Lets See Some of your Antique Metal Detectors...! Check out the two I Have!

[Cool Hand Fluke]

Let's See Some of your Antique Metal Detectors...! Check out the two I Have!

The first one is a Goldak Model 820 "Commander Jr." from around 1963. I think you might get 2 inches max depth! Don't get the coil wet, it will short out! Your poor wrist would be killing you after swinging this thing for several hours! No discrimination, prepare to dig everything!

The blue machine is a Relco Pacesetter from around 1977. What a piece of junk. I actually used this machine while stationed in Germany back in 1975 through 1978. Never found anything with it other than some chunks of iron. This machine made me disillusioned with the hobby until I took it up again in 1985 when I rented a Whites Coinmaster.

 

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[hombre_de_plata_flaco]

Re: Let's See Some of your Antique Metal Detectors...! Check out the two I Have!

Cool rigs!

I almost bought a Heathkit Cointrack that looks similar to the 2nd one pictured, but after a couple of posts here I was convinced to do otherwise.

 

[mrwilburino]

Re: Let's See Some of your Antique Metal Detectors...! Check out the two I Have!

The Garrett Discriminator. I bought it brand new from a local dealer in 1974. Still works! Will air test at just about four inches on a dime, probably three in the dirt. Pulled a lot of silver out of the local parks with this guy.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Re: Let's See Some of your Antique Metal Detectors...! Check out the two I Have!

fluke, thanx for the trip down memory lane. Yup there were some detectors in the early '60s that could pick up individual coins, albeit to only a few inches ... and no disc. ..... and no ability in minerals, etc... But hey, back then everything was virgin, so you can imagine

There were even a few machines from the 1950s that could also pick up individual coin sized items. But most of the machines prior to the 1960s were only capable of picking up larger items, not coin-sized items. So Fisher Co, for example, which advertises that they started in the 1930s, was really only making 2-box units for the first 20+ yrs. And to the extent that standard detectors might have started being made in the '40s and '50s, yet few of them could find coin-sized items. And even then ......... not without much patience and frustration (drifting, falsing, weight, etc...). It's very rare to hear of anyone coin hunting prior to the 1960s. If you ever do hear of md'rs from the '50s or earlier, it's usually of the cache hunting variety (ie.: large items).

I started in the mid 1970s, with a used 66tr. That's a circa late 1960s/early '70s machine. Man what a dinasour less than 5 yrs. after it was made! 4" (maybe 5" if I tried real hard) depth ..... and no disc, no ability in minerals, etc...

Here's a website that ..... if you scroll back ...... you can see other vintage machine pix (hope it's ok to put a link here):

http://members6.boardhost.com/classicdetector/index.html?1172512320

 

[diggummup]

Re: Let's See Some of your Antique Metal Detectors...! Check out the two I Have!

I recently sold an old Heathkit GD-1190 Cointracker. I didn't have room to display it anywhere so it was just gathering dust in a closet. It looked just like this one-

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: Let's See Some of your Antique Metal Detectors...! Check out the two I Have!

I got this one from an old timer THer who was getting kind of loose in his last days. He told me he never found much with it but it sure came in handy.

 

[Kentucky Kache]

Re: Let's See Some of your Antique Metal Detectors...! Check out the two I Have!

I got this one from an old timer THer who was getting kind of loose in his last days. He told me he never found much with it but it sure came in handy.

Now that's funny.

 

[Cool Hand Fluke]

Re: Let's See Some of your Antique Metal Detectors...! Check out the two I Have!

I got this one from an old timer THer who was getting kind of loose in his last days. He told me he never found much with it but it sure came in handy.

That is just priceless!

Very funny! Thanks!

 

[wpaxt]

Anybody Have One Of These?

If you do I'd love to see it! Viking from the 1960's.

Bill

 

[NOLA_Ken]

If you do I'd love to see it! Viking from the 1960's.

Bill

My grandfather had one almost identical to that one, I think his was a Radio Shack machine. I really can't remember, I do know he occasionally found a few things with it though.

 

[NGE]

I got this one from an old timer THer who was getting kind of loose in his last days. He told me he never found much with it but it sure came in handy.

I'll bet he found a lot of "crap" with it......nge

 

[Southern_Digger]

Sorry... they are packed away. But, I have a Relco (circa 1967), Has a basket on handle to place a transistor radio (the receiver); Also, a Bounty Hunter III (BFO)-1971; a Whites Coinmaster VLF Supreme (1976); A Garrett Ace (metal case)-1981 (was my fathers); a Garrett Master Hunter (1984); a Fisher 1265-X (1989). Currently, I use a Minelab Explorer (2001); a Minelab Excaliber (2002); and a Tesoro Tejon (2002-2003). My Relco did not work very well, so, in the early years I used my cousin's Jetco -it was similar to that you pictured (his dated about 1968). I forgot. I used to sell metal detectors. In 1979, I acquired a few, used, older style White's Coinmasters and a Goldmaster-sold them off soon after. The gold coin avatar was found with my White's Coinmaster VLF.

 

[Yvonne Calderon]

 

[DonDigger]

Mid 60's Garrett Playmate BFO. No, it doesn't discriminate, but it still works like new. I bring it out every once in a while just to remind me of where we came from.

 

[Sandancer]

My oldest

 

[smokeythecat]

I AM an old metal detector...detectorist. Something like that. I don't have old machines though.

 

[cooper1841]

Got this oldie with orginal box and Radio Shack price tag $69.95

 

[TheHunterGT]

Some dude just gave it to me one day while detecting. Said good luck getting it to work....so someday I plan on it.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Had to go back through my old posts to find this... I'm out of town right now, but I'll take some better pics when I get home next week... This is basically half of an early metal detector.... I have two of these "transmitters" but I don't have a "receiver" box and I kinda doubt I'll ever find one.... I still don't know how old it is, or even exactly how it works... I posted it here 5 years ago, so maybe there's someone around now who might have some info?

The plaque on the side says "Wahlquist pipe locator, -transmitter-, model 113, nillson electrical laboratory inc., New York NY" On the top there is a switch with off, on and int. and two contacts marked + and - 6v the other three contacts are labeled high common and low. The other side is marked in stencil, NOPSI ENG DEPT which is New Orleans public service inc.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Nola ken, loved your pix ! I would love to find out more about that (age, etc...), and see a complete unit . Thanx for posting !