SERIOUS THREAD - Making bank detecting

[chub]

In all seriousness, can we give some indication in MONETARY terms ONLY what the total value of your finds have been?
To make it managable perhaps we should try and work it out in an annual ammount. An hourly rate may also be applicable. Just roughly.

I know we dont do it for the money and I know the reasons why we love detecting, but lets face it, we do sometimes make finds of significant value and Im curious to know how much on average.

Please, only answers that invole $. And if you only found one ring in 10 years then please average it out.

Me first. Somewhere in the vicinity of $500 - $600 pa ( I mostly hunt relics, which are fascinating but mostly worthless)

Chub

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Sorry, but I have WAY too many ex-wives to account for everything I've found in 40+ years. Then there's the IRS, jealous relatives, yadda-yadda-yadda. A real "Treasure Hunter" never talks about money, they tell stories of looking for treasure - and sometimes finding it!

 

[Upnorth42]

If I were do an honest accounting of all this. What I found minus gas and equipment. I would think I'm somewhere in the minus $500 or so a year. However the time spent outdoors exploring lost and forgotten sites is very valuable to me.

 

[Truth]

If I were do an honest accounting of all this. What I found minus gas and equipment. I would think I'm somewhere in the minus $500 or so a year. However the time spent outdoors exploring lost and forgotten sites is very valuable to me.

I'm honestly right there with you. It's not the money it's the hunt of the unknown and undiscovered.


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[against the wind]

I remember a lady in her 80's asking me if I ever won,, while I was purchasing a few lottery tickets. I answered of course. Two weeks ago I won 2 million dollars. You looked astonished. Then I said, "Last week, I lost 3 million.
I'm in it because you never know what you're going to find or win next.

 

[kingskid1611]

Are you serious....... It is a hobby that the benefits far outweigh the price tag. so I gotta say priceless.....I get out far more than I put into it.

 

[AlienLifeForm]

Hourly? After expenses - probably in the hole.

 

[cw0909]

40yr Md,6 detectors,bought sold gave 1 away 1 stolen
early days sold some things, few yrs ago hit
the straits, sold some more things, so all-n all
im in the hole


the FUN of Md priceless

 

[chefjuan]

Um.... yeah good luck getting anyone to fess up. It's easier to get people to brag about their oldest coin that is worth $10 vs. how much they find in real $$ doing this hobby...


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[Escape]

I probably could have made more money collecting and cashing in empty cans, but what fun would that be.

 

[AlienLifeForm]

I probably could have made more money collecting and cashing in empty cans, but what fun would that be.

Without a doubt can collecting would pay more in the long run.

 

[chub]

Ok, case closed. Thanks for the replies. The important thing is that everyone remains enthusiastic.

Chub

 

[hvacker]

I'm in it for the money...I guess that means I'm unemployed...

 

[Msbeepbeep]

It's cheaper than a therapist!

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[Mzjavert]

Total equipment expenses: $1735

Hotels and gas (out of town only): $500

Total expenses: $2235


FINDS

Clad: Approximately 5000 coins worth between $30-$50, For the $$$ calculation lets say $40.

Gold sold for melt value: $100.

Silver rings: I gave these all away to friends. Still value of about $150.

Oldest coin: $35 retail.

Other silver coins: $100

Skelton keys: $50

Misc artifacts: $100

Most of my other finds are cool, but not worth much in the retail market: maybe $150.

Total money earned: $725

Expenses: $2235
Cash value of finds: $725
Total -$1510

Over 20+ years, assuming total hunting time of 40, 40 hour weeks: -$37.75 per work week

 

[SeabeeRon]

Simple, it is a hobby!

 

[digger27]

Hard to say, just the gold I have found at melt prices must be approaching somewhere close to $2500, then there is all the silver and maybe about $1500 or more in clad along the way in about 6.5 years.
I still have several gold objects that are too good to melt, larger types and rings with ice so if I can sell them someday at even a used retail level add a whole lot more to that.
All of my equipment, detectors, pinpointers, pouches, diggers and more not counting batteries and gas money has not even broken the $2000 mark so for me this is a hobby that literally has paid for itself.
Still, none of that matters because it is the joy of the thrill of the chase, the exercise in the fresh air I get and the camaraderie and fun I have hunting with others that counts more and is priceless.

 

[Deft Tones]

Heh, try getting hooked on sport fishing. Unless you get a sponsor it's nothing but expenses.

Boat 10-40k+
Truck to pull boat 10-60k+
Rods/reels 2.5k+
Tackle 3k+
License, stamps, fuel, lodging...

95% of these fools (I'm one too) never get any monetary return unless they find change in the boat ramp parking.

Count your blessings each zinc recovered you funny dirt-fishermen.

I love both water and dirt fishing, but I never got into either for the express purpose of monetary gain.

 

[chub]

Total equipment expenses: $1735

Hotels and gas (out of town only): $500

Total expenses: $2235


FINDS

Clad: Approximately 5000 coins worth between $30-$50, For the $$$ calculation lets say $40.

Gold sold for melt value: $100.

Silver rings: I gave these all away to friends. Still value of about $150.

Oldest coin: $35 retail.

Other silver coins: $100

Skelton keys: $50

Misc artifacts: $100

Most of my other finds are cool, but not worth much in the retail market: maybe $150.

Total money earned: $725

Expenses: $2235
Cash value of finds: $725
Total -$1510

Over 20+ years, assuming total hunting time of 40, 40 hour weeks: -$37.75 per work week

Thanks! Thats a pretty comprehensive answer. I tried to steer the responses this way with the first post but still got alot of "its a hobby" replies. I was just curious about the economics really. Year 3 I want to say I broke even but was just thinking about the losses on other machines Ive sold

Chub

 

[Jeremy S]

The guys who buy a detector and get into this hobby to "get rich" are the ones who get frustrated fast and give it up.

Just for fun I created a spreadsheet and added up my clad totals for the last 5 years. I've found 5,521 clad coins with $358.74. If I factor in the few dozen silver coins and a handful or gold rings and other misc silver jewelry I -may- have paid for the cost of 1 detector and a Propointer. I'm in this for the history and the thrill of the hunt. Most of my finds end up stashed away shortly after finding them and forgotten about.