Hobby, Profit, or Both

[Stringtyer]

I've gotten into metal detecting for the sheer joy of finding stuff that has been laying about in the dirt for some time. I'd like to find some historical artifacts if I can. I get some exercise and am able to teach my grand-daughters a fun game.

Many of y'all have mentioned finding things of value. The question is, are any of you actually making any money detecting? I have no aspirations of finding enough to even pay for my machine.

Just curious.

 

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[CraigBrown]

Well, I am in it for fun, i am not making anything ground breaking, but i have found ruffly 50 grams of gold at 14 karats in various jewelry. if i sold that today i would be looking at $1200. I probably bought the cheapest machine, bounty hunter 1100 and it works well for me.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I have been detecting for 4 years now and am in the black from all the clad I deposited into my hobby account. I do it as a hobby and like to hunt old yards, but I am also not opposed to hunting areas where I can bank mucho clad and pull a silver coin or 2. It's a hobby that can fund itself.

 

[basssmann]

Hi Stringtyer.... You will never make money off treasure hunting unless, you spend millions looking for treasure ships in the ocean...

Detecting is a hobby or "obsession"...lol

I put $20 in gas in my truck, to drive 75 miles each way to find a Merc. dime worth about $1.20.... and I'm happy. ??

I have been detecting 29 years now, and love it more every year... the thrill of seeing a shiny coin in the plug or hole, is such a great feeling and it never go's away with time. To see a Sterling or Gold ring, is an extra special bonus feeling. I have every silver coin and every ring I every found, priceless to me... My bagging stuff to show.

Sometime's you will find a class ring, and will want to keep it as your treasure... but, being a good person, you will try to return it, and when you succeed on finding the owner, Wow, the felling you get returning it, makes you feel sooo good. I returned a class ring, after 40 years in a lake...... I have returned engagement rings, class rings, and even a charm with a deceased son's picture on it... Again, Priceless...

I have owned over 24 detectors, some used, some new... Any machine over $300 will find good coins... it's up to you to find the spots, learn your machine and enjoy nature and the free exercise... Use your machine, or it will end up in a closet, like 75 % of them do !!!!!!

 

[Ogre1190]

You forgot the third choice...Therapy. 😁 MDing is one of the things that kept me sane during almost 40 years of working in the LE field. 😂 And silver in the hole/plug still makes me smile.

 

[basssmann]

Ogre 1190.... Your right..... I answered so fast, I forgot the Therapy part... My wife of 32 years has Alzheimer's real bad and is in a nursing home... She has almost forgotten who I am, but, I know who she is... I go to the home every day to see her and enjoy my time with her.... then I go detecting for a few hours, relax, and let nature and the luck of silver, easy my day.... thank you for reminding me....

 

[Jason in Enid]

Depending on how hard you work at it, you can easily "make money" from metal detecting, but its not going to be much. Even the full time beach hunter who dig thousands in gold every year aren't making much. If you sit down and think about how much you need for monthly expenses, you wouldnt want to try to survive off metal detecting.

Always look at it as a fun hobby. The cost of detector and other equipment is part of the hobby.

 

[Rawhide]

This exercise in futility has opened up many doors for me. I have made friends, I could make money if I tried a little harder. But I do it for all the reasons posted above. I am working on melting the silver and gold I have found into bars for the wife for when I die. I also look for things like meteorites and relics that give me a chance to study and restore them. If you have a lot of time on your hands, I say its a good investment. Can not really put a price on what I get in return.

 

[Timebandit]

100% hobby. As stated above, I get some time alone to forget the stresses of the day. My nephew recently got interested so I’ve been taking him along and teaching him the ins and outs of the hobby Andy it is a riot to watch him get excited about finding a target and guessing what it might be before he digs it. I see it as a hobby and like most hobbies, there are usually expenses associated with it.

