Detectorists Against Treasure Themed Shows!

[dirtdigger1581]

A positive is that by summer time this year we will all have the detectors of our dreams!

FOLLOW MY TIMELINE:

Noobies and fad-followers will watch Diggers....
They will go out and buy metal detectors sure to find The Holy Grail and a buried gold chest...
They will buy the detector to their hobby's spending level (F2's to V3i's)...
Manufacturers and dealers will reap the windfall...
Manufacturers will spend more on better tech, more R&D, better materials, etc...
They will go out a few times and finally realize it takes patience, skill, and knowing your machine...
They will quit out of frustration because it 'was not that easy'...
Ebay will be filled with detectors for pennies on the dollars hoping to recoup some of their investment...
We, the real detectorists, will be the winners in the end...

That's just my 2-cents from 15+ years in the marketing/sales/and business management field...

One thing that I did like that they did on Diggers last night.
They actually did, multiple times say 'we were invites', 'we got permission', and the message at the end warning people TO get permission and follow laws...

 

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[pl8man]

I loved the show ! It's two guys having fun with their hobby . I have seen their old videos on YouTube and they act just the same . When I go hunting with my friends we do some goofy things and have goofy names for finds . When we find a large silver ring we call it a chunker .
I guess I don't take life so serious . I have sold items I have found and given back items when I find the owner . I love this hobby and enjoy watching other have fun doing it to
HH
Glen

 

[dirtdigger1581]

I loved the show ! It's two guys having fun with their hobby . I have seen their old videos on YouTube and they act just the same . When I go hunting with my friends we do some goofy things and have goofy names for finds . When we find a large silver ring we call it a chunker .
I guess I don't take life so serious . I have sold items I have found and given back items when I find the owner . I love this hobby and enjoy watching other have fun doing it to
HH
Glen

 

[JW15]

Give me a break with all the here

I love when hobbyists talk about saving history and yet hold on the the item themselves. I guess it's displayed in a trophy chest, or a shadow box for their personal enjoyment

As far as valuables go, yes it is the right thing to return an item if possible, but many items will have no ID whatsoever. Once the item is yours, it's yours to do as you please with it. Sell it, pawn it, melt it down, save it in bags, or put it in a pile and stare at it

Most are in the hobby for one, or two reasons. Bottom line is that it's for personal gain, end of story

I stated saving history, you of course have a right to your opinion and have some valid points but respectfully, you don't have to be insulting in the process. I have a display case, I teach my family and friends the history behind my finds giving them an appreciation of history. I've spent quite a bit of cash towards the preservation of my finds and haven't sold a single thing although if I want to I will. I plan to leave most of my collection to my family after I'm gone with the hope that it will be passed through the generations for many to learn from and enjoy. I really don't care if anyone finds that funny or not because I agree with what you essentially said, I found it and it's mine to do with as I please. Besides, when you find something and clean it up you "saved" it from further corrosion/decomposition and/or being destroyed by developers so it' kind of a loose term. I'm not trying to start an argument or offend you here, I'm just trying to make a point about my perspective/beliefs as a history buff. Peace out and HH

 

[Buff4]

Just finished watching both episodes, and was not impressed at all. Not saying that I won't give it a few more chances to actually become a USEFULL show on detecting. Sure they weren't digging on the White house lawn, but the was one manicured site that they were hacking. If it was more of a documentary type show (glad it's not), instead of a reality BS show, it may have a chance to survive. I have no worries about thousands of people running out to buy detectors based on this show, and if they did.... they would soon quit. A 1918 wheatie...big deal, maybe a 1922D or 1909S VDB yeah I agree on the excitement. And like one of the earlier posts mentioned, most of the items they supposedly sold was trash. They are probably very nice guys, who are experienced hunters, but on a scale of 1 to 10, it gets a 4 from me. And oh yeah..... you archies don't like it, why don't you spend your time on more important things like Archeology sites and do something worthwhile, jealous snobs.

 

[spartacus53]

I stated saving history, you of course have a right to your opinion and have some valid points but respectfully, you don't have to be insulting in the process.

