Remember the Gardiner Metal Detectors? One Just Sold on ebay

[Michigan Badger]

I have been watching the auction for one of those old Gardiner Detectors from the mid 80's.

I was shocked at the price it brought!?

Anybody here remember this brand?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5848711915&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1

 

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[northeast hunter]

NO...but it comes with a 30'' coil WOW

 

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

Gardiner detectors were way ahead of their time. The company did not survive the death of its founder and with no spare parts and little service opportunities it fell into disfavor. Probably a bargain if not just used as a wall hanger. exanimo, ss

 

[bakergeol]

Lots of extras including extra coils and a gold probe. I remember seeing their ads in the treasure hunting magazines back in the 60's.? If I remember right they usually had a pile of gold nuggets next to it implying it was a good nugget detector. It looks like it is in pristine condition with little useage. It also looks pretty heavy. Lugging those heavy detectors around back in the old days was not fun. I usually had to stop detecting after a few hours to let my arm stop shaking.

Considering it's great condition it probably was a good find for a metal detector collector. At least I hope so otherwise we will see a guy shortly on Treasurenet asking if anyone has a manual for this model and needs help getting it running(The ad never said it worked).

Regarding vintage detectors and their high prices on E-Bay. I have a theory. They can't all be vintage metal detector collectors. The best selling ones are usually in pristine condition and usually Whites. The old Whites blue models just look professional- a solid instrument- to a Newbie and the actual age is never given. Never mind that they are heavy and obsolete and you can find lightweight superior detectors today pretty cheaply- they just look good and professional to a Newbie.

My 2 cents
George

 

[Fast_Dave]

It may not be the collector value or the usefulness of the detector bringing the high prices, there's also the nostalgia value. I saw a Jetco Treasure Hawk on eBay a while back and put in my bid just because it was the first detector I ever used (bought in 1975 for $40 used). Needless to say I wasn't going to pay a small fortune for it, but it would have been nice to have one again.

 

[bakergeol]

I agree Dave
If I could find my second detector on E-Bay a "Little Monster" BFO designed by Karl Von Mueller(made by Whites's)- mid 60's I would also bid on it. Only because my best finds were made with this little detector. However, I have never seen this little detector with it's wooden coil ever on E-Bay. Yeah it would be nifty to have one again, but once the bidding got unreasonable(over $50) I would have to let it go.

I have nostalgia for the time period but not for the detectors I used during that period. I was glad to see those old BFOs go bye bye. It is sort of like buying a old Relco Frontiersman for the second time for nostalgia purposes. Relive all those days of anger and frustration using that piece of xxxx.


George

 

[Michigan Badger]

I've gone through those nostalgia feelings myself. A few years ago I desperately wanted to find a Wilson Newman GB III. I had one back in the early 80's and did well with it in the all-metal mode. It wasn't worth much in discrimination.

I put my name into one of those WANTED detector deals online and finally after about two years (I had forgotten about it) I get this email from a store owner who wanted to get rid of a bunch of old Wilsons he found in a warehouse. He sold the whole lot (7 machines as I recall) for about $150 postpaid. There was this wide assortment of models from the mid 70's and including the one I wanted.

Most of them worked fine but after using the GB III for a day I put the whole bunch on ebay and got my money back plus some extra.

Many of those old machines didn't compare to today's detectors. Those that did were usually heavy and awkward.

The good old days is now

 

[Mark S.]

Here is point of view from a detector collector.

The price on that Gardiner was absolutely insane from my point of view. It is not worth that. Not even close. My opinion would put it at around $100 at best. Gardiners have not sold that well on ebay. I do not have one just because I haven't been satisfied with any that I have seen yet. Most older detectors go for less then $100. A few of the more uncommon ones in really good shape sometimes go higher. But not $600! I have bought a lot off ebay and do not like to go above $50 unless it is something different.

