Snapshot Of Treasure Hunting From 1964

[GB_Amateur]

After reading many sad recollections of White's Electronics and the lamenting of the state of metal detector companies I was wondering what things were like back in the beginning.  I happened to see and subsequently acquire the Annual Treasure Edition of Frontier Times Magazine issued in September, 1964.  Although you need to go back to the 19th Century to find the real beginning, this is about the time that metal detectors became both portable and affordable (thanks to the recent development of low cost solid state electronic components -- transistors and diodes).

In addition to five full length articles, here's a summary of the ads (full page all the way down to 2 line classifieds) in this issue relevant to the general topic of treasure hunting:

Published materials -- 25.

Build-your-own instructions -- 1,

Panning, sluicing, etc. -- 3,

Multiline dealers -- 3,

Clubs -- 2,

Scams -- 5.

Besides those, here's a listing of metal detector manufacturer ads with state of location.  See how many you recognize -- order is as found paging front to back:

Raytron (CA), Relco (TX), Fisher (CA), White's (OR), Metrotech (CA), Art Howe & Co (KS), D-Tex (TX), Gardiner (AZ), IGWTT (NM), Goldak (CA).  (Carl probably has at least one from each company.  )

The only one of these with an ad of any size (second largest was D-Tex's 1/4 page) is Relco's two page spread shown here:

Noteworthy in its absence is Garrett.  According to Charles's 2015 obituary, the company was formed in 1964 so they were likely still a year or two away from their first ad.

Adendum:  I've added a scan of the White's ad later in this thread.  The very small Fisher ad showed (in tiny drawings) part of a modern style detector and a 2-box, but hardly any detail.

[Joe D.]

Cool Post GB!!

Great year! My birth year! 

    That Coin Ranger reads like it can do more than a modern detector! Ready to hunt everything for $85 dollars! I want one!!  Reminds me of a floor buffer!

Watch out Minelab!!🤣👍👍

[Lanny]

Interesting post that really shows the progress made today over the earlier models.

Thanks for posting the information, and all the best, 

Lanny

[GB_Amateur]

27 minutes ago, Lanny said:

Interesting post that really shows the progress made today over the earlier models.

Yes, but also seems like in some ways they've come full circle.  The 12T model (12 inch diameter coil?) weighs in at 2 lb, has all the custom electronics attached to the coil, and relies on an external receiver ('transistor radio') which you carry in your pocket.

OK, does that remind anyone of a particular modern detector??!! 

[mn90403]

I'm surprised the language of detecting was already set.  It sure would have been cool to have one of those back in the 60s in Florida.

[GB_Amateur]

8 hours ago, phrunt said:

It says for searching between walls of Shacks, why would you do that? did people hide stuff in their walls when they built their shack? I figure it'd just hit a bunch of nails

According to things I've read (Charles Garrett's book on cache hunting for example) and heard (Colorado land owner who tore down an old mountain cabin), the answer is 'yes'.  Loose bricks in chimneys were a good hiding spot, too.  I actually found such a cubby hole in a mine office (masonry) building in Arizona but unfortunately my Garrett Carrot said I wasn't the first to search it.  😪  I won't be surprised if we hear some first hand stories here, given the ghost-town hunting and mine-camp detecting several people here have done.

[Joe D.]

Yeah Simon,

    Of course coins were not only buried, but hidden in as many locations as human ingenuity would allow! My favorite was solid wood doors! Old timers would use an augar, or paddle bit to drill holes into the tops of doors! They would then put silver dollars, and gold coins in these holes and seal up! Some never recovered! I've always suspected that is one of the main reasons why, in old salvaged houses, the doors are the first thing to go! And get examined, before being sold off!👍👍

[GB_Amateur]

1 hour ago, Joe D. said:

Of course coins were not only buried, but hidden in as many locations as human ingenuity would allow!

Maybe getting off-topic a little, but this is still about treasure hunting (old and new).  Books and framed pictures were a common hiding place for paper money. 

One of my favorite stories I read in a treasure mag years ago was finding coins in the locking/opening mechanisms of doors -- the kind of locks that had a slot for a skeleton key.  The author's thought was that a child was playing with pennies and saw a 'coin slot' to stash some.  He found a semi-key 1914-S Lincoln in one.  I've opened up several of those locks from old doors without any prizes.  Never heard of coins sealed in the wooden part of doors before, though.  Like you say, 'ingenuity' and that means putting yourself in the place of people and imagining where they might have hidden things.

[GB_Amateur]

I originally meant to include this (1964) White's ad but forgot.  Is this the *original* Gold-Master?  Check out the payment plan!

[Ridge Runner]

In 64 are 65 I got a kit from Relco out of Houston to build a metal detector. Like said the receiver was a Transistor Radio. It would detect metal but you would see the metal about the same time the detector sounded off .

 I think it was in 66 I found this Whites dealer and he would sell them on time.  I just started working for the phone company and that BFO detector was selling around 150 160 . Now days that’s a drop in a bucket but then that was a lot for me .

Back then everything was coming up silver  Then I didn’t buy the next detector until it had paid for its self.

 I became a Whites dealer about 72 but I really didn’t like being one . I didn’t care telling people good places to hunt because that cut into my hunting area’s.

 I  always hunted alone and never said about what I found. I still hunt alone most of the time but times is not as safe as way back when.

 Chuck