3 Strange Older detectors

Baldingboy

Bronze Member
May 17, 2007
2,240
34
Southeast Missouri
Detector(s) used
Minelab SE Professional with 6" Coil
Since I have started metal detecting, I think I have had better luck finding detectors than treasure sometimes. :D

Here are the five (Yes 5) detectors I have gathered at very little cost over the last 9 months!

The Explorer II and XLT are my workhorses, but the other 3 I don't know much about. Does anyone else? Amazingly, they all three work. One was a dumpster dive that had cobwebs in it and when cleaned out, it worked. I bought another at a garage sale for $5 and the third I was given by a guy that I work with. Amazing how you come by these things. Anyway, let me know if you have any info on these three. Any value to old electronics like this? Cool anyway, even if there is no monetary value. I appreciate your comments.


Here they all are. Like I said, I know plenty about the Exp II and XLT. These others are unfamiliar though:

100_3882.jpg

100_3883.jpg

A Ray Jefferson Model 200 with an aluminum coil??!! Thats just crazy. It works though!

100_3887.jpg

100_3889.jpg

Have you ever heard of a Micronta 4003 VLF or a Sensor Model 4000? I haven't.

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Thanks for the information! HH and Merry Christmas.

Baldingboy
 

EasyMoney

Sr. Member
Sep 15, 2007
476
7
Sweet Home, Oregon
Detector(s) used
Primarily my Fisher cz-70 and Compass Relic & Coin, plus many others
The Treasure Sensor is a TR and has a very high pitched tone. The green machine appears to be an Ace 100 or 200 copy, maybe made in S. or Central America, but is actually a metal/mineral detector coming from the early 70's, maybe 1972. . It may be a keeper for mineral identifications.. The Mocronta is the $20 special and the Treasure Sensor should operate a bit better than the Micronta.
 

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
I saw a.Micronta 4001 f0r.$7.00 on EBAY And a Micronta 4003 for $2.50.............A lot of Ray Jefferson radios on EBAY all older......................And 1 Treasure Sensor manual by Brinkman on EBAY......==Jim==
 

OP
OP
Baldingboy

Baldingboy

Bronze Member
May 17, 2007
2,240
34
Southeast Missouri
Detector(s) used
Minelab SE Professional with 6" Coil
EasyMoney said:
The Treasure Sensor is a TR and has a very high pitched tone. The green machine appears to be an Ace 100 or 200 copy, maybe made in S. or Central America, but is actually a metal/mineral detector coming from the early 70's, maybe 1972. . It may be a keeper for mineral identifications.. The Mocronta is the $20 special and the Treasure Sensor should operate a bit better than the Micronta.

I noticed the Treasure Sensor is a good detector. I have it dialed in and it really works well.
 

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
...It looks like Ray Jefferson was more in to Marine Radio's and mabe mineing. ==Jim==
 

dazoff

Sr. Member
Aug 7, 2007
321
3
Lower Mainland Vancouver,BC
Detector(s) used
To many to say
The Ray Jefferson is made in the USA Philly,PA they went out of business I think in the 80s was a good name. The Micronta I think is a radio shack brand, the other I don't know. Ray Jefferson machines are watched for by some who collect. Its the only one there that would be collectable early 70s TR . The other 2 no one would look at. If you have an interest in vintage this link is good for information.http://members6.boardhost.com/classicdetector/index.html?1172512320

Dan
 

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
Gypsy Elf said:
Gosh...I thought this thread was going to be about three old men.... ::)
..................It was trying to remember the good old days. ::) ;) 8)...............==Jim==
 

gmanlight

Hero Member
Jun 17, 2007
823
66
MA NH seacoast
Detector(s) used
what ever works
WOW i have the treasure sensor in my cellar got for xmas when i was 12-ish

that would make it 30-ish years old it worked ok did not use it long

Did not like to be seen detecting, to bad more to find in the good old days

Now i dont give a rats a&& but my 15 y.o son just laughs when i ask him to go out

Thanks for pics
 

Mat in MA

Full Member
Feb 8, 2008
201
20
Central Massachusetts
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Silver µMax, DetectorPro Head Hunter Wader, White's MXT, Garrett GTA500, White's Bullseye II pin pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Micronta 4003 VLF

Wow, those are some old units. I owned the Micronta 4003 VLF. It's a Radio Shack detector. I found my first coin with a unit like that. The depth was terrible as it only went down 1" to 2" deep. It eventually broke and I tossed it out, but it was a fun starting detector. :D
 

Mark S.

Sr. Member
Jan 25, 2005
331
20
The RayJefferson is definetely in the collectible category. That one looks to be in really great shape. Better than the one I have in my collection. Far as value goes there is no set amount for older units. It is whatever someone is willing to pay at the time. They sometimes go for $10 and sometimes for $100. The average is in the range of $25 to $50. There are so many brands and models and so few collectors that the they are not exactly an investment opportunity.

I do not recall the time frame for the Ray Jefferson. I will look it up and post it when I find it. I do have a couple magazine ads and I believe I have an instruction manual.

Mark S.
 

Joe(TX)

Hero Member
Aug 21, 2008
612
39
Georgia
Detector(s) used
Old School
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
.........The Ray Jefferson is a pre-discriminator so it would date from the late 1960's to about 1973 or so!!.....................The treasure Sensor is a TR discriminator and would date from the late 1970's!!................................Joe
 

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,124
9,688
Moonlight and Magnolias
🥇 Banner finds
4
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, Whites DualField PI, Fisher 1266-X and Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Take our buddy RAY out to the bean fields and let him dig up a good find or two. The post about it in the Nautilus forum.
 

Gregmid40

Jr. Member
Mar 20, 2013
52
9
Advance, NC.
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter VLF/TR 840, Tesoro Tejon, Bounty Hunter Time Ranger, Fisher 1225,1260,1265,1266,1270X, Garrett Freedom Ace CDC, MP Series MP5 Pro, Garrett Coin Hunter TR Disc. (1978), Mikron NRG-110, De
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hello Baldingboy, the two detector pictures at the bottom of your post are; on the left, a Radio Shack Micronta 4003, and on the right is a Brinkmann Treasure Sensor 4000 from about 1976. I have, and have used the Brinkmann and it is a very accurate pinpointer as it is a non-motion, non-discriminate Transmit/Receive-type detector so it basically works in an all-metal mode. It can go down to around 9" on quarter-sized objects so it still will hold it's own against a lot of the lower-priced modern VLF-type detector models. Only one drawback though, you will dig some trash items as well as good items. In the olden days, they generally used to 'dig it all' anyways and actually did find more good finds because they didn't have to deal with the phenomenon called coin-masking. Basically meaning to say, when going over a trash object with a modern detector with the 'disc.' feature on, the detector eliminates the trash along with a good target right next to it. The discrimination feature was in it's infancy in the mid 70's. Name brands like Garrett, Whites, Fisher and Bounty Hunter started designing disc.-type detectors around this same time period. Ive heard that the vintage Micronta 4003 detector can go down to around 8" as well but the 'Ground' and 'Tune' knobs have to be adjusted right to accomplish this.
 

dirdy fingers

Newbie
Feb 23, 2015
2
2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I just recently bought a Micronta 4003 but the RED BUTTON on the handle was broke.it was there but nuthing under it.i dont know if there is a spring that makes the button make contact and with what ?
 

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Joe(TX)

Hero Member
Aug 21, 2008
612
39
Georgia
Detector(s) used
Old School
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Dirdy Fingers.....there is a wire behind the Red Button.....if it can not be seen it has retracted back into the handle.
 

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