Insulting JW15, I just happen to point out many of the hypocrisies with a 'tad' of sarcasm I just like to point out what is obvious to me.

I'm a big history buff too and what you're doing is commendable, my post was a generality. There are many here that will not agree with what I've said, but that's OK too.. As I see it people are trying to turn a simple and enjoyable hobby into a cult, or religion. It's nice to have a passion about something, but no need to go overboard like we're saving the world..

Here's a good example of a insulting/sarcastic reply fully detailing the hypocrisy.. Someone finds the Beale Treasure.. Do you really think they will make any mention of this to save history Would you I doubt many, if anyone would..

That my dear friend will be a piece of history you will never hear about and the findings will be sold off, melted down, etc in some fashion.

So much for our ethics in detecting, it's only good to a certain degree.

 

[lookindown]

I loved the show ! It's two guys having fun with their hobby . I have seen their old videos on YouTube and they act just the same . When I go hunting with my friends we do some goofy things and have goofy names for finds . When we find a large silver ring we call it a chunker .
I guess I don't take life so serious . I have sold items I have found and given back items when I find the owner . I love this hobby and enjoy watching other have fun doing it to
HH
Glen

Im with you pl8man, loved the show. When me and my friends detect were laughing and being stupid all the time and we find just as much stuff as the fuddyduds that are SERIOUS hunters. If you dont like the show, dont watch it...we will.

 

[Viddy]

out of all the hate.....


if you were gonna to 2 episodes.... that were for television.... and it depended on the 'rating' to be able to go to a #3 and #4... what would you have done?.... I mean C'mon now!

Following me around a Pittsburgh, PA park on a Saturday with my ETrac.... I think it might be more fun watching wet paint dry....

Give those 2 guys credit...

After all... they picked some good stuff (maybe it was the producer... who knows)... that they could do for the show....

#1 a contest between them....
#2 some intersting sites...
#3 they sucked it up and did what they could
#4 you gotta love the enthusiasm. They were fired up the whole show
#5 promoting friendliness and permission between them and the land owner


You get a call from NatGeo who saw a few of your videos on YouTube.... 'DO you want to make a show?' ...We can all be armchair-quarterbacks, but I think they did a good job for for what they could imagine for keeping people's interst. I had a few friends, not metal detectorsists, and they found it interesting. FINALLY! They see my light. NO, they will never get a detector, and I am glad. I like my secret spots, but the show is good for the hobby of 'metaldetecting'! ....

 

[Twisted One]

I have to admit Sparta has a point. I found a few square nails, and a .30 caliber musket ball. Is it important History no, so I did not turn it in to anyone. If it had been something important, I would have turned it over to the local museum. I would have only had bragging rights after that, and maybe a few pictures.
Now if I found a $2000 dollar stage coach robbery gold cache......well, I'll admit, it's most likely getting melted down and sold. A diamond wedding ring with the name address and phone number of the owner engraved in it, it will be returned. Same ring but only a name in it, well going to give it my best shot at returning it. Same ring nothing engraved, it's getting a "ring found call to describe it" craigslist ad and that's about it.

 

[spartacus53]

Twisted One, love that nickname, I should have swiped it

Anyway, I'm glad to see that you gave an honest reply regarding the finds.. You can't disagree with the fact that if you stumble upon a valuable cache, not too many people will hear about it.

Perhaps I'll change my writing style in the future to accommodate more readers..

Nah, that will never happen

You do know that I am enjoying this forum even more than my usual haunt

 

[Twisted One]

Twisted One, love that nickname, I should have swiped it

Anyway, I'm glad to see that you gave an honest reply regarding the finds.. You can't disagree with the fact that if you stumble upon a valuable cache, not too many people will hear about it.

Perhaps I'll change my writing style in the future to accommodate more readers..

Nah, that will never happen

You do know that I am enjoying this forum even more than my usual haunt

No, but I do know that the term "Haunt" is probably the best one for whatever it is you do!

 

[spartacus53]

Twisted One, touche'

 

[jeff of pa]

I still cant help but wonder who screens these people. God I hope they arent Tnet members. Jeff can you confirm if they are?

I Cannot Confirm one way or another,
But by Comments from one of their Friends who Is
a Tnet Member, I Can be fairly confident
they are Not contributing posts here.

This is Not to say I Personally would have a Problem
with them doing so. In order to Learn
the truth, Not what we think we see & Hear
on Nat Geo, who is apparently Grasping for
Ratings in a Desperate way.

I Still give the show a Solid "8" for Entertainment Value.
I Just ignore the antics between finds

 

[Keppy]

Most are in the hobby for one, or two reasons. Bottom line is that it's for personal gain, end of story

That is why i am in this hobby personal gain...... And i do not collect anything I sell every thing i find that will sell.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Rabid Celebrity Metal Detector Smack Down!

White Plains, NY – Terry Soloman’s new metal detecting television show, “Rabid Celebrity Metal Detector Smack Down!” – airing on the OPRAH Channel, pits two celebrity metal detectorists against each other in a frenzied hunt for golden riches each week.

In his first episode, Terry hires Dog the Bounty Hunter, to track and videotape Gary Drayton and Chicago Ron Guinazzo, as they go about their daily lives. Unaware they are being videotaped as they hunt their secret “honey holes,” these legendary gold finders give up their most intimate secrets.

At the end of the show, Terry brings the two unsuspecting metal detecting legends together to talk about their detecting styles and techniques. Terry also throws in a surprise twist, and burns both of their beaches on National TV for a dramatic and exciting climax!

 

[Jersey Hunter]

I also watched the 2 episodes and on a scale of 1-10, I give it a 7. It was somewhat entertaining in the contests they held with each other. As for all this talk about saving history, or being in it for a profit, all I can say is I just like finding stuff! Yes I like history and I love to find old stuff, I like finding jewelry and I like coinshooting. Most of all I'm just happy playing in dirt.

 

[lostcauses]

Yet the results are an extremely organized response from the anthropology (Archeology) community.

This response of course is again based upon the term "Looter" which all non Archeologist diggers pickers are referred to.

Simply put this term means digging items for there value in money form. It is referred to as the total ignoring of any scientific value and the destruction by removal of such items from the "Context" of the rest of the site including what most here would refer to as trash.

The idea that is always presented is the looting of a site for MONEY.
Their view point is it is done just for money and only for money.

They do not get it, nor will they, that doing such as artifact and relic hunting is for a lot, just fun and a hobby.

They of course have no idea that usually a hunt cost more in time, gas, and equipment than anything recovered would ever sell for.
Surprisingly a great deal of treasure hunters don't figure this out themselves. LOL
Simple record keeping would show this to be true to both sides of the situation.

Archeology of course is usually funded by government and some private. Mostly government. Most Archeologist ( not all) would never spend their own money or time to go out and do what they do.
They claim the do not sell the stuff they find, yet they do get payed to go out and dig it up, which of course the Thr does not.

The result at this point of these shows is a direct attack against the shows, to the point they are even attacking the advertisers, National Geographic itself etc.
Regrettably it is not going to stop there. It will continue even if they win.

People of course will not understand what I am saying hear, but this already has started and will progress to more pushing for laws, clarification of laws against the individual.

It is what it is. The Archeologist view of the "looter" is what most people on this site would be referred to by them.
Of course some are some are not. That is what is and has been the problem. Yet they just look up one the sub groups, of THing ( relic , artifact , MDing) etc as EVIL:
In reality they should all promote the aspect of the social anthropology to a studies of such a group, instead of just avoiding them. Not going to happen it seems..

Regrettable this mess has, and will lead to damage on all sides of the situation.

As for the MDrs against shows, well it will just promote the controversy and keep the shows going.

 

[pyledriver]

I find myself all over the map on this one. I actually like the guys in the show-they're the kind of folks that make things fun and would be much preferable to hunt with than a bunch of grumpy old bastards! NOT saying any of you are G.O.B.'s btw...I know I CAN be from time to time though, LOL!

