Gerry in Idaho

Hearing me tell folks, they high dollar detector misses many kinds of gold is easy to ...yea whatever. Showing folks how their detector misses all those kinds of gold... is an eye opening. What you do with the knowledge learned is up to you, I'm just the teacher helping students understand gold is not just gold and the different detectors are needed. Glad you were able to learn and most importantly...remember. Gold Catcher - I don't have as may Pre Sales Customers as I had expected? Maybe the stimulus checks will help. Norvic - It is quite a decision to it's final fate. I thought about sending it to yo then realized you're in Australia. Plus I hate to pass on such stressful thoughts of its demise to a friend. WesD & jason - I don't think at all the pursuit of.. and or gold itself is a waste of investment. It's an occasional detector purchase, outdoor breathing, free exercise and workout, comradery with your friends who enjoy doing the same thing. The gold we find has value...if we decide to sell it. It has memories of the trips and adventures in trying to collect it. No matter what country you find yourself in, an few grams of gold is supplies, food...life. As a hobby, I have fished, hunted, bowling, archery, coin detecting. I did all those for 40+ yrs and for many of the same reasons I mentioned above. Only the coins/artifacts of detecting have a value I can sell today and get cash. In the last 20 yrs, I have found 100X more value I can cash than even my only coins, in half the time. I feel nugget hunting has been the best investment for all the hobbies I have ever done and the returns are worth more than all the others combined. No, it's not like real-estate, the stock market for most people but those require the person to have a good chunk of change to get involved, for the average individual. Yes my property has went up in value, just like everyone else. It took a big chunk of money and a loan and paid interest to get that far. The average Joe is only going to have 1 or 2 chances of those purchases in a lifetime, when in fact many people can afford the detector and pursuit of gold. Or we could hang out at the local pub and drink/drink our hard earned wages away and have nothing but a headache in the morning? I'll stick with detector in hand instead of a beer.

I don't feel a different coil is needed for nuggets vs specimens. I think (could be wrong) the original source of the gold from thousands of years ago is what dictates if the gold is in nugget or specimen form. On many occasions the specimens when slowly working their way down the river systems, start breaking apart to allow for some smaller solid nuggets coming off the larger specimens. For example, in Southern Idaho we have thousands of tiny picker nuggets and 100's of ounces of the well known flower gold or dust. Our potato specimens eventually turn to dust over time. In Northern Idaho and Eastern Oregon, they had bigger veins of gold so the chances of bigger nuggets and more solid specimens have been recovered with detectors. We still prefer the faster and lighter VLF type detectors with stock size coils. Realize a small pea nugget will eventually work it's way down into the tailing piles and be out of reach of most VLF types, so that's why I normally spend my time in tailings chasing bigger gold. As Steve mentioned. Study the area and know the kind and size of gold being recovered in that area. Then match the coil size to the size of gold you wish to hunt and match the size of gold to the size of tailings. Big cobbles are the least productive, but on a rare occasion the biggest of finds. It there is exposed bedrock, that is the site I put the small coil to get the little pickers. It does not matter is it's a specimen or nugget, a VLF hits them both well. 3 gram nuggets and up, I feel the stock coil on most detectors is sufficient, unless you know your buddies have cleaned it with stock, then try something different. In the pics, you'll see I'm detecting golf ball to fist size rock piles using a VLF EQ-800 with the larger 15x12" Coil. I typically use the stock 11" coil for these piles, but my hunting buddies spent a summer on it with their stock coils so I had to try something different. You can see in the rock piles, trying to find a grain of rice piece of gold is almost worthless, so I don't even attempt it at this kind of location. Good Luck.

Lunk, For all the gold that scoop has helped uncover and not damage, you should put that baby on a plaque as it's earned it's worth and then some. What really surprises me, is you can keep one that long without loosing it. That's certainly a wall hanger next to a pic of Smokey and Neverquit.

