Is metal detecting a dying hobby?

[john37115]

I live in a small town with a population of a little more than 800 people however there are alot of historic homes and old businesses here. It seems like every site I go for permission to hunt. I am told well about 10 years ago some guys from another town came through and detected here and found alot of old coins. With permission granted, I go on and hunt and all the old finds that I make are few and every worthwhile find is always accompanied with trash in the same hole no matter the depth. Obviously something they've missed. It's like these guys went door to door detecting. I know it sounds as if I am complaining, I guess I am. The real concern I have is with all the new coins in circulation made from zinc and whatever else, that are 2 years old when you dig them up and they appear to have been in the ground 100 years more, are pretty much worthless. With TH'ing becoming such a common and widespread sport/hobby. Is there going to be any coins in 20 years worth finding for our Grandchildren and their children? As today's TH'ers have more tools to use than ever ie..(google earth, terra server etc.) for finding those out of the way old homesteads and places of historic interest. I guess beachs will always be replinished with new jewelery losses and whatever washes up from the ocean/lake floor. How do these old homesteads and CW sites get replinshed ? I have even thought about planting a few old coins or relics when I leave a sight kinda like a conservation effort. Is this feasible ?

 

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[Kentucky Kache]

As long as there's a treasure tale my hopes will be alive.

 

[Kellyco]

I've had the same thoughts, and honestly, I feel just as concerned. I think your "conservation" efforts are sweet, and I console myself with the fact that people will forever lose stuff at the beach at least.

 

[robert roy]

Its not a dying hobby. More people than ever are out there detecting, but they can't find everything. Just
because some people came out to the locations to mention 10 years back doesn't mean they got everything. Keep in mind that 10 years ago many detectors were NOT computerized and those that were didn't have all the bells and whistles. And who is to say that the people who came through 10 years back knew what the heck they were doing? And who says they covered the entire ground? I bet that after you go through with a bigger coil, you will find stuff deeper than their coils were able to get to. I read posts and reviews on forums all the time about MDers who went to places like schools etc, that had been hit hard by others and STILL come out with coins.

Personally I'd go back and ask permission to MD anyway. Just be kind to their yard if they say yes.
What kind of detector are you useing. There are bigger and better type coils now that will give you more depth and that is essential if you hope to get the deep stuff.

Good luck
Robert Roy

 

[Tom_in_CA]

In a way, yes. It is, and will be, a dying hobby.

As someone who's been into this for nearly 30 yrs, I can remember back in the late 1970s, when a person could pick up a detector for their first time, and go out to any old park, and start finding wheaties and silver. But NOW, those same parks, you'd have to be a real pro. to eek anything more out of them. All the "4 star" signals (perfect gimmee deepie coin sounds) have been found. The only things left are hard-fought deeper whispers, stuff next to junk, etc.... Ie.: it's no longer "easy". Not "impossible", but just "not easy". Sure, no one ever gets it all, as the saying goes, but they can certainly make it so that a beginner throws in the towel, for lack of any consistent patterns and a cruel learning environment.

Sure, you can always find a virgin spot that no one else thought of. But even that, is by definition, becoming harder to do. I have to chuckle when I meet newbies. They call me because they know I've detected our area for umpteen years. They have a "sure-fire" tip that they just uncovered from a history book (country picnic site, stage stop, or whatever). They are giddy with anticipation describing how they've found this certainly virgin site. I have to burst their bubble and tell them that we read the same books 20 yrs ago, and already pounded the snot of it. Are there sites that are still findable? Sure. But are all the obvious ones already researched out? Sure.

So yes, it's getting harder and harder to be successful in this hobby, if you are just starting. They hey-day of detecting, was probably the later '70s and early '80s. That was when the motion discriminators were taking over, and opening up a few more inches of depth. Ask any detector dealer who has been selling since those years, till now, and they will tell you that those were the peak years for sales. Yes, lots of machines are being now too (esp. via the internet and/or Walmart/ Radio Shack type cheapies) But I suspect most of them are either sitting in the closet un-used, or the users are contenting themselves with finding 99% clad.

 

[john37115]

Robert I was detecting back in the seventies when you could swing an old motion detector over and old yard and walk out with pockets full of wheaties, injuns, and silver. As Tom said, those days are gone unless you find some forgotten Mayberry town that has been passed over. Yes I miss those days, that is my point. What are our future generations going to do for these kinds of memories unless some type of conservation effort is attempted by our generation of like minded "professional" responsible TH'ers. I am very proficient and have great machines I still find the oldies but not without a grueling effort. JUST a thought how can we improve the future of our hobby?

 

[robert roy]

You know, when I was a kid (I'm 63 now ) I used to see many of the coins people are finding or has found and posted for all to see. Damn. If I had know back then they would be so scarce I'd have saved them all.
Regards
Robert R

 

[detectoraddict]

I've been doing it for 35 years now and its just getting tougher and tougher to find anything. All a guy or gal can do is research, research, research.................

 

[stevesno]

I used to ride my bike up to the local detector shop and hang out in my spare time. I couldn't wait until I grew up and had my own detector sales store. If I had one of those stores today....I would starve....Steve

 

[bakergeol]

You know I asked that question in 1979. Surely I thought this hobby was doomed. It's over as the glory years of the 60s are long gone. But I was wrong as the hobby continued to grow. Now here I am posting on TN along with a few other older veterans. We are still here-still detecting- still active after all those decades.

No you can't kill the spirit. No, there is no cure. Once it is in your blood you are forever blessed or cursed with this hobby.

Keep digging.
George

 

[Kas]

I hope it is an activity that people quit doing. More for me.

 

[LandStar]

Conservation...hmmm...I have been doing this since I started...I always take the second oldest coin I find and toss it over my shoulder wherever I am before leaving for the day. I believe you reap what you sow...I agree that detecting is becoming harder and harder...But, with the new machines that are out there, we can detect deeper than ever before, so we can get those finds that the oldies passed right over back in the 70s. It takes more effort now today, but you can still come out of a hunt with something good. As far as the future and all money being clad today...I think in another 10 years or so, the hobby is going to fade out. It will NEVER die, but I think more newbies are going to become highly discouraged and be selling those new detectors on eBay very fast...So, LET'S be PROFESSIONAL...DO toss a coin or two for the next guy to find when your out hunting...Conservation IS key...Kinda like catch and release fishing....Afterall, we are Dirt Fishermen/Fisherwomen...

Happy Hunting,

LandStar

 

[Tom_in_CA]

George, the difference between the 1960s to the late '70s, is an entirely different scenario than the difference between the late 1970s, to now. You would be the first to know that in the 1960s, you'd be doing good to get 3" on a coin. And forget mineralized areas. Also, no disc., no TID, etc... Contrast that to the late 1970s/early 80s, and you can see a world of technological improvements. So yes, the guys that started in the late '70s/early '80s, "still had it good", just by virtue of the increased depth, etc..

But now if you think of it, not much has been gained on depth in the last 20 to 25 yrs. Especially so if you think of just the last 15 yrs, you can truly say that nothing more than whistles and bells has been added. Contrast that to the 15 yrs. from 1965 to 1980, and you can see that we've sort of hit a "technological stand-still".

Also recall that the old 1960s machines were seeeooo inneficient, that it was possible to keep going back over the same ground again and again (park or school for example), and continually finding things you missed. But NOW, you can practically strip-mine an area, leaving literally no conductive targets, if you wanted to (down to a certain depth anyhow).

So if we have more techno changes, like more depth, or TID based on actual composition or shape (vs conductivity), is the only things that would give another boom cycle, and breath life back into the tired sad parks. I know parks where if I could get another 2 inches and retain reasonable ID, they would cough up lots more barbers and seateds.

 

[vpone]

I also have had these same thoughts, that maybe in 20 years the older coins will certainly be VERY hard to find, heck they're hard to find now ... i think the hobby is changing and to really get more "keeper" coins you have to do the research

that being said, there are members on this board that truly inspire with their finds :
captn_SE and Don_in_NJ are two that come to mind.

captn_SE wth his amazing silver totals for the year
Don_in_NJ with his awesome colonial & copper coin finds over the years

both of them (and many more here) have given me hope that there are still a large amount of coins in this world just waiting to be found and with the proper research and persistence, yeah even i can find them

vp
Bone Dry Detecting

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HIO doubting Tom / ca. of the little faith in dowsing:

I started out in 55, all were tube machines and consumed batteries like you do beer. Most basically were BFO, or TR machines which, with quasi discrimination, were not known for depth compared to today's. As for mineralization, sigh.

The best of the lot in those days was the old GARDNER. 180. It had a series of coils which ran from3" to 3 feet. It was wonderfully balanced and you could cover quite a bit of ground for serious treasure hunting. It cost 980 US Dollars in those days which was steep when most other detectors only cost from $50 -150 dollars. CARL/ nc can fill you in on the efficiency of the Gardner since he has one in his collection.

You could always build your own for a few dollars and spare parts. The first major step forward was when Charles Garrett stabilized his BFO machines. Before , every other step you were balancing, from circuit changes, as well as mineralization..

Nope, the future will continue producing goodies, but with more work and with a presumed break through, much greater depth. Sooo turn to cache hunting snicker.

Sooo before the frills etc, you learned to dig ALL reactions and quickly learned to know your instrument's characteristics. Incidentally, you still should dig all reactions, never know when a metal can might have a handful of Gold coins inside

Don Jose de La Mancha.

p.s. It is similar to fishing, if you catch a fish on each cast, you soon become bored, however ------.

