Really Minelab?! You're kidding, right? *sigh*

[ronfin]

So after Karate tonight we're out to dinner, and my buddy texts me. The text reads "Yo. I got the Minelab brochure in the mail today. Did you know they have you in there?" What?! First, a little back-story: A year ago I submitted one of my "finds" for a monthly competition they have. The winner of the month receives $250. Everyone else, a dopey keychain. I submitted my King George III Rex 1771 farthing. It didn't win. They gave me a dopey keychain. Now tonight I get a text about a brochure my friend got in the mail, and he sends me some pics, and sure enough there's my keychain worthy find on it. So my KG III REX wasn't good enough to win the cash, but you guys liked it enough to mail out to thousands of people? Last time I ever submit something to them. What a jip! Seriously feel a little taken on this one, and yeah, I get it, they can use whatever they want once we submit it yadda yadda yadda, but why use it if there were so-called "better" monthly winners? :roll:

 

[Elton]

seriously.......... Maybe it was a better than average decent find, or even a runner up for first place.

Be Happy !!! ............. Not everyone gets their finds highlighted in a world wide brochure... Congrats.. I think it is pretty cool..

 

["Dr.Tones"]

At least you got a key chain. They used my story "Livin Large in Boise Idaho" from when I found a 1798 LC in Boise last month and I ain't got ****!

 

[JimmyCT]

I think it is cool too! I really liked that key chain until one day I pulled it out of my pocket and the thing fell apart on me. I would be happy if they would send me another key chain (hint, hint) I am happy anytime I enter a contest as there is a chance I may win. If I don't, no harm done and it was fun entering. Several months ago I bought some minelab equipment and in the package the person had thrown in a brochure.... you will never guess what was inside - it was the very story I submitted to Minelab with a picture of my find! To me, I feel I did win. That made my day and I still think about it from time to time. Think of all the people that submit their item(s) to Minelab for their monthly contest from all over the world. You are I were lucky enough to get our stories inserted into one of their fine brochures. Hang in there ronfin. I will say your coin is a much more fascinating and rare compared to mine. Keep up the great work and I wish you continued success in the field - Jim

 

[Ron (CA)]

You did not get jiped! You found a great item, but it appears someone else also had a great find that month. So you didn't win the $250 cash but it did not cost anything to submit it to Minelab so your not out anything.

Now you get some recognition for your great find.

Win - Win in my opinion. I personally think the brochure is better prize than the cash.

Congrats on the great find and on the blurb on the brochure!!

And Bravo for Minelab for even having such a contest on a monthly basis.

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

It's just a marketing ploy. I got a similar offer from an E-Tag company yesterday. The offer was the chance for 3 people could win an ipod mini if we would allow our statements to be electronic ones. It'd save them plenty in postal costs. Cheap way of doing it.
If in the intent of the competition, the fact that your submission could be published and and a result, it was published without your permission, then why not contact Minelab and let them know that they do note have permission to continue to publish your finds. I'm pretty sure that they would be legally bound to withdraw it from their advertising. I had a similar situation happen to me 4 or 5 years back with Garrett. I was asked to submit both a story to the Australian detecting mag and a blurb for Garrett's in house quarterly mag, both of which were published. (I was paid for my story that went into the Aussie mag which was paid by that mag and not Garrett.) Out of the US submission, Garrett's used one of my photos in their US mag advertising without my permission. I only found out because one of the findmall members let me know. I was a little taken back by it, but also glad to see it there (my findmall friend sent me a copy). The Aussie importer did use photos in his adds for some time that I sent to him, but he had the courtesy to contact me first and asked.
Mick Evans.

 

[Crusty]

I can't believe someone would get their undies in a twist over having a find they submitted being published in a brochure.
I bet if you read their contest rules it states that they can use the submitted photos as they feel fit. So the coin didn't win that month, who cares, it's a hobby for fun and relaxation. I'm sure there were thousands of entries and yours was one of the best.....congratulations

Dave

 

[filo]

I got a keychain too for finding an 1892 S barber half. Haven't seen my story in print though. I guess it's what we've allowed since we posted our stories.

 

[ronfin]

I can't believe someone would get their undies in a twist over having a find they submitted being published in a brochure.
I bet if you read their contest rules it states that they can use the submitted photos as they feel fit. So the coin didn't win that month, who cares, it's a hobby for fun and relaxation. I'm sure there were thousands of entries and yours was one of the best.....congratulations

Dave

LOL, I'm not upset. I actually laughed about all of this. My post is full of sarcasm, but this would've liked cash over recognition any day of the week! haha

 

[WildOutdoorAddict]

LOL, yeah $250 could almost get you a 6" coil for those trashy areas

 

[FooserPaul]

They used my KG II 1749 copper as well... and I din't win... Just a keychain like you... but when we submit we agree that they can use our submittal anyway they want in any advertising... Its part of the program... I was thrilled to see they used my find in their ad...

Dec 12, 2011

I was out doing some shopping today and stopped in at BAM (Books a Million) to purchase a gift for our MDing club christmas party tomorrow night...

I wandered around the store after getting the book I needed and stopped in the Magazine section and picked up Jan 2012 Western & Eastern Treasures...

I dialed into my weekly service delivery meeting w/HP and Pfizer @ 4pm... They are all talking Desktop engineer stuff and I'm infrastructure so... I was bored waiting for us to get to the servers... and flipping through the pages of the magazine...

I hit the middle of the book and Minelab's centerfold ad... and MY COIN !!!!!

This was a plesant suprise I recovered this KG II back on Jul 23rd, 2011...

 

[ronfin]

Now that's a beautiful coin!

 

[FooserPaul]

Now that's a beautiful coin!

Ron... Thank you... What part of PA are you in ?? I grew up in New Castle... