Cost Benefit Trade Off for Deep Silver Hunters?

Harold,ILL. Wrote:
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> khouse Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Harold,ILL. Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > khouse Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > deathray Wrote:
> > > >
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > >
> > > > -----
> > > > > Well..Im in construction...in Cal...and
> > when
> > > > the
> > > > > housing fell apart around here 8 or so
> > years
> > > > ago,
> > > > > I sold all the common silver, incidental
> > gold
> > > > > finds, and even the $20 gold coin I
> > > found...it
> > > > put
> > > > > food on the table. Also sold my
> detectors,
> > > lol.
> > > > > Pretty much all was found with a beat to
> > hell
> > > > > Sovereign.
> > > > I thought I was the only one? I too am a
> > > > contractor. Around 2007 - 8 things went to
> > > crap
> > > > as you know! I sold my 3 machines, newer
> > > silver,
> > > > jewelry (40+ silver rings ++) and gold
> > > (earrings,
> > > > chains and rings) that I thought I would
> > never
> > > > sell. Then bought 1 cheaper machine so I
> > > wouldn't
> > > > go crazy. It took a few years before I
> could
> > > > upgrade my machine. I miss everything I
> sold
> > > but
> > > > had to do it because in reality it's a
> hobby
> > > and
> > > > food and electricity are more important.
> Not
> > a
> > > > lot of people know what it's like to go
> broke
> > > in
> > > > about 6 months after being successful for
> 25+
> > > > years... My business has never reached what
> > it
> > > was
> > > > before the collapse.... On another forum a
> > guy
> > > was
> > > > wanting funding through gofundme so he
> could
> > > > upgrade his machine. Shoot I started
> mowing
> > > yards
> > > > and shoveling snow to make ends meet! Hell
> > I'm
> > > 54
> > > > and still have those yards to mow. It's
> > pretty
> > > > easy money to be honest......All of them
> > right
> > > on
> > > > my road so I don't need a trailer. Just
> drive
> > > down
> > > > the road and knock them out.....
> > >
> > > You must of bounced back pretty well as you
> > know
> > > swing an Etrac and make Vids with Bill S. I
> was
> > a
> > > Drywall contracter way back when you could
> make
> > > money at it. Ah the good ole' 70's was a boon
> > for
> > > sure. Now to much competition with uninsured
> no
> > > overhead types if you know what I mean.
> > I got fat when times were good. I learned to
> live
> > with less. That affords me the etrac I have
> now
> > plus a few others. I think of my mowing money
> as
> > my mad money...LOL. I have a long story that I
> > won't bore you all with. But now facing
> college
> > for two kids. I'm thinking about selling
> > everything I own and moving into a Refrigerator
> > box. I'm thankful through thick and thin that
> I
> > have metal detecting to clear my mind.......
>
> That's why I had my one son at 22 now He's grown
> and my wife is an X an it's my time! LOL!
I started my marriage and family late in life. Mistake #1 and #2

Kenny
[www.youtube.com]

I also agree with those who've stated that the thrill of the hunt is where it's at. Because,anyone who has been at this for any amount of time knows that the find WILL come! Maybe not soon,maybe the next time out,but it WILL come. Having the machine YOU like for YOUR reasons is the way it should be. I'd love to try some different machines primarily to pit them against my current units and see if more can be found with more efficiency in my hunting spots. However,most people aren't dealers and most people don't have unlimited checkbooks,so we do what we do to become really good with what we have,in preparation for the time when we CAN afford the next machine. I've paid for both my machines with clad over time...now I'll start saving for whatever it is I fancy in the future. It won't matter how expensive it is,I want to achieve the end result,which are silver items,or really old coppers.
I have NEVER had a crappy day detecting,and I've hauled home some pretty pitiful things. In fact,so pitiful some never MADE it home.

That seated quarter is FANTASTIC!!!!!! Right on man!
Kenny...we live exact same lives dude!

I used to dirt hunt. I remember many times telling my wife how much a silver coin i found that day was worth. Her reply...... its not worth anything because you never sell most relics or silver you find. Now i beach hunt for jewerly......... im not nearly as attached to it and yes there is a heck of a lot of profit. Thats why i tell most people..... if you are water hunting get the best machine you can afford for what you are looking for..... GOLD, but dirt detecting you are right.... it takes some time to pay one off with clad. But again.... choosing the right machine helps. I always used and Explorer for silver hunting..... it has a very unique tone over deep silver.... kind of a tinkle.