I feel that these two have been hit by a train and are now stuck on the very front of the cow-catcher, very much alive, but completely lacking control of their destiny...and NatGeo/Spike TV are the ones driving the train. Those two guys will catch the bugs, the rain, the CRAP, anything that would, and SHOULD be impacting directly on NatGeo. As has been pointed out, the producers OWN these guys and direct what they do, including staging scenes to make it look better for TV.

Spartacus-SPOT ON! None of us would be out there swinging detectors unless we could find something cool or valuable. We can't turn on our own because at the end of the day, all those relics that lay so perfectly preserved in our display cases at home are the very thing the archies say THEY own. We should 'close ranks' on this and push hard on NatGeo and Spike TV. We know we'll have to work harder to preserve our hobby now, so this should be a call for everybody to be more involved in fighting restrictive legislation, and possibly a revamp of ARPA. Personally I want to see a UK style arrangement when it comes to historic or archaeological finds.

 

[lookindown]

I find myself all over the map on this one. I actually like the guys in the show-they're the kind of folks that make things fun and would be much preferable to hunt with than a bunch of grumpy old --deleted--s! NOT saying any of you are G.O.B.'s btw...I know I CAN be from time to time though, LOL!

I feel that these two have been hit by a train and are now stuck on the very front of the cow-catcher, very much alive, but completely lacking control of their destiny...and NatGeo/Spike TV are the ones driving the train. Those two guys will catch the bugs, the rain, the CRAP, anything that would, and SHOULD be impacting directly on NatGeo. As has been pointed out, the producers OWN these guys and direct what they do, including staging scenes to make it look better for TV.

Spartacus-SPOT ON! None of us would be out there swinging detectors unless we could find something cool or valuable. We can't turn on our own because at the end of the day, all those relics that lay so perfectly preserved in our display cases at home are the very thing the archies say THEY own. We should 'close ranks' on this and push hard on NatGeo and Spike TV. We know we'll have to work harder to preserve our hobby now, so this should be a call for everybody to be more involved in fighting restrictive legislation, and possibly a revamp of ARPA. Personally I want to see a UK style arrangement when it comes to historic or archaeological finds.

I think the UK style doesnt allow hunting on public land, like parks, only private land.

 

[JW15]

I stated saving history, you of course have a right to your opinion and have some valid points but respectfully, you don't have to be insulting in the process.

Insulting JW15, I just happen to point out many of the hypocrisies with a 'tad' of sarcasm I just like to point out what is obvious to me.

I'm a big history buff too and what you're doing is commendable, my post was a generality. There are many here that will not agree with what I've said, but that's OK too.. As I see it people are trying to turn a simple and enjoyable hobby into a cult, or religion. It's nice to have a passion about something, but no need to go overboard like we're saving the world..

Here's a good example of a insulting/sarcastic reply fully detailing the hypocrisy.. Someone finds the Beale Treasure.. Do you really think they will make any mention of this to save history Would you I doubt many, if anyone would..

That my dear friend will be a piece of history you will never hear about and the findings will be sold off, melted down, etc in some fashion.

So much for our ethics in detecting, it's only good to a certain degree.

I guess I misunderstood you, it seemed like you thought it was essentially silly to do what I and lots of other detectorists as far as the whole "saving history" thing is concerned. I suppose in they hypothetical situation that your words were said in person I would have seen the humor so sorry I didn't. Also, I totally hear you on how the bottom line IS profit, that's a huge factor for enticing people to the hobby. Everything boils down to the all mighty dollar with everyone from people like us to government agencies that try to claim lost treasures and so forth. I guess I'm just worried that the show diggers is going to generate a lot of riff raff to our hobby and believe me, they're out there! Open holes with trash left next to the hole has gotten me the boot from a few places, it would be cool if they at least went over some proper techniques or something. I just think when your addressing millions of viewers there should be more of an intelligent/ responsible approach other than a little disclaimer at the end. The show has little class but then again maybe I'm expecting too much from a reality show.