 

[windrun]

Yeah, I see several garage sales sell the detectors, because they can't find any coins somewhere today, which somebody already pick up the coins last ten-twenty years ago. Even at the pawn show, they have a bunch of detectors on sale, but no one were interesting.....

Right now, it will get real hardest to find the site with permit the metal detecting....I asked many private old sites and most of them said "NO". Even at the public schools, the city won't allow that. I checked with the biggest lake, the park ranger won't allow you around the lake, only limit area in the camping site, if you find 25 dollars or more value of things, must return to the park ranger office.

One person who love to hunt the old coins by the metal detector last ten years ago, then today, he can't find anything for spend many hours, because people already found the coins before...He seem that more and more hardest to find it today, sound like give up the hobby......

Richard

 

[Kas]

Do like I plan to do. When I get old and can't get down anymore, I'm going to drive down the road and toss my finds out the window into fields and parks and tree rows, kinda like Johnny Appleseed, and re-sow the ground. Let's face it, we can't take it with us, and we won't sell it, and when we're old we won't care about it anymore. To heck with the kids, let them make their own money. I'm not passing it down. They wouldn't see the value in it and sell it for pennies on the dollar. Now, if a real treasure hunter MDER found the coins, PRICELESS.

The merc cache I found next to the clothesline post 140 coins in a mason jar, I'm going to re-bury at some point and make a treasure map, and put it in a treasure hunting book at the library. I'll make it hard, and complete with tree signs and markers. Hee hee. Hope some young hunter can figure it out.

I'm going to do this in a few more years. I want to know if someone found it. HEE hee.

Ken

 

[mtntrekr2]

Is the hobby coming to an end? I would have to say no. We all find the clad and are disappointed to see a new state quarter and we get that little bit of excitement when we find a bicentennial. Yes the silver George is better and a SLQ is even nicer. But has anybody heard what the quarter is going to be after next year when the state quarters are done. The mint has not released any info yet. Maybe there will not be any. We all know the mint wants to stop the penny but the public is fighting it with their pricing and the government taxes. The penny right now is needed for change at any store. The U.S. did have fractional paper currency. It may come back with the cost of minting coins. Then the coins we consider junk right now will be collectible. The saying of one mans trash is another mans treasure has never had more meaning than in this hobby.
We get excited when we find coins that are just over 40 years old and toss those that are 20 years old into the store change jar. With out knowing the future of the U.S. Mint another twenty years and the coins we are spending might be the future SLQ.
Will this hobby die out? As some have said they pounded certain areas in the 70's and 80's. And you went back in the 90's and the past couple years. Why? Because the hobby produced a better detector and you got one, you went back to that old area, and you found more. Well guess what the manufactures are not going to stop making better machines because they would go out of business.
Construction will never stop and there will always be those chances to dig these type of sites. Properties change hands everyday, just because the present owner will not let us there today maybe in ten yrs. the next owner will if he is not into the hobby himself.
Will this hobby die out?
Only if we do not pass on the excitement of the hunt.

Just my thoughts
Joe

 

[john37115]

I think all you guys/gals are tops. I for one would love to be able to take my grandchildren out and find a few old coins on a sight. What could be more commendable than making it possible for a youngster to experience the same feeling we felt by holding an old coin, clutched tightly in their fist as if it were the most special/magical coin on earth. I know for me the rush kinda disapears a few weeks after the coin has been in my possesion. Will I ever sell these coins of moderate value ( not likely ), would I pay anything for my granchild to experience this same rush I had, --- PROBABLY. I could put a monetary value on all my finds over the past 30 years ---Quickly--- and without question say my quest has been in the red. It's not about that, It's the magic or dreams of finding something long lost by --pirates--bandits--gold miners--soldiers etc. That make our hobby a worthwhile experience. Lets find a way to preserve our love of TH'ing for future generations to come. I'm in HOW BOUT YOU

 

[Ricardo_NY1]

I don't think the hobby is dying, and people years ago certainly and absolutely did not find everything. The worst enemy in my opinion, specially for public park hunters like me is the re-development (Fill) of land. Many parks here have been filled and because of that, the coins are now much deeper. The sections of the park that haven't, still keep producing silver, even the places that have seen generations of MD'ist. With that said, it's easy to imagine just how coins in the ground avoid detection..........think about a dime that has been on edge for the last 40 years and is deep. Perhaps a little movement or another 10 years might make it lay flat, and that piece of lead next to it might take another 7 years to sink further down because it weighs more. So it will be another few years before that coin becomes detectable. There is also alot of coins mixed in with alot of trash, and one day the coins position relative to the trash that is masking it may make it detectable. There are alot of scenarios happening right now for future detectable coins, as I believe there is still a whole lot down there. Today's machines of course are going to find stuff that yesterday's couldn't. The "Today's Finds" section of the forum is absolute proof that the hobby is alive and well.