As a Marine, I totally busted as I started the read. Great memories...but the reality is, I treat my GPZ-7000 the same way.

jasong - That would be the most wise decision for the majority. I kind of like to take that money and buy more detectors to sell. Invest it back into my business and for another trip/adventure. GoldTree - I'm not much of a crusher, but when I do, it's usually the ugly kind that hang around Madtuna. Madtuna - If dating ugly and gold nuggets are both going home with you. Hey...you're doing better than most. I think most guys would take your odds. okara gold - Yes I agree the slabbing is worth most $$$ but the time spent trying to get top dollar could be used for other things. Or just stick a blow torch to it.....and be over with. Good options to own. Cascade Steven - Thanks for the nice words. I'm not an expert at selling or cutting so when that time comes, I usually let the experts handle it. Was found with a VLF by my customer. Valens Legacy - I appreciate your interest, but would not want people to commit until we see the finished product. I have heard of a few horror stories when slabbing. I think it's kind like cutting a thunder egg (rock) and hoping its full of pretty crystals when done, but sometimes it's nothing fancy. Jonathan Porter - Gold Hound would be laughing the whole time. It's a different feeling for the owner vs the spectator.

Sorry the 800 does not have the Heat/Melt Snow Mode. I actually took mine out to an old park on Saturday to test the new NOX 15" round Coil and pulled these silver nuggets. It's been a while since I had an 8 silver day.

For me personally, NV has proved me the most tonnage., 2nd would be Oregon, 3rd is Idaho, 4th is Alaska, 5th is MT, 6th is Arizona. That lead I've helped recover from mother earth eventually will be worth something some day. Now if you asked me about gold? I'd probably have to say the same order. Me taking a guess without asking internet, I would imagine NV or AK.

I'm glad someone pulled it out of hibernation and posted it for everyone. Yes there are quite a few newer detectorists who are on here now, so this bit of info might help. Thanks for being patient.

Great resources and knowledge being shared. Thanks for opening up more opportunities and potentials. Now I just need the GPX-6000 and off I go.

Well done my friend and what's nice is to see specimens of Au and outer space from the same trip. Glad the winds did not cause damage and you made it home safely. Thanks for sharing.

Valens Legacy – I agree, slabbing could be the ultimate cash cow, if one wants to take the time. Gold Hound – Yes many pieces and chunks have been crushed throughout our lives, but then we don’t get to pass on the natural beauty and or see what potentials if could bring if acid or slabbed or left on a small turn table in a museum? Yes the fast cash would mean a smashing, but I feel that is last resort. Matt – You do bring up some points, but I could just as easily smash the smaller ones and end up with a gold bar, while still keeping the bigger skull type looking gold. Swegin – I think there are a few sophisticated types who would in fact enjoy it sitting on their office desk. Or in a museum on a turn table. Joe D. – Agreed and it won’t happen while I’m the owner. NV-OR-ID-CAL-AU – I’m more of a keep it natural kind of guy myself. Yes there will be a time when it goes for sale and at that time the decision will be made and options weighed. I have seen some great pieces from OR that when acid etched, turned museum quality.

Yes the value if slabbed could bring a petty penny over time. I too, am a guy who uses DISC on my GPX-5000 and VLF's more than most folks. Sure they can dig it all, but hunt some of my sites and you'll never get 30 feet in a day. I'm happy with my style and success rate, but at the same time I am always looking for a detector or settings, style, tool that will even provide me with more Success.

