%", I didn't say yes or no. Hey, this kind of stuff could end a 45 yr. friendship! So, would you do it for 25% of any buried money?

What about any loose coins I find? I thought Charlie in NY had a good idea. Offer him any personal items and jewelry and keep any coins. Gary
 

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Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,003
17,106
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I'd take the 25%.

He bought the house so he already owns everything in it. Paying taxes, utilities and insuring it, too. Investment is all his.

You're getting 25% of whatever at no investment but your time.

So, tell him you'll charge $10/hr to hunt and then 25%/75% in the finds. That way you get something for your time if there is nothing to be found. ;-)
 

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dhog

Jr. Member
Feb 26, 2018
55
79
SW Va
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Garett ace 400 AT PRO Fisher F22
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
He owns a shop so he's a business man and is use to bargaining throw out a different number and terms and see what happens
 

RichieRich

Sr. Member
Mar 25, 2013
436
495
Meridian Id
Detector(s) used
Minelab SE, AT Pro Gold, White's IDX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Friendship = I'll help you out for nothing = "Hey, let's go play in your yard!"
Business = I get paid for my skills, knowledge, experience, time, and equipment = The clock ticks at an hourly rate, day rates available.
Friendship + Business = Run away, run away!

Long business relationships can lead to friendships - many of my friends are also business associates and partners. But it doesn't seem to work in the other direction, long friendship to a business arrangement. Old friends are hard to come by, so I'd opt out of endangering it over a horde, cache, or 76 cents and a rusty door hinge.

Well Said
 

sprailroad

Silver Member
Jan 19, 2017
2,577
3,979
Grants Pass, Oregon
Detector(s) used
Garrett A3B United States Gold Hunter, GTA 1000, AT Pro, Discovery Treasure Baron "Gold Trax", Minelab X-Terra 70, Safari, & EQ 800, & Nokta Marko Legend. EQ 900.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
25% of something maybe? is better than 100% of a for certain nothing. For having a opportunity to do something I love doing at a site like that? with the slim chance of finding a hidden "cache" for a 25% share? You bet I would. How often does something like that come along our way. Even more so when after all it's a hobby, not a vocation.
 

Jacza

Jr. Member
Apr 14, 2016
90
152
Detector(s) used
Makro Multi Kruzer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
25% is better than nothing, but with it you are also selling off your dignity. In Bavaria a finder must give 50% to the owner of the property, it's called "Hadrianische Teilung" (Hadrian's sharing).
 

against the wind

Gold Member
Jul 27, 2015
24,797
24,976
Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
E-trac, Excalibur, XP Deus, & CTX 3030.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well my friend,, here is one of my low end machines and a trowel. Go find 100% of the hidden goodies.
Don't break my machine and make sure I get it back clean
 

trdking

Gold Member
Feb 28, 2015
5,139
7,923
Fullerton CA
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030
AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
25% is A OK with me. Heck people are paying for the opportunity to dig old dirt.
Who cares Maybe 25% is worth thousands Then who would be complaining?
 

b3y0nd3r

Hero Member
Aug 27, 2011
982
1,172
Detector(s) used
ctx 3030 nokta impact Equinox 800
Tell him you usually would do it for 50%, but because you are friends you will do it for 35%. To be honest, accept any deal you can as 25% of something is better than 100% slice of nothing.

He did wrong you though. It should be 50/50. I wouldn't hold a grudge, just sever that friendship by not being available for non-money making activities with him.

VERY IMPORTANT: Before you start, sit down with him and make-up a contract and get it notarized. Tell him it's to protect both of you from outside interference(like local laws, or government regulations and taxes). But the real reason is so he doesn't screw you over. If you need help look online. Protect yourself. When it comes to money, sometimes family and friends will make poor decision.
 

diggummup

Gold Member
Jul 15, 2004
17,815
10,120
Somewhere in the woods
Detector(s) used
Whites M6
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'm telling you what I would have done versus the man in the antique shop, if it was my property and he was my friend. I would have offered him 50-50.
 

Escape

Bronze Member
Apr 4, 2009
1,643
1,881
Tell him 50 / 50 because were friends. When do you start tearing the walls and floor boards out of the house?
 

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