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Can you make a living?
- Thread starter sammyd
- Start date
MNCoinhunter
Active member
If you were homeless and living in a cardboard box, you could certainly find enough to eat every day, I know I could. But you would have to take battery expenses into consideration also. Like Elton said, you would have to be extremely lucky to earn a decent living detecting every day.
n/t
fowlercharles
Member
I think all those that replied here, and most likely everyone else would agree that it would be a hard low paying job and not pay the bills in these "modern times. However, I do remember way back in the 70's -80's,, or so that there were a couple of guys that did quit their high paying jobs and spent their summers(winters too I suppose) hunting the beaches (East and West coast)? They wrote about it all , so I would imagine their books are still around somewhere. From what I remember they did really well. How else would they be able to leave their high $ jobs to detect full time? And to think that the technology they were using back then could have cleaned the beaches so well that the newer Technology has to work so hard at producing for folks nowdays. Of course, they had an abundance of goodies that had accumulated over so many years that they could tap into. I remember myself with my old BFO even in the old farm sites I hunted, I always came home with some silver. Those two beach hunting dudes were really "raking it in"and you can believe "the good ole days" would have special meaning to them . Sammyd, I would have to believe that turning such an enjoyable hobby into a "job" would turn out to have some downsides, though some folks do find their way in life doing just that. If it was 70's or 80's now I would say "go for it", but it ain';t so I won't. Lol, HH, Charlie
I did it for 6 months. I had a van equipped with a bed and used 12v lighting. I had a 12 volt fan and soaked myself in water at night and by a.m. the clothing and bedding would be completely dried by the fan and I was cool all night long in the East Texas heat. I had a plastic bag solar hot water heater w/spout that I used for showering at nite. In winter I simply doubled two sleeping bags and kept the next days clothing in the bags w/me to keep them warm and changed while in the sleeping bags. I cooked meals with one of those partitioned frying pans and simply put the heat on the side of the pan where the frying was done and the slower cooked items then heated correctly on the other side. I used pennies for battery money, and the rest for expenses. Unfortunately, I was not as much into gold searching as now, and relied too much on target id. But even if I had found some gold-it was no way to live. I'm now at Wally World-where I parked the van at nites for free.
I think unless you are a dedicated gold hunter, forget about it. Then you have to have gold bearing sites, specialty machines costing thousands.
If I had the $$ bet your butt I'd be in australia with a gpx 3 months out of the year, and take it easy the other 9... anyone want to invest in me? Haha
If I had the $$ bet your butt I'd be in australia with a gpx 3 months out of the year, and take it easy the other 9... anyone want to invest in me? Haha
Good Question!! "Make a living" can mean many different things.
Generally, I would say that metal detecting for a living offers a whole new meaning to the words "minimum wage"!
As a fun, usually low paying, way to supplement retirement income when you are free to travel and explore, but are financially secure...............maybe.
Two things need consideration, one--it is a fact that when you have to work at something you enjoy doing to pay bills..........somehow the fun is lost (IT BECOMES A JOB!).
The second thing is that any bad weather or physical ailment stops hunting and income in its tracks!
In the early '80s when I bought my first detector I had a full time job (and still do) and for a few short years considered MDing as my second job. I spent every spare moment hunting and after three years or so felt burned out!
When gold and silver started climbing in value I sold my stash for a tidy sum. A few simple calculations revealed that I would have made more money per hour at almost any menial job................, but I wouldn't have had nearly as much fun!
CJ
Generally, I would say that metal detecting for a living offers a whole new meaning to the words "minimum wage"!
As a fun, usually low paying, way to supplement retirement income when you are free to travel and explore, but are financially secure...............maybe.
Two things need consideration, one--it is a fact that when you have to work at something you enjoy doing to pay bills..........somehow the fun is lost (IT BECOMES A JOB!).
The second thing is that any bad weather or physical ailment stops hunting and income in its tracks!
In the early '80s when I bought my first detector I had a full time job (and still do) and for a few short years considered MDing as my second job. I spent every spare moment hunting and after three years or so felt burned out!
When gold and silver started climbing in value I sold my stash for a tidy sum. A few simple calculations revealed that I would have made more money per hour at almost any menial job................, but I wouldn't have had nearly as much fun!