It amazes me of a high % of younger people who call and ask about a couple different detectors they have their eye on. They are asking for my professional experience and knowledge if the two models they are considering are good. I spend 45 minutes to an hour on the phone trying to tell them the Pros/Cons. After the conversation I email them some knowledge. A week later I'll touch base and they inform me found a killer deal they could not pass up. What realize bugs me, is when they call back and want to know the best coils, headphones and how do I tell if their detector is working properly. I've gotten to the point I really don't even like carrying sub $500 detectors, as my time is to valuable. I just had a free Metal Detector Basics class on Saturday for my 14 customers and at least they understand the value of purchasing from someone who actually uses the same product they sell. I offer the same internet price as Amazon and eBay, but my knowledge and time I am willing to spend with customers is the real value. Gold Detectors are even more detailed at needing to know the ropes to help become Successful and he said it well. Why do I enjoy helping my customers become Successful? Seeing the smiles on their face and experiencing the same natural high of digging their 1st gold nugget. It's the feeling we all desire.

Glad you know what you are doing. I was already quite impressed with specimen B before the cleaning, but am excited to see how much better it looks afterwards.

As I have mentioned in times past, I enjoy chasing different types of gold and have learned that in many instances the power of a PI is not the tool of choice. Now with this new GPX-6000 coming out and Minelabs claim to better sensitivity and depth to small gold, I'm hoping it opens up some more gold for my old hunt sites. Yes the SDC-2300 and GPZ-7000 could do better than my GPX-5000, TDI, and ATX, but none of them have the Sensitivity as my GM-1000 and EQ-800. I've got a good feeling about this new 6000. Oh would you crush it or keep it?

As a multi line detector dealer for 25 yrs, I can tell you this. When I first started selling, I'd order all kinds of parts, knobs, coils, shafts, battery holders, and anything I think I could sell. After some time the little things in boxes would get buried and I found myself ordering more. I did whatever I could to keep the customers coming back to me and not going online. Then about 13 yrs ago I moved and in the process of moving, I realized I had thousands of dollars of old stock inventory, since many of the detectors had changed. I also watched as more and more folks walked away from us small shop dealers and started purchasing from Mail Order and online. Now, I spend most time and effort stocking the most popular detectors and a select few accessories and coils. As mentioned by others, the detectors come to dealers all packaged the same way. Many times, the coils have their own serial #'s and are sold with a detector control box that has its own serial #, but both are written on the warranty card or box. Now I just offer it as I get it and not waste time trying to help each individual as so many people have an idea what they want different than the way it comes factory shipped. Some dealers like to promote and sell detector accessories and others prefer to sell detectors. At my stage of business and what I see with Amazon and such, it's most wise for me, to sell detectors and a select few accessories. On a rare occasion, I get an email for a certain part or item and it's just easier for them to purchase it from Amazon. I used to fight Mail Order Internet Sales, Amazons and such, but I realized I'm fighting a losing battle. Those of you who know me, realize I already offer more knowledge and education than most dealers, so I have strong points in that aspect of the business, but my weak points are small parts, accessories and stuff I don't move as often. If it's a company that is always changing their products, then I need to make sure I don't get caught any more with old stock. It's hard enough trying to keep all the advertising and website updated with price changes, let along new products and or promotion changes. Each of those takes time to update and then I am taking time away from my customers or myself actually being able to detect. Profit margins on detectors are no longer what they used to be 25 yrs ago when I first started selling. Back then, some were 45 to near 50%. Now, it seems most manufactures offer 29 to 33%, with some of the models all the way down to 20%. Who can make a living selling detectors at 20%, when accepting a Visa/MC is 3% and then pay for free shipping. Don't even try to sell the same detector on eBay, as they get 10% and PayPal charges 3% more, plus I still pay for shipping. Some higher end detector sales, the state sales tax is more money than the profit I actually make after the sale? When I first started selling detectors, most of the manufactures told us, the product would never be sold in a store, that the manufactures wanted us to help the customers making the right decision and helping with their new detectors. I did this for many years. Then a few manufactures started selling to stores at the same price or sometimes even less and leave me scratching my head? Now, some of the manufactures don't even care about the dealers anymore and just use us as a tool. They sell direct to Sporting Goods Stores, and don't blink an eye about the customers service to those customers that did purchase from Cabela's, Dicks, Bass Pro and the likes. We all know the people working in those stores don't know detectors that well. I think it's just a matter of time and most of us dealers will wither away as some of the manufactures are already pushing for that exact purpose. Oh well, I guess this old timer can say I road that wave for 25 yrs and had a blast while doing it. I've been able to live a life of a modern day treasure hunter, have been able to meet and train thousands of customers and watch with pride as many of them have become proficient detectorists and make some great friends/memories along the way.

