How Metal Detecting Benefits America!

[Nugs Bunny]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know metal detectorists find sharp metal thingies, hardly what I would call a service or benefit worthy of attention or recognition.

But what about saving millions of taxdollars? In 2006 it was estimated that if one percent of the nickels and pennies were removed from circulation, it would cost taxpayers 43 million dollars to replace them.

Pennies and pull tabs are the most common thing out there, we all find a bunch of clad that we cash in, saving untold millions of taxpayer money!

That cannot be said of many other hobbies. So the next time somebody is bashing our hobby remind them of our contribution to help them admire that 43 million dollar plug you just cut!

U.S. Mint Moves to Ban Penny Melting Dec 14, 2006
"We are taking this action because the Nation needs its coinage for commerce," said U.S. Mint Director Edmund Moy in a statement. "Replacing these coins would be an enormous cost to taxpayers." How big a cost? Moy told ABC News that if just 1 percent of all the nickels and pennies that are in circulation were melted down, taxpayers would have to foot a $43 million bill.

With the soaring price of copper, a melted-down penny or nickel is now worth more than it would be in its regular state at face value.
That means the modern penny (made after 1982) is worth 1.73 cents with production costs included. The nickel, which is made of copper and nickel, is actually worth 8.34 cents when production costs are included. U.S. Mint Moves to Ban Penny Melting - ABC News

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Correct I too think that md'ing is: beneficial, helpful, positive, safe, non-harmful, etc.... If someone else doesn't think that way .......... then I avoid such persons. Sure it would be great if you and I could "get those people to love you and your hobby", but ...... alas, ..... you're never going to get the "red-carpets" rolled out for you by every last person. Hence: the less they see or hear of me .... the better

 

[mikeraydj]

I agree. I won't engage in a conversation that would last that long while I am detecting. They can think what they will. I want to be like a ghost. Some may say they saw me, but when they look they can't find any evidence I was there.

 

[Nugs Bunny]

I just tell them I'm saving the economy!

But on the serious side, returning all those lost clad coins provides a very substantial benefit to all Americans. One that shouldn't be overlooked, what other hobby saves millions in taxdollars?

I think the benefits far outweigh the negatives, and it's a far better argument than saying we save people from pointy things. Sometimes we have to think outside of the penny wrapper!

The statement I made about admiring the 43 million dollar plug was a joke, but the point I was making was not.

We all see the negative comments and articles on the internet, and occasional some may even be confronted in the field. So now we have something else to add the benefits we provide through our hobby.

Returning all those clad coins saves millions of dollars every year and I intend on spreading that info around.

 

[Nugs Bunny]

Correct I too think that md'ing is: beneficial, helpful, positive, safe, non-harmful, etc.... If someone else doesn't think that way .......... then I avoid such persons. Sure it would be great if you and I could "get those people to love you and your hobby", but ...... alas, ..... you're never going to get the "red-carpets" rolled out for you by every last person. Hence: the less they see or hear of me .... the better

Tom I always get the red carpet treatment wherever I go, whatever I do, because I know how to talk to people.

I'm very outgoing, friendly and funny, and when I encounter distempered people I usually change their mood.

I will win over that mean old cat lady that won't let me detect her yard one day!

I'm gonna try roses and valentines candy this year, I may not get to detect the yard, but I may get a nice watch outa the deal! LMAO!

 

[G.A.P.metal]

If it wren`t for us... people in the parks, would be knee deep in pull tabs,bullet casings,bottle caps, foil and can-slaw.
We clean up after the people and clean the parks and the litterbugs call the cops

Heck even the city workers run over the pop cans with the riding lawnmower in stead of picking them up....then tell us we can`t detect there.
Messy bunch in them parks...with their pooping dogs
Gary

 

[Slingshot]

Just trying to do my patriotic part, and return as much lost coinage as humanly possible back into circulation. They ought to give us medals for what we do! Make mine out of gold please.

 

[pepperj]

If it wren`t for us... people in the parks, would be knee deep in pull tabs,bullet casings,bottle caps, foil and can-slaw.
We clean up after the people and clean the parks and the litterbugs call the cops

Heck even the city workers run over the pop cans with the riding lawnmower in stead of picking them up....then tell us we can`t detect there.
Messy bunch in them parks...with their pooping dogs
Gary

Just the two reasons why I have hated hunting parks in the past, the can slaw from the countless lazy ass mowers that shred the can into a thousand pieces. The second thing nothing makes for ending a detecting day by kneeling or slipping in a dog poop that resembles something that should be kept in the pasture. Thank goodness for Lesche diggers to clean the treads before getting back in the ride. Not to single out a certain age group but I have seen plenty of young guys that have the WB'er tee shirts on walking the big 180lb Rotti. dumping the load and they're just too tough to stoop and scoop that poop. Somedays I have to just restrain the urge to pick it up and smear it all over their ride.

 

[bigfoot1]

straight faced I'd tell em,"umbagua nozin keel(click noise here)then sneeze in my hand and stare at it smiling.Thats about all the conversation they gettin outta me anymore.

some suggested answers...you already know the questions

1)nope,never...I dont like good things

2)I dunno I stole it

3)the best....hmmmm...unused hypo needle I guess.

4)yes,I like kids like yours...with lemon pepper

 

[mikeraydj]

Why should anyone care. We go after things that others have given up on a long time ago. They only care when it has some worth.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

..... because I know how to talk to people. ....

Nugs: in the event of an encounter like you speak, then yes, by all means "charm" and the "cool-factor" come into play. No question. And ability to smile big, "fit", etc... Sure. I'm not saying that that isn't the correct reaction to get someone to cease from hassling you/us. Of course.