CJ
Its a dream I'm sure many of us have had...good points in the replys too...With the prices of precious metals, and if your location was correct, you might do very well. You definitely have a better chance of finding great wealth than playing the lottery. It might be a meteorite, or a trove, or just a massive amount of bling, Clad stabbin may get you 10 bucks a day, and is fun and a good way to learn how to "read sign" regarding humans, and learn your machine. Every town it seems has a "subsistance hunter" theres a guy here who rides a 3 wheeled bike, and picks up empty cans for a dime a piece, and also swings a coil, He's up early, and out everyday, even in the winter, I suppose he pulls 20 bucks a day on cans, and knocks down some clad and jewelry during the summer..Hes at every sidewalk tear out, under the bleachers after every game, at the beach after every big weekend, ransacking the alleys...I've had to time my schedule to his, to get there first. He doesn't know this of course, and wouldn't know me if he saw me, but I've watched him plenty... Anyway Sammy, good luck, you are just one swing from the treasure, so what are you sitting inside for?..!
GRAY GHOST
New member
n/t
There was an article a few months back about a retired couple that traveled around campgrounds with their motorhome and detected. I think the story was in W&E magazine. After expenses they did actually make a small profit. I'm sure a lot of people on this forum read the article. I love to detect for my own reasons but I sure would'nt want to bet my future on my finds. My problem is I keep more than I sell. Like McDave said I could eat as long as I had a good dry box. HH 
What ever happened to the pioneer spirit of the U.S. ? If Mel Fisher read these posts he would never have left his chicken farm. Try and get hold of the book "Finders Keepers" by Warren Smith. Its an old one (late 60's or early 70's).
There's a U.S. ex relic hunter touring Europe now in a motorhome. He made nearly $20,000 profit last year even though he had an engine blow up on him and had his Excaliber confiscated in Spain. Warren Smiths book says there's not even a need to venture outside the States with two billion dollars of treasure finds having been made the year the book was printed.
There's a U.S. ex relic hunter touring Europe now in a motorhome. He made nearly $20,000 profit last year even though he had an engine blow up on him and had his Excaliber confiscated in Spain. Warren Smiths book says there's not even a need to venture outside the States with two billion dollars of treasure finds having been made the year the book was printed.
OK Brian! Thats the ticket! Lets get to specifics then shall we? A person would have to be single, great health, a jack of all trades, no criminal record, letters of marque,(like newspaper articles, and high power contacts that could vouch for you) especially handy would be some sailing experience, or a pilots license, as owners often pay people to sail their boats/planes to exotic locales. be able to travel lightly, have an outlet for their finds, access to research, relatively tough and good with people, multilingual, access to cash for emergencys,....
Anyway, I think a fellow could do it if they were committed and focused and had a few or all of the above, I will not be the one to dash anyones dreams of doing this for a living, as I've seen people spend their lives in unrewarding, unprofitable, miserable jobs and wind up homeless, broke, with no marketable skills, and no lives adventures as well...This is a BIG Planet, and theres treasures out there to be found!
Anyway, I think a fellow could do it if they were committed and focused and had a few or all of the above, I will not be the one to dash anyones dreams of doing this for a living, as I've seen people spend their lives in unrewarding, unprofitable, miserable jobs and wind up homeless, broke, with no marketable skills, and no lives adventures as well...This is a BIG Planet, and theres treasures out there to be found!
dewcon4414
Well-known member
As a retiree i have a lot of time to hunt, but it costs and you still dont have the time needed to hunt if you are married with a home. There is a lot of parks around Indy.... but there are a lot of hunters. I used to travel full time in an RV and hunted all over, but there wasnt any money in it. The hardest thing id say would be having an outlet to sell the stuff at a good price.... and LETTING GO OF IT. Many of us grow attachments and create attachments.... there is the flaw.
Dew
Dew
Flintstone
Well-known member
Hi Mudpuppy, Boy you have a good out look on life, You can make a man think on some of this. I am retired, but can,t fly, OK with people i guss, love to travel, maybe i could do it. NO NO NO i can,t do it, I am married, have a house, not alot of money, two grand baby's i can,t be with out long. Shoot, I almost had it. Good luck to who ever trys. DEAN