The King Of Detectors Has Spoken

[phrunt]

I'm probably a prime example of someone who has spent far more on equipment than I'll ever find, but there is still that chance I'll find a decent lump some day and that's part of the drive to do it, however unlikely it is there is still a chance and that challenge is what makes it enjoyable. 

Steve is 100% right above, it's a nice thought people would do it if gold was worthless, but it's very unrealistic, if gold was worthless they'd be using their detector to chase the next best thing.  Coin hunters chase the valuable coins and get annoyed finding the worthless coins and junk, gold hunters chase gold and get annoyed finding junk, not many people get excited about digging a nail as they used their detector to find it. 

[Jonathan Porter]

30 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Actually I was just being a cantankerous old fart! And still am. JP saying he would hunt gold if it was worth nothing. No you would not JP! You be hunting silver nuggets, or platinum nuggets, or whatever, but not something worth nothing. I’m sorry folks, but I’m calling everyone out on this one. The fact gold has value is the prime driver, always has been for all of history. Buried deep in all of us is a desire to “strike it rich” and every nugget signal I get triggers that deep down “maybe this is the big one” bell. Sure, I like digging nuggets of every size, but I’d be lying if I did not say that every outing I’m hoping for the big one.

Now that’s not to say there are not plenty of people who just want to find a nugget, any nugget, and are willing to spend far more money than that nuggets worth to find it. But for every hobbyist of that sort, there are a hundred Africans trying to feed their family with their metal detector, and nearly every one of them hopes to make the big find, to strike it rich. It’s what drove the people from the east coast to travel across the U.S. to California in the 1800s, that drove the Australian gold rushes. That’s what is coursing through our veins, that drive to find gold, and the dream of making the big score it represents. Or it sure is what is driving me, at least.

I don’t know, maybe it’s unseemly to be saying it, as I’m a rare one to spit it out, but darn right, the price of gold and what that nugget is worth does matter to me. If gold was $10 an ounce, I’d probably be coin detecting instead. Some of those old silvers bring a nice buck……. 

 

You got me Steve 😂. No one I know buys a lotto ticket in the hopes of not winning. I also know your 100% correct because I keep a steady eye on the gold price, a sure sign my gold hunting motivator is firmly attached to its value. And finally how I know your right is I’ve found many amazing pieces of gold over the years and I’ve basically sold them all, if gold was of no value to me then I would have a huge collection and now be a gold nugget millionaire. 😝 

Good call Steve you pegged me good and proper you cantankerous old fart. 😂 

JP

[Steve Herschbach]

20 minutes ago, Jonathan Porter said:

And finally how I know your right is I’ve found many amazing pieces of gold over the years and I’ve basically sold them all

Sigh. Me too. All that gold sold under $300 an ounce. And all that I sold around $750 an ounce. But I had bills to pay, and the price was good at the time, or so I thought. I’ve made up for it a bit by getting super premium prices for my last couple pounds, but still, I do envy those who just put it all away just a little. It would be nice to put it all in a pile now and see it all in one picture.

Oh well, here I am well and truly hijacking Gerry’s thread. “Stay on topic” he says. My apologies Gerry. And congratulations again on your finds, and on being King of Detectors. Or did you mean the 6000? Naw, I’m voting for you - long live the king! 

P.S. the 6000 continues to suit me almost perfectly. I’ve called it the Gold Bug 2 of PI detectors, because just like the GB2 it’s deadly in the right hands. The more you use it, the better it gets…..

[Gerry in Idaho]

When I was a teenager in the late 70s, I used to detect for silver coins.   Back then at its peak a 1964 Roosevelt dime put $2.50 in my pocket.   I could hunt an old house yard or 100 yr old park and score 4 to 6 silver coins in 2 to 4 hr hunt.  That would give me $10 - $15 for the weekend. I sold most of my common date silvers back then. 

Gold is different for me and I work hard to find it, so for some crazy reason I'm not as inclined to sell? As I get older, I'm starting to realize, it does me no good just sitting in a box at the bank.

I have staff members who sell to help support the next hunt, toy or detector.  Guess I'm an odd duck, as me and selling detector finds doesn't happen.  Like I said above,  as I get older,  I'm starting to think maybe selling is'nt as painful as I think?