 

[Timebandit]

100% hobby. As stated above, I get some time alone to forget the stresses of the day. My nephew recently got interested so I’ve been taking him along and teaching him the ins and outs of the hobby Andy it is a riot to watch him get excited about finding a target and guessing what it might be before he digs it. I see it as a hobby and like most hobbies, there are usually expenses associated with it.

 

[redcobra8u]

The change alone I've found has paid for all my equipment, parking fees, food and drink while hunting, and bribes to the wife to be able to sneak an extra hour or two a week in. Well over $6000 in the last 4 years. I've never sold anything but I'm sure I have well over $25k in nice stuff. I'm in it as my therapy, a little extra exercise, and the thrill of finding something nice.

 

[KJP462]

100% hobby here as well. The thrill and satisfaction of finding old coins, whether they be silver or even an old IHP is plenty rewarding in and of itself.

 

[cudamark]

I started detecting as a hobby (and to supplement my coin collection) about 48 years ago. I've been in the black ever since, so, I guess I would have to say "both". The only hobby I've ever had that I could claim that. Couldn't make much of a living do it, unless I was extremely lucky, but, it's paid for all my gear, gas, trips, etc, related to the hobby. As a side note.....when I started, I made more money detecting than I did at my $1.65hr job!

 

[luvsdux]

Well, really valuable finds are few and far between. However, in my experience, I'd say if you're hunting tot lots, parks, fairgrounds and the like, if you're not finding enough clad to pay for your batteries, you're not trying. I've actually picked up more value wise from coins and prizes picked up in club hunts. Lots of silver rounds, 4 detectors, and misc. tools for the hobby and had fun doing it.
luvsdux

 

[Hawks88]

Nothing better than being by yourself on a hunt and getting a good target ID and not knowing what’s inside that hole till you actually dig it and see it for the first time. Sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s garbage. But when you get something valuable it’s all worth it and you start all over again.

 

[Loco-Digger]

Detecting is a free lottery, ya never know, the next plug may be "THE PLUG"!

 

[Normsel]

Don't quit your day job..lol Most of the time you will never pay for the gas you use. I do it purely as a hobby and exercise. So far in the past 6 weeks I have found over $200 and 3 rings with my Equinox. Now that is not going continue because I hit a rarely hunted park. There are many relic hunters and they mostly hunt old homesteads and old military encampments etc. I would say 99% of us do it for fun. It's a challenge to get the most out of your detector and even if you do it does not guarantee you will find anymore.

I have found rings from worthless cocktail and kiddie rings to $1700, most often I have found silver rings.. Some of the beach hunters do very well finding rings and chains..

 

[Stringtyer]

Detecting is a free lottery, ya never know, the next plug may be "THE PLUG"!

Yep. I was at my daughter's house yesterday and was showing my son-in-law my EQ-600. Got a strong hit showing a solid 15-16 so I'm thinking, this may be something good. Dig, sift, pinpoint. Nothing. Repeat. 4" down pinpoint hits on a siding nail (from a coil nailing machine) that was coated in either zinc or cadmium.

I know the next good number will be that $5.00 gold piece I know is waiting for me.

 

[Jesse James]

I've cashed in my clad for $180 three years ago when I was in a jam but I've been collecting it again since. I probably wouldn't have in the first place if it wasn't an emergency (divorce 😲) haha. I've had a gold diamond ring appraised before but never sold it. I've never sold any of my silver coins and I have an $80 Barber dime. 95% hobby for me. A barrel full of lost civil war gold? I just don't think I'd be able to let that sit in my closet though...

 

[Eleven Cents]

I think of it as fun and exercise. Even if my finds eventually pay for my detector, they won't pay for all the time I've spent digging. If my goal were to make money, I'd be better off getting a part time job.

One time I found a huge coin spill where someone had probably dropped a till or tip jar in the snow. I dug almost $6 in a 2x2 foot area. Densest concentration of clad I've seen by far. I figure I made about $8 an hour digging that!