Why do vintage old metal detectors still sell for a lot?

[firebird]

I was looking through Craigslist and found ads like these of old metal detectors still selling for a lot of money. Why? I thought metal detector tech has already improved considerably over old models like these.

https://reno.craigslist.org/tls/d/blairsden-graeagle-bounty-hunter/6810781705.html

 

[Ammoman]

Because someone out there will likely buy it. For some reason, people think that if its advertised on the net its the best deal EVER!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

That guy is probably not going to get $95 for that. It's way outdated. And too new to be "collector vintage".

One possible way that something like that might sell, is someone is just looking for a quick buy, to find something they lost. A friend of mine listed a cheapie detector on CL, for almost the price-when-new. Someone called and showed up. The ONLY question they asked is: Will it find a gold ring ? Apparently the guy or his wife had lost their ring, and they wanted a detector ASAP to find it.

So as long as you don't need bells, whistles, super depth, etc.... then sure, those early to mid 1970s machines will find stuff.

thanx for the link! A trip down memory lane.

 

[Toecutter]

I think they have some sort of collector value, seems people like to hang them in man caves an such....

 

[Ammoman]

I collect old sewing machines and i see this kind of stuff every day. People think they are sitting on a gold mine when in fact their item is worthless. Here is a person trying to get 100 bucks out of a machine they would have to pay me 30 bucks to take.

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/atq/d/fuquay-varina-1904-singer-sewing-machine/6817050814.html

 

[Tommybuckets]

"why do vintage metal detectors still sell for a lot?" you ask,... THEY DON"T lol! That ad will be on there for eternity or they'll let it go for $20 or find a super sucker! I have bought bounty hunters for $10-20 just to give away to friend's kids.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I agree that they do not sell for alot, unless someone has an emotional need to purchase a machine they used back in the day.

 

[xr7ator]

There is no completed or sold listings on craigs that I know of, however, going to ebay and scrolling down looking over at the left and hitting "completed listings" will show you that old machines DO sell. I just looked and there were two Garrett MS7 or ADS machines with extra coils and such...one sold for $341 and the other about $240.
I'll have to disagree with you, Tom, on the depth. With my old 1984 or so Garrett and the 12" coil i pulled many a silver dime over a foot deep. I don't have any silver dimes a foot deep with my new machines. I even tried a 15" coil on the at pro and really no addl depth than stock coil.

 

[smokeythecat]

They will sell. Not generally for a lot. However, those old machines still find stuff.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I have an old White's 5000D that I am going to sell. I figure $50 tops. I have to get some batteries and make sure it still works. Gary

 

[against the wind]

Purchased this Whites GOLDMASTER a few years ago for $25, which included shipping.
I just wanted to hang some crap from the ceiling.

 

[Mitch Dickson]

An analog detector is usually always better. Their problem is that they are heavy and eat batteries!!! Do you know what a sine wave looks like. Well analog uses the whole wave! A digital takes a tiny snippet every once in a while along that wave they call "sampling" and pretends to rebuild it in the processor Basically a digital throws away about 99% of the original wave. That is why an LP run through a good tube Audio amp sounds so much better than an mp3!!!!! Your ear can tell the difference. Digital signals are flat and missing most of the info. Even movie studios have a hard time with HD cameras as they don't do near what 16mm film can do!!! Some of those old detectors, such as a metal box ElDorado, or a Master Hunter 7, or a 6000D will out hunt your new digital machine just about every day Them old heads with lots of "sperience" know the difference!

 

[tahomatom]

My nephew picks up old detectors @ garage sales for 5-25 bucks in Sacramento area all the time. Found an old Whites di pro 6000 on C.L. and called the guy. He already sold it for 250.00. BTW, my nephews wife finds wheaties & silver all the time when we go camping in the summer. She has an ear that works well with those 5 buck detectors.

 

[A2coins]

easier to use

 

[ConshyBoy]

Purchased this Whites GOLDMASTER a few years ago for $25, which included shipping.
I just wanted to hang some crap from the ceiling.

How heavy is that thing? Looks like an old pay phone on a tennis racket

 

[Opie]

Its hard to beat analog at throwing a signal, and throwing it in its same consistency each time. I still look back at my old Red Baron and how well that machine worked in comparison. Really isn't any different then why do people sell or by anything old. If I knew then what I know now, I would have saved all the old farm and old wagon parts on my old family farm from back in the day. Amazed me watching the old barn wood go flying out the door at a yard sale.
Stay Gold!
Opie

 

[☠ Cipher]

There are many advantages new machines have over older analog. One is the ability to notch out items you don't want (rather than simply disc out in a linear fashion). Another is a lighter, smaller build. There are preset or saved programs for a variety of circumstances, auto tracking, ability to conduct complex timing and subtraction of multiple frequencies etc. Not that you couldn't accomplish many of these things with analog, but such a machine would be increasingly heavy, expensive to manufacture and have an unlimited amount of buttons and dials and switches. I would not wish to be banished back to the good old days of analog machines, and maybe the machine in the ad is going back a bit too far in the lineage, but there's no denying that machines like 5900di SL Pro still have a place in the hobby for the power and quality of their signal, and the preciseness of their adjustments. I still play around with models like that and I've been struck at how effective, fast and deep they are if you get everything tuned in just right. Digital has many advantages, but in some ways is just mimicking or approximating some of what analog machines do.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... there's no denying that machines like 5900di SL Pro still have a place in the hobby for the power and quality of their signal, and the preciseness of their adjustments.....

Sigh. The 6000 Di SL pro. and the 5900 Di SL pro were awesome machines for their day. I knew guys that swung the 6000 Di pro for the wet salt beach, even up till a few years ago. The refused to switch to anything else. But alas, they began to be a *bit* dated, by some recent introductions, as per raw depth. But for their time, they kicked b#tt all over the place.