As a White's Dealer and many other brands, I assure you our cost is way more than $55 for a TRX. Heck, even if I purchased direct from White's and tried to order 100 units, my cost is still almost 2X of the $55. Don't walk away, just run and never look back. The GPX-4500's are most certainly scams as well. I'm one of Minelabs bigger gold detector dealers and I have not been able to get a GPX-4500 in many months. The 4500's and 5000's were the majority of Minelabs counterfeits and some of the Africans who live in the US purchased many at a time, to find out they were fakes. Now they are trying to make it look like they are dealers and selling the fakes off to recoup their losses. Heck, even Coiltek and Commander Coils were counterfeited. Yes the GB-2 and the GMT were as well. Do you really want to take a chance on something being counterfeited just to save some money. Heck, I have a hard enough time with a legitimate detector I just got in and hoping it runs as smooth and fine of a sound as my old reliable. One of my customers recently purchased a new GPZ-7000 on eBay that was coming from another country. It sold for $5000 and after 8 weeks, it never showed up. Now he is trying to get his $5K back. I told him it was a fake to begin with as my dealer price is more than that. Guess he likes to stress just trying to save $1800. I offered him one for $6800 with his Military discount and he gambled. I'm told he'll purchase from me once he gets his money back, whenever that will happen.

Thanks for sharing some of your knowledge with us. Looking forward to trying some this summer.

Very nice 1/3 oz'er with the Zed. The other one is even a bonus. Just imagine how many little short washes get misses as the majority of us, stay in the bigger ones. I myself prefer the benches vs the washes. Thanks for sharing.

I'm yearning to know that answer as well (depth), but I did not have a staff member there with me using his own EQ-800 and a 6" coil. I was mainly hunting a very trashy site (old burn dump) and had my SENS turned down to 15 because depth was not my concern. I wanted good target separation, which I did get. I didn't get any falsing such as when a coil has a broken winding, but I was not prospecting and banging the coil like I d when Prospecting. We still have snow in the hills around us, so the gold testing will have to wait. Sorry I was not able to answer your questions and that will take time this summer when I am in the gold fields with staff and we are deliberately comparing and testing.

I think a 15% is reasonable. Yes I will make sure he reads the fine print.

The video was very informative and I think you are correct, it's probably bone. Not sure if a piece of carved ivory that has been dug up in dirt can still not show veining but at least I know what non dug bone looks like. Thanks for sharing.

Not yet in stock, but I'll be getting some next week. I've been a Minelab dealer for 20+ yrs and also using/selling CoilTek coils for just as long. They promised to send me a test coil, but since it's still pretty much winter, I have not been able to chase any gold nuggets with it. So the best opportunity now is try my luck at some local sites I know of for relics. I have a list started for the coils and if you want on it, shoot me an email from www.gerrysdetectors.com

I normally don't post on this site much ( I post on the gold forum) as I'm usually chasing gold nuggets with my EQ-800. Anyway the snow melted last week and the temps hit 50's so I took the new CoilTek NOX 10" Ellip coil for a spin at a site I've hunted for many years. Saved a few military items and also spotted some eye candy. I think it's ivory, but not sure. Also has a name engraved on it. What's the best way to tell if it's ivory? The 10" NOX is very sensitive to small targets as I dug many primers. I really light the weight balance and extra ground coverage in semi trashy sites vs my 6" round. I'm most certain this will be a great coil. Also, what is the item about the size of a nickel and it has a star in the glass?

Can you shed some light from past experiences?