Are relics valuable?

[LemonThrower]

i mostly hunt coin rolls but am thinking of getting into relic hunting with a MD. I live near some civil war sites.

Aside from the historical value, is there a monetary value to relic hunting? What am I likely to find - buttons, bullets, etc. - and what can you expect to sell them for?

Sorry if this sounds a bit mercernary but I am trying to justify my investment of money in a detector and the investment of my time.

 

[scratcher]

There's kind of a relic passion default to this

This is very well said

 

[fmerg]

being this is my first year doing md'ing i have to say i started for the money
but as the summer wore on and i found buttons (flat types) and other relics
i gave up on looking for the bucks (i can spend less time at a job and make more)
right now i have maybe 3 or 4 silver coins from md'ing as well as some old ih's lc (mostly toast)
ect and i really dont look at them much
but my relics and stuff i have no idea about i look at all the time
a button is lot more personal then any coin
the stay musket ball makes you wonder did he/her miss was it supper

 

[Sandman]

i mostly hunt coin rolls but am thinking of getting into relic hunting with a MD. I live near some civil war sites.

Aside from the historical value, is there a monetary value to relic hunting? What am I likely to find - buttons, bullets, etc. - and what can you expect to sell them for?

Sorry if this sounds a bit mercernary but I am trying to justify my investment of money in a detector and the investment of my time.

As most everyone implied, stick to coin roll hunting as this hobby isn't for you. Thinking of this as an investment of money and time is very bad thinking indeed. You have already gone to the dark side. If you want money so bad, work part time at a fast food joint.

 

[keithinvestigations]

--has lead many folks to the "dark side" of metal detecting --

Come to the dark side Luke, it is your destiny!....just kidding, I couldn't resist as you can tell from my avatar I am a star wars geek.

But anyway, lay off the guy you guys. If he want's to buy a metal detector to find relics to make money, he'll learn soon enough. Ever 100 hours I put in per good relic find, I would make like .02 an hour, hehe.

 

[dragon6banger]

i'm just adding my two cents.i have always been a history buff and that is what got me into relic hunting. the thrill of the hunt and the history.plus there is alot of like minded people out there that share the same passion as i do about the history. in short i hunt for relics to get them out of the ground for future generations to enjoy and learn from. and if there is a question my self and others that i hunt with have donated to museums to put on display.it is something i would not want to make money off of.there is oppertunities to make money but if thats what your in it for your better off hunt coin rolls. there is a lot of time and research that comes along with relic hunting so it would not be a good turn around for your money. people hunt a life time to find the relics that are worth the real money , but when we find them we dont want to sell them. i'm am not saying that you should'nt get into relic hunting it is a great hobby but it is a lot of work as well.but if you was to get into it you may just change your mind about selling what you find after you spend time with other hunters.

 

[LLOST]

I'm a bit greedy..If I find it I'm going to keep it. I have no problem telling everybody about my find and in doing so sharing the history behind the item. but how do you even put a price on history? I guess if someone wants something that I find(and I don't want it for myself) I would charge for the time invested...but even then morals come into play. If it belonged to a family member and they would like that piece of their family history Id give it to them...and now you sort of just became part of their family history by recovering it..and that's cool also. Sorry I'm rambling

 

[Iron Patch]

I'm a bit greedy..If I find it I'm going to keep it. I have no problem telling everybody about my find and in doing so sharing the history behind the item. but how do you even put a price on history? I guess if someone wants something that I find(and I don't want it for myself) I would charge for the time invested...but even then morals come into play. If it belonged to a family member and they would like that piece of their family history Id give it to them...and now you sort of just became part of their family history by recovering it..and that's cool also. Sorry I'm rambling

Those are nice thoughts until someone is willing to throw a large pile of hundreds at you for something you just dug yesterday. There are certain things I've found, or could find, that I would sell for a good offer, but there are also things that I would need way over fair market price because I really like them. To say you can't put a price on history in the sense you wouldn't sell something for serious cash, in my opinion that just doesn't make sense. There is NO piece of metal on this earth that wouldn't have a price for me. Zero exceptions.

 

[dneyedli@res1.mts.net]

There is NO piece of metal on this earth that wouldn't have a price for me. Zero exceptions.

I have sold nails before but now that I see your post, I was wondering if you could direct me to someone who buys pull tabs, can slaw, and tin foil. Know anybody?

Dave.

 

[Iron Patch]

There is NO piece of metal on this earth that wouldn't have a price for me. Zero exceptions.

I have sold nails before but now that I see your post, I was wondering if you could direct me to someone who buys pull tabs, can slaw, and tin foil. Know anybody?

Dave.

I'll let you know when the market hits peak.

 

[Sniffy]

I sold an 1804 Half Cent and still can't get over it. I become attached to my finds and hate to see them go. I learned my lesson and will never sell another coin or relic.

 

[Iron Patch]

I sold an 1804 Half Cent and still can't get over it. I become attached to my finds and hate to see them go. I learned my lesson and will never sell another coin or relic.

You can't say that because you don't know what you will find.