khouse Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Harold,ILL. Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > khouse Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Harold,ILL. Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > khouse Wrote:
> > > >
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > >
> > > > -----
> > > > > deathray Wrote:
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > >
> > > >
> > > > > -----
> > > > > > Well..Im in construction...in Cal...and
> > > when
> > > > > the
> > > > > > housing fell apart around here 8 or so
> > > years
> > > > > ago,
> > > > > > I sold all the common silver,
> incidental
> > > gold
> > > > > > finds, and even the $20 gold coin I
> > > > found...it
> > > > > put
> > > > > > food on the table. Also sold my
> > detectors,
> > > > lol.
> > > > > > Pretty much all was found with a beat
> to
> > > hell
> > > > > > Sovereign.
> > > > > I thought I was the only one? I too am a
> > > > > contractor. Around 2007 - 8 things went
> to
> > > > crap
> > > > > as you know! I sold my 3 machines, newer
> > > > silver,
> > > > > jewelry (40+ silver rings ++) and gold
> > > > (earrings,
> > > > > chains and rings) that I thought I would
> > > never
> > > > > sell. Then bought 1 cheaper machine so I
> > > > wouldn't
> > > > > go crazy. It took a few years before I
> > could
> > > > > upgrade my machine. I miss everything I
> > sold
> > > > but
> > > > > had to do it because in reality it's a
> > hobby
> > > > and
> > > > > food and electricity are more important.
> > Not
> > > a
> > > > > lot of people know what it's like to go
> > broke
> > > > in
> > > > > about 6 months after being successful for
> > 25+
> > > > > years... My business has never reached
> what
> > > it
> > > > was
> > > > > before the collapse.... On another forum
> a
> > > guy
> > > > was
> > > > > wanting funding through gofundme so he
> > could
> > > > > upgrade his machine. Shoot I started
> > mowing
> > > > yards
> > > > > and shoveling snow to make ends meet!
> Hell
> > > I'm
> > > > 54
> > > > > and still have those yards to mow. It's
> > > pretty
> > > > > easy money to be honest......All of them
> > > right
> > > > on
> > > > > my road so I don't need a trailer. Just
> > drive
> > > > down
> > > > > the road and knock them out.....
> > > >
> > > > You must of bounced back pretty well as you
> > > know
> > > > swing an Etrac and make Vids with Bill S. I
> > was
> > > a
> > > > Drywall contracter way back when you could
> > make
> > > > money at it. Ah the good ole' 70's was a
> boon
> > > for
> > > > sure. Now to much competition with
> uninsured
> > no
> > > > overhead types if you know what I mean.
> > > I got fat when times were good. I learned to
> > live
> > > with less. That affords me the etrac I have
> > now
> > > plus a few others. I think of my mowing
> money
> > as
> > > my mad money...LOL. I have a long story that
> I
> > > won't bore you all with. But now facing
> > college
> > > for two kids. I'm thinking about selling
> > > everything I own and moving into a
> Refrigerator
> > > box. I'm thankful through thick and thin
> that
> > I
> > > have metal detecting to clear my mind.......
> >
> > That's why I had my one son at 22 now He's
> grown
> > and my wife is an X an it's my time! LOL!
> I started my marriage and family late in life.
> Mistake #1 and #2
This last line was meant as a joke. It's bugged me ever since I posted it so I just want to say I love my kids and wife. Now I feel better.....

Kenny
[www.youtube.com]

I hunt all kinds of sites, from parks, old homes, demos, even an ocasional beach hunt, but my favorite of sites are of the earliest type in California (and Nevada). California has great history, going back to the Spanish in the 1700's, but these earliest California sites are few and far between. Most are long lost of the cement jungle we call progress, but with hours and hours of research, there are a few that still exist. They're hard to find, difficult to research, and even more difficult to gain permission to hunt, but sometimes the stars and planets line up and you get the opportunity to hunt a piece of early history. When you do get this privilage, the thrill of finding a piece of 1700's Spanish silver, Indian trade silver, fur trade era relic, or argonaut coin or relic, it's priceless. There's simply no better way to connect with history then unearthing an early coin or relic that hasn't seen the light of day for the past 150-200 years.

I have never found too much old silver other than a few civil war and revolutionary war era coins while relic hunting. The relics to me are a passion that keeps me detecting. I can not bring myself to sell them. Each is a piece of history. Most of my relic sites have been hard hunted for many years now and the detecting is slim pickings compared to the late 80's when I first began, so every relic is even more special to me now. So no way do I see this type of hunting as paying for my detectors from a money standpoint. Now if I could bring myself to sell the relics then yes I could have paid for my detectors over time.
More modern day silver, Mercury dimes and silver quarters, can still pay for a detector over time as their are plenty of old mill houses from the forties to the sixties in so many towns that have not ever been hunted. I used to do this just to kill a couple of hours or to teach a new detectorist how to use their machines. I never used to even save the silver back then as it was not worth much at the time. Fun to do but not a real passion for me. Just thought of it as the same as clad at the time.
Now as Dewcon said earlier in this thread, the finding of gold jewelry on the beach will very quickly pay for a detector. So buy the best that you can afford. I have no problem selling gold or silver jewelry as it does not have the same attachment for me as relics. I love being on a warm sunny beach and talking with people anyway, and if you put in the time and effort detecting the gold will come on a regular basis. I now have two Excall II's, a Whites Dual field, a Sand Shark, and a waterproof Soveign GT. All payed for by beach gold finds. I also payed for my wife's diamond ring with gold and silver found while water hunting. What makes this even more exciting is the fact that I have only been water hunting for the last three years. Even more to the point, the closest saltwater beach is two and a half hours away, so I do not get to water hunt nearly enough, and I almost never freshwater hunt. Research in the the form of learning to read a beach becomes just as important as research on a relic site to put yourself on the correct location to make good finds. So if you are looking for money return on investment then water hunting is probably the way to go and even then you only get back what you put into it. You will quickly find that you either love detecting with a passion or hate it. There is no in between in this hobby...Stuart