Thinking of trying this hobby

[7up2000]

Hi y'all. I've been metal detecting for 7 years in my city and everything seems to be hunted out. I live in the desert SW(Tucson)--and thinking of switching to hunting for Indian artifacts as a hobby/partial income. I am totally new to the hobby--so my Q's are basic. What are best resources to learn about the hobby? Are indian artifacts hard to find? Is it hard to identify an Indian artifact? Can I make $ in this hobby? How common is it to find one on the surface?--or is digging necessary? Are there a lot of fakes out there? Where do I go looking for artifacts? Are there any laws I should be aware of? Any other info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ahead of time.
7up2000

 

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[Peyton Manning]

I’m not into detecting or artifacts for money.
To me it’s the history and fun of the find.
The only thing I would sell is a big honking diamond ring. ( after I find one)

 

[Relicgrubber]

Hi y'all. I've been metal detecting for 7 years in my city and everything seems to be hunted out. I live in the desert SW(Tucson)--and thinking of switching to hunting for Indian artifacts as a hobby/partial income. I am totally new to the hobby--so my Q's are basic. What are best resources to learn about the hobby? Are indian artifacts hard to find? Is it hard to identify an Indian artifact? Can I make $ in this hobby? How common is it to find one on the surface?--or is digging necessary? Are there a lot of fakes out there? Where do I go looking for artifacts? Are there any laws I should be aware of? Any other info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ahead of time.
7up2000

Google is your friend. Most of your questions can be answered if you drill down into the interwebs. Although I do by artifacts, I have never sold one in my entire life.

 

[Mackaydon]

Yes, you can make money but making a profit from your sales is another thing. Best to think of it as a hobby until it turns into a profitable business.
Don.....

 

[uniface]

Don't quit your day job.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Hi y'all. I've been metal detecting for 7 years in my city and everything seems to be hunted out. I live in the desert SW(Tucson)--and thinking of switching to hunting for Indian artifacts as a hobby/partial income. I am totally new to the hobby--so my Q's are basic. What are best resources to learn about the hobby? Are indian artifacts hard to find? Is it hard to identify an Indian artifact? Can I make $ in this hobby? How common is it to find one on the surface?--or is digging necessary? Are there a lot of fakes out there? Where do I go looking for artifacts? Are there any laws I should be aware of? Any other info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ahead of time.
7up2000

Yes, you can make money selling Indian artifacts, but it will depend on the quality of the artifacts you find. Since you are in Arizona a lot of your artifacts will be uncovered by the wind so search the deserts, search the washouts, be careful flash flooding can happen after heavy rains, and keep in mind they camped where there were sources of water.,

Last but not least, don't count on making a living doing it.

 

[dognose]

What are best resources to learn about the hobby?
Go to an artifact show or event. Talk to others with more experience, learn, never stop learning.
Read about relics and different relics,
http://csasi.org/index.htm

Are Indian artifacts hard to find?
In some areas yes.

Is it hard to identify an Indian artifact?
Reproductions are made extremely well and can be difficult for new collectors to tell the difference.

Can I make $ in this hobby? How common is it to find one on the surface?--or is digging necessary?
Its possible to make some cash, not easy to make a lot.

Are there a lot of fakes out there?
Yes there are a lot of reproductions out there.
Fakes and reproductions' have been make for well over one hundred years.
Its also possible to loose money.
Read https://casetext.com/case/bogle-v-jackson
When someone makes money sometimes someone looses money.


Where do I go looking for artifacts?
learn where they are being found, and you may find more in that area.


Are there any laws I should be aware of?
Read https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/archaeological-resources-protection-act-of-1979.540876/

Be aware digging or trafficking's in illegal artifacts may draw attention from federal agents
Read
https://jimfishertruecrime.blogspot.com/2012/03/overkill-four-corners-archaeological.html
http://fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/government/fraud/us_government/news.php?q=1456076560
https://phys.org/news/2011-08-raids-artifact-dealers-slowly-regain.html

 

[joshuaream]

Lots of people buy and sell, but finding your own to sell as a source of income? Hourly wages in a third world country will be higher unless you own a large, productive site and then you might be up to California minimum wage on a good day.

 

[crashbandicoot]

Best way to learn almost anything is to find someone who is experienced and knowledgeable and see if they,ll teach you.

 

[Older The Better]

I’d add be ware of your local laws, where you can dig, if you can take surface finds etc…

 

[Trezurehunter]

I don't sell anything that I find, (metal detecting or Native American). For me, the fun is in finding and displaying it, so I can enjoy it another day.

 

[CaptEsteban]

Do your research on the many laws that might pertain to the area , Federal, State, County, City . Get permission from private landowners is the way I like to do.

 

[Older The Better]

What are best resources to learn about the hobby?
I’m best just getting hands on, I started out taking home every strange rock and looking them up, the more you handle the stuff the easier it is to understand it. Personally I like the overstreet book, but it seems up to the latest edition it’s been flawed. Lastly if you take up flint knapping it will help a ton to understand what is going on. And this site! Check the posts here and don’t be afraid to post finds and ask questions

Are indian artifacts hard to find?
They can be it’s all about what you have access to, I only look on the family land and I do ok but I only come up with complete points every so many months, others on this forum can go out and top my finds for a year in an afternoon.
Is it hard to identify an Indian artifact?
Practice! You just have to handle as many as you can it becomes fairly easy after some time
Can I make $ in this hobby?
Unless you get on a special site with certain points I’d say you’d be looking at 5$ a complete point so unless you could pull in volume I’d doubt you’d find the hobby lucrative
How common is it to find one on the surface. Lots of people find them on the surface it’s just a Matter of finding a spot and checking often. Sites will change after a good rain and new material is always coming up, also surface collecting is less destructive or invasive and a little better accepted wether it’s with land owners or archaeologists
is digging necessary?
It is not but it can be more productive if you know where to dig, but it gets tricky when you dig that’s when you kind of get into state laws and potentially run people the wrong way… I’ll dig a bit on my own property but even then I feel guilty because with an archeology background I know I’m destroying information by not excavating properly Are there a lot of fakes out there?
Yes especially with high dollar points and points made in India that show up time to time on this site
Where do I go looking for artifacts?
That’s the whole trick it’s hard to say just think of attractive places to set up, near a water source or high spots are good.
Are there any laws I should be aware of local laws about ownership, nagpra, and be careful if you encounter bone, you are required to call the law if you find what could be human remains, not sure what the penalty for not doing so is but if I ever find human bones I don’t intend to find out.

But I’m with the others all my finds are for the love of history and adding pieces to the puzzle of the history of the local area, mine are definitely not for sale I consider them family history in a way since I only hunt family land.

 

[dognose]

Most individuals get into the hobby when they find a arrowhead or relic, become interested and curious and expand their knowledge spending countless hours researching and learning.

If you in the Native American relic to pretty much only make money - learn auctioneering and sales.

Selling things you don't own and making money at it may be more lucrative for you in the long run - if you become good at auctioneering.

Both collecting and finding native American relics and auctioneering can take a while to learn to become proficient at it.

It seems to me, those people who are relic collectors who migrate in to auctioneering seem to do pretty good at generating income, especially at interest in the items increase. From what I have seen over the last 30 plus years.

Just my opinion.

There is a guy not too far from me who lived in a old truck slide in the bed trailer - on cinder blocks, who searched for relics to sale as his sole source of income. Nothing more irritating. His trespassing and trampling crops made it difficult for those trying to follow and comply with the laws If he had put as much energy into finding a job working on a farm or factory, he may have been better off in the long run. Plenty of farms in the area.
Another opinion.