JP,  For the most part, I know you as a gold nugget hunter.  Being where you live and play, the pursuit of gold makes perfect sense.   Have you ever decided to chase old coins or rings in the water?

I know Steve/I, also enjoy water hunting jewelry.  It's kind of like hunting trophy gold nuggets.   Go to a rich beach and try to find a nice diamond ring.   I've been fortunate at that as well. 

I'm probably like Simon in a way.  I usually spend money on detectors than what I find, but at the same time,  I've scored some amazing finds as well.  Maybe time to sell a few?

[phrunt]

I'm very envious of yours finds Gerry, In all areas of detecting you manage to find what others can only dream of.   You put in the hard yards no doubt about it.  If I was only worried about success in finds I'd be out finding coins and jewellery as without a doubt I can have far more success, I could go out now and find a silver coin within an hour almost guaranteed.  I can't say the same for gold nuggets, my last 3 hunts have come up empty which is quite unusual for me lately, I've rarely had a skunk until these recent hunts although my usual days are usually under 1/4 a gram a day 🙂  Perhaps I need to try a new spot.

I think you need to give yourself more of the credit, or others will expect your success too 🙂

[Steve Herschbach]

21 minutes ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

Guess I'm an odd duck, as me and selling detector finds doesn't happen.  Like I said above,  as I get older,  I'm starting to think maybe selling is'nt as painful as I think?

For me it’s 100% about the hunt. You are pretty normal I think, as most people keep all the stuff they find, even stuff I think I’d throw away immediately. It’s me that’s more the odd duck when it comes to finds. I’m very zen when it comes to “stuff” in that I attach no real value to physical items. It takes up space and must be taken care of. One big value I get on this website and my stories is the show and tell. Because I never show my finds to real people in real life. It’s all locked up if of real value, and not worth the trouble of a trip to the bank to do show and tell. I also know too many people like us that have had a life’s worth of detecting ripped off, and it’s usually not by strangers, sorry to say.

So for me the value is the hunt, plus the story and the photos. With that done, I prefer to sell when I’m in the mood. As you note, it does no good in a bank vault. More realistically, who am I saving it for? If I die tomorrow, my wife and kids, who attach no value to any of it, would just sell it as a lot for lousy prices. At least me doing it, I can get what I want for it, and enjoy the proceeds, maybe by spending it on them.

Hard to do if you put sentimental value in stuff, I get that. I guess I’m lucky in that regard, as I’m immune from the demands of our consumer society to own stuff. My wife more than makes up for it though, so it’s a tug of war, her buying “stuff”, and me getting rid of it! The Salvation Army and others do well by me. 

I do like hunting jewelry. If not gold nuggets, it’s the next best thing, sometimes even better.

[strick]

I usually tell people that I leave the gold mine to go and play in the dirt...it’s ridiculous how much money I loose when I pick up a metal detector..but at least then...I’m happy. 

Strick

[Valens Legacy]

13 hours ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

Truth with me be told, I'm more of "all about the trip", adventure, the food/people, comradery.  The gold is a bonus.

As it should be, I was just joking about paying off the detector.

For me I am more relaxed when I am out metal detecting. I am still learning the 800 and when I get just a little bit better I plan to have a trip out west for an adventure.

Keep on swinging and having a great time out there as long as you can.

Good luck on your next hunt.

[cudamark]

I used to nugget hunt and I belonged to the local prospecting club for a few years, but, then reality stepped in and slapped me in the face. If I could find enough in the way of gold nuggets in my local area, that would be one thing, but, just the fuel costs alone kept me in the red. A simple look at my finds from my various hunting venues showed me the error of my ways. I was finding MUCH more gold and other valuables at my local parks and beaches than I was prospecting. The target recovery process was much easier on this old body too! Now if I had a claim near by that had some decent size nuggets.....

[IDMineralSurveys]

On 11/12/2021 at 6:14 PM, Lunk said:

Nice haul, amigo! The 6k is a monarch of a machine indeed.

Can't wait wait to see how you do in AZ...