Professional hunters: how do you make money?

[Loco-Digger]

If you want to get rich in this business you should design a "new" shovel or some other trinket and market as a "must have" for everyone who is serious about the hobby

I agree, those that made their riches during the gold rush, sold the necessities to the miners...

 

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[Loco-Digger]

I do pretty well keeping my hobby account full of cash from detecting and keeping my eyes open for dirt cheap detectors that I resell for a meager profit, while still leaving meat on the bone for the next guy.

I dig less clad than I did the 1st season, since many kids no longer run around with change in their pockets like they used to and once you've gridded a spot, it does not regenerate cash as fast as it used to in days gone by.

 

[A2coins]

A2coins, I am best at making the "mistakes" part, but since I generally don't resell anything, it doesn't really matter much, and these items aren't too expensive either.

Im the same way lol

 

[Red James Cash]

Professional hunters: how do you make money?

You have to learn,read.Get to the library and get books on antiques.The only way to make money at it is to know what youre looking at.Whether you dig it,find it at a yard sale or a thrift store.If you go by guesses youll starve.

 

[Clad2Silver]

If you want to get rich in this business you should design a "new" shovel or some other trinket and market as a "must have" for everyone who is serious about the hobby

Just remember to make that new shovel or other trinket available in "CAMO".

 

[smokeythecat]

Regarding antiques, I begged my mother to buy me an oak dresser for $35 at a junk store when I was 12. Back then turn of the century oak didn't bring much. It does now. I still have it. I have watched antiques for more years than I can admit to. With notable exceptions, right now if you can name the antique, you could probably find one and buy it, if you had the funds.

This one place had a very nice item for sale for over a year now. The price started at $1195. It was a nice item, but...then a few months later it dropped to $999...still nice, but...then they dropped the price to $800...still nice, but...when it went to $600 I bought it.

Prices on a lot of items are dropping. The one store I visit deals in militaria. They have over 300 WWI German helmets in stock. They bought a big collection. A lot of collections are on the market right now. And with a flooded market, the prices on some stuff is coming down.

HOWEVER, with that said, anything with camo should be fine!

 

[against the wind]

Even if you find a rare date gold coin and sell it for a Million dollars. After taxes, that's probably less than $30,000 a year over the next 20 years. That's not a lot of money. I first picked up a metal detector in 1970 and still haven't found my first gold coin.
Keep it fun by enjoying it as a hobby.

 

[Nitric]

Kind of depends on what your definition of treasure hunting is. And what "make a living" means. There are people that do it every day. But I look at "treasure hunting" as a huge category!! To me even a coin dealer is a type of treasure hunter. A guy finding the rare car in a field is a treasure hunter too....Combine a bunch of different interests and go for it!! Hopefully one will carry the other when one or more goes through a "dry" period.

I'm a believer that you can make money at anything!!! Just depends on how dedicated, hard working, and creative you are. "make a living" means something different to everyone.

There are people that go to a day job 9 to 5 every day, where the pay check is consistent.....Then...There are treasure hunters. Neither is bad, just different way of living.

 

[Oggar]

I guess, if you dig up enough pull tabs, aluminum foil and cans, you could always cash them in at the scrap metal place. Key word here is "enough". You might be able to make a living at it.

 

[Terry Soloman]

For the professional treasure hunters that do it full time, how do you make your money? Is there a way to live off treasure hunting? Can it be a stable job or is it hit or miss for days, weeks, months?

Yes, there is a way. You must have a legitimate treasure that you have researched (yourself, or with a team you have put together). You then package that research into a 12-14 minute "video pitch," which you show to potential investors, along with your business plan/perspective. Once you have raised $5-million you can hire your team and lease/buy your equipment while being paid a six-figure salary. Easy right? Not on your life.

 

[Toecutter]

Why would someone need schooling, other than learning your machine and its signals?

because it would be very difficult to get funded with just a high school diploma...

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Yes, there is a way. You must have a legitimate treasure that you have researched....

Ok. And some people's definition of "legitimate treasure", is any legend they read in a ghost story book , or TH'ing magazine from the 1970s. They ESPECIALLY become legitimate, if you throw in a faded newspaper clipping and a drawing of a miner posed next to his burro. And even MORE legit the moment you add: a skeleton, cryptograms, a cave, a conspiracy, etc... Eh ?

 

[Truth]

I’m so far I’m in the hole it’s crazy

 

[oldkoot]

For the professional treasure hunters that do it full time, how do you make your money? Is there a way to live off treasure hunting? Can it be a stable job or is it hit or miss for days, weeks, months?

Well the best I can figure the only ones making a living from treasure hunting is those that had enough since to just sell the equipment that we all use but most all of us were not smart enough to figure that out

If you got into this hobby thinking you were going to get rich or make a living at it welcome to reality thats why it is called a hobby.

 

[Ibuyen]

Become a famous youtuber

 

[heartslayer2001]

hit or miss, naw semi pro, yeah, earn enough no, work to play. schooling yes, life teaches you, as far as the hobby, knowing what and where you are looking helps with the things you find. the schooling comes from knowing age appearance, and use of an item found= History era people were there, just have fun its nature and you and the coil, smile and sweep.

 

[Truth]

Marry a woman with a good education and make sure she loves then hell out of you.