Why do they go higher? George is right in that they are not collectors. If I see an unfamiliar name bidding then I check out their bidding history. They are usually bidding on whatever is cheap in price. The "toy" detectors and the older ones. I guess they figured they would spend $100 and "get one of them thar treasure finders and dig up pots of gold and silver". I have lost a few nice models and some virtually mint ones to these people. The part that upsets me is that the unit will probably end up in a closet or in the trash or thrown in the corner of the garage where it will slowly be destroyed.

As a result of these bidiots, the few actual collectors are having to pay inflated prices to save the models. I have over 40 units of various makes dating from the 50's to the early 70's.

How about these names: Detectron, Rayscope, Raytron, Goldak, Metrotech, D- Tex and my most recent aquisiton - Apollo.

Anyone want to take a guess on that last one.


For anyone interested. I will have most if not all of my collection on display at the FMDAC convention in Niagara Falls the first weekend in May.


Mark S.

 

[bakergeol]

Mark
Perhaps you could be kind enough to post a group photo of your collection from that convention similar to the photo posted by Carl on his forum. I as well as a few others would get a kick out of seeing the "oldies".

Never heard of the Apollo but there were a few BFOs which were here today and gone tomorrow in the early days.

Is there a "key date" ha, ha here for an old metal detector that really has some value? Well perhaps you don't want to answer that as you don't need more E-Bay bidders?

George

 

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

I have every White's BFO with all loops (including the wood ones) except the Arrow and the Ore-Master. I have all of the Garrett BFOs with all loops. I have the D-Tex pro and may be missing the largest loop. I have the Fisher T-10 and T-20. I have the Metrotech 220 and Metrotech 220A. I have the Relco Coin Ranger from 1965. I have several mint in box unused oddball BFO's. I even have the Bounty Hunter Outlaw BFO/TR hybrid. The Little Monster exists in the Exanimo made version and also in a Garrett made version sold by Exanimo. I have found things with everything I own. I like BFOs and don't chase them but will usually pay $50 for anything i want. My latest collecting fad is getting the old coin aprons issued by the obsolete brands. Now that is a real challenge. exanimo, ss

 

[Michigan Badger]

I have an early homemade BFO unit. It's made of wood and is a real work of art. Whoever made it really knew his stuff.

 

[Mark S.]

The Apollo is from the early 70's. it was made by Whites. Whites made a lot of units for different "brand" names.

I will make a point to post some photos after the convention. As far as a date goes there really isn't any. It just depends on what the individual unit is. I personally collect pre-discriminator models. That limits it to the mid 70's. I have Garretts first discriminator. It's a BFO. The only difference I can see between it and another "non-disc" is the meter. The electronics look the same. Instead of tuning it to the side of the meter, it is tuned to the center. One way is good and the other bad. I think it just works off the metal/mineral null deal. You older TH"ers will know what I am talking about.

I have not heard of the Little Monster but will keep an eye for it. When I go to hunts people will often show up with an old detector to see if I am intrerested. Occassionaly I find one I don't have. Picked up a Dtex Professional in mint condition still in the origianl packaging that way. Don't have all the Garrets but I am only missing one Fisher of having the whole line. T-10, T-15, T-20, T-30, T-120, T-122,TH models, Orion models, M-70 and explorer. I may have missed some there. Have quite a few Dtex and Detectron as well.

Here is a piece of trivia. The Detectron company made gieger counters. They started making a few detectors and it took off. The company was sold and continued under the same name. Curt Cassingham then opened up Raytron to build detectors. After a short time he changed the name to Rayscope. I have a Detectron made by him and a Rayscope and they are identical other then the color. So Detectron and Rayscope were making virtually the same unit. Don't know how that worked out. I also have a Raytron. That is probably a real tough one to find as it was made under that name for such a short period.

Just picked up an old Goldak. Not sure on the date. It could go into the 50's. The tuning control is on the coil!


I have to take my son to scouts. back later.

Mark S.
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