But I'm just saying that I BEGIN by planning to avoid any such need, to begin with. Ie.: the less-of-those-situations requiring the the ability-you-speak-of, the better.

Which is why I tend to do turfed parks at night. So peaceful. So serene . Kind of like nose-picking: Not necessarily "illegal", but ..... for pete's sake, don't we ALL sort of use a little discretion in our timing, so as not to offend anyone ? Same concept for md'ing. No need to swat hornets nest if you can avoid it.

 

[Nugs Bunny]

Nugs: in the event of an encounter like you speak, then yes, by all means "charm" and the "cool-factor" come into play. No question. And ability to smile big, "fit", etc... Sure. I'm not saying that that isn't the correct reaction to get someone to cease from hassling you/us. Of course.

But I'm just saying that I BEGIN by planning to avoid any such need, to begin with. Ie.: the less-of-those-situations requiring the the ability-you-speak-of, the better.

Which is why I tend to do turfed parks at night. So peaceful. So serene . Kind of like nose-picking: Not necessarily "illegal", but ..... for pete's sake, don't we ALL sort of use a little discretion in our timing, so as not to offend anyone ? Same concept for md'ing. No need to swat hornets nest if you can avoid it.

Wait... I'm not supposed to do cartwheels, backflips and yell boom baby whenever I dig a coin?

I use a Bullhorn just like the one in the video to announce my finds, "Brrchhh It's another stinkin Lincoln folks!"



I guess we could just continue refuting the archies claims against us by telling them we save people from pointy things.

Folks might not mind seeing detectorists dig in the park if they know it saves millions of dollars in taxes every year. What can an archie say to that? Indian's use to poo there or GW dropped a nickel?

Nobody around here cares, the entire State is loaded with artifacts and village sites, what people around here care about is getting by with what little we have. When people talk to me while I'm detecting they are more interested if I find things of value than anything else.

I just show them my clad and say yep, a nickel at a time, they usually laugh and ask if it's worth it. I tell them it's just a hobby and it keeps me outa the bars, (nightclubs/jails)

I get a lot of offers to detect private property because people are interested in what's there. You gotta remember we all don't live in California Tom.

The point of this thread is to bring to light a very valuable service we offer for free, one worth millions that benefits everybody. You once told a story about an archie at the beach that complained about picking up modern coins, and we all have seen negative stories in the news or on websites about us. I can save myself from canslaw and pointy pulltabs, as can most people.

“WARNING: This post contains fonts known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.”

 

[relicmeister]

If it wren`t for us... people in the parks, would be knee deep in pull tabs,bullet casings,bottle caps, foil and can-slaw.
We clean up after the people and clean the parks and the litterbugs call the cops

Heck even the city workers run over the pop cans with the riding lawnmower in stead of picking them up....then tell us we can`t detect there.
Messy bunch in them parks...with their pooping dogs
Gary

Good points, Gary but don't blame the pooches for their owners negligence

 

[Nugs Bunny]

I wonder what percentage of coinage is returned by detectorists? How much do we actually put back into circulation? I found over $20.00 in clad in my own yard and it's still giving up coins and trinkets.

We could get an average and estimate it, it would nice to write up an article about the subject. The idea is to have a really good story behind it and spread it around the web so it goes viral.

Metal detecting and taxes... that's bound to draw somewhat of a crowd... but it's needs another catch like a very large sum of money to draw in more folks. "The Trillion Dollar Hobby", well maybe not but I'm sure with a few juicy details and a catchy title it would take long to make the rounds on Social Media and the forums.

 

[SeabeeRon]

I wonder what percentage of coinage is returned by detectorists? How much do we actually put back into circulation? I found over $20.00 in clad in my own yard and it's still giving up coins and trinkets.

We could get an average and estimate it, it would nice to write up an article about the subject. The idea is to have a really good story behind it and spread it around the web so it goes viral.

Metal detecting and taxes... that's bound to draw somewhat of a crowd... but it's needs another catch like a very large sum of money to draw in more folks. "The Trillion Dollar Hobby", well maybe not but I'm sure with a few juicy details and a catchy title it would take long to make the rounds on Social Media and the forums.

On another forum I am on, at the end of each year we run a thread on Clad Totals for the year. I believe in the 4 or 5 years we've been doing it it is over $10K for each year. And not everyone participates and this is just from one of the many detecting forums out there!

 

[Nugs Bunny]

Tom I'm not arguing or picking on ya, I avoid people while I'm detecting and prospecting, I have limited time and don't want to waste it explaining the hobby to half the people that walk by.

I like hunting abandoned and forgotten places lost to time in the woods, the problem here is everything has been built over or is private property.

My job is seasonal, so we sit during the Winter and work insane hours during the Summer, that is why I typically prospect during the Winter and detect when the an opportunity arises in the warmer months.

One of those old houses are going to pay off one of these days! I'm gonna yell Boom Baby from three different camera angles, then do a back flip and a cart wheel while shouting "Juice in the hole!" "Roundness!" finishing it all off by dry humping a tree!

Wait a minute, that's not an ordinary rusty nail! Boom Baby! This is a Confederate nail and it was dropped during a famous unrecorded battle! This is a $10,000 dollar nail... get the trac hoe! I'd watch that show... wouldn't you?

 

[Nugs Bunny]

On another forum I am on, at the end of each year we run a thread on Clad Totals for the year. I believe in the 4 or 5 years we've been doing it it is over $10K for each year. And not everyone participates and this is just from one of the many detecting forums out there!

Thanks for the info, I think going by what can be found and getting an average would be good enough to get a rough idea.

How many people did it take to accumulate the $10K?

There was a thread here on TNet where a guy was doing the same on a month by month basis. Once we get an average we need to figure out how many people metal detect and how much coinage is in circulation and how much is lost.