Would you really keep a 25k diamond ring? I sure as heck wouldn't. Sure, maybe you miss the 1804 but doesn't mean just because you regret that doesn't mean selling another find wouldn't be a good choice. Sure I'd like to have a few things back but to be honest I'm not sure if I would want to pay what I got for them. Most were early on and now I am always 100% sure when I sell something it is the right choice. I tend to keep all the better stuff so there's not too many decisions to make. I detect to add stuff to my own collection but if I can make a few bucks along the way to fund something else that is cool too.

 

[Sniffy]

I sold an 1804 Half Cent and still can't get over it. I become attached to my finds and hate to see them go. I learned my lesson and will never sell another coin or relic.

You can't say that because you don't know what you will find.

Would you really keep a 25k diamond ring? I sure as heck wouldn't. Sure, maybe you miss the 1804 but doesn't mean just because you regret that doesn't mean selling another find wouldn't be a good choice. Sure I'd like to have a few things back but to be honest I'm not sure if I would want to pay what I got for them. Most were early on and now I am always 100% sure when I sell something it is the right choice. I tend to keep all the better stuff so there's not too many decisions to make. I detect to add stuff to my own collection but if I can make a few bucks along the way to fund something else that is cool too.

I completely agree. And perhaps I will sell something again in the future. But for now I will wimper about kicking myself in the arse for selling my very fine half cent. I need to find another one...or at least change my avatar, this thing is haunting me.

 

[treasurehound]

Valuable hunting with friends... priceless. finding your first find... priceless. returning a ring to owner and not accepting reward... their expression is priceless. taking someone hunting and they find a great find... priceless. This goes for coins, relics, jewelry....etc. This is a hobby to be enjoyed and selling something is a personal preference. I prefer to find a piece of history and show it around than to sell it and have nothing to show.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

money making off of selling civil war or other relics ( say colonial stuff)--has lead many folks to the "dark side" of metal detecting --hunting forbidden areas --going places without land owner constent (tresspassing / theft of the land owners "goods" from their property --which is what it is when one hunts illegally)

metal detecting as such should be veiwed as a hobby ( that can make you a few bucks now and the if you sell your finds) * not as a "steady" money making venture --the steady money making mind set tends to lead one to the "dark side"

money is a good servant, but a terrible master ---- while metal detecting is a great hobby ---one has to watch out for becoming "infected" with the lust of money ( see the movie "treasure of the serria madre")--its a "sickness" --a sort of hunger that can never be filled *

OOOOH well said. I have given the boot to a couple of them that fell to the temptation.
And this is what they turned into. I hope they are recovered.

 

[crashbro17x]

I agree with the above posts. To me, relic hunting is not about the money. It is about digging something up that hasn't been seen in over a 150 years. Its about spending time with my father and one of my best friends. It is about figuring out where that camp was or where men fought and died for something that they believed in. It is seeing a bullet for the first time in 145 years that was fired in anger for that belief. It is about digging a button that a man wore proudly on his coat, or a belt buckle that he fastened everyday. It is about the happy dance my dad, my friend, or I do when a good item is dug. It is telling the story of how you found the relic 1000 times; how deep it was, was the back of the buckle facing up, was it under that pesky tree root that caused you to sweat for an hour after you finally got it recovered, and the gallons of poison ivy cream that you have rubbed on after hunting in that remote spot. It is recovering the buckle in my avatar and my father looking in the hole with me as I picked it up.

I do believe a man has every right to sell anything he finds, although I will never part with my collection. Hopefully the item was found with permission from the property owner and no foul was amiss. But, I would not recommend doing this for the money. First, good finds are few and far between...like stated earlier, go get a job at a fast food place...you'll do just as well. Also, I know of some people who have sold every relic that they have ever dug...and they are greedy. They hunt at night so that they don't get caught by the property owner that wouldn't give them permission, or slip on to places where detectors are forbidden without the slightest hesitation. They have also ruined the reputation of honest relic hunters and detectorist abroad.

In short, sell your relics if you like, but have the decency to do it in an honest fashion.

 

[extractor]

You hunt relics for the love of it, and for sharing the history of it, never for the money.

I can't imagine how much history has been destroyed in the name of money.

People that are looking to get rich quick do more damage to the hobby than can ever be measured.

Please don't be one of those.

We have enough.

well said

 

[Goes4ever]

I never sell any of my finds. I have traded some tokens I have dug for old silver coins that another TH dug, but I am too attached to my finds to sell them. They are way too cool to part with. I spent way too many hours researching, and hunting trying to recover them, why sell them

 

[Iron Patch]

I never sell any of my finds. I have traded some tokens I have dug for old silver coins that another TH dug, but I am too attached to my finds to sell them. They are way too cool to part with. I spent way too many hours researching, and hunting trying to recover them, why sell them

But have you ever had someone ready to break out their check book and write one in the thousands. That tends to be a game changer for many.

 

[Goes4ever]

yeah that'd make me break a sweat.....lol

especially because I have been off work since Nov 2008 !

 

[Iron Patch]

yeah that'd make me break a sweat.....lol

especially because I have been off work since Nov 2008 !

I've had a few keepers and yes, sometimes it can be a very hard choice! Some get sold, some not, but the money is only one factor in deciding. When someone attaches a high dollar value it makes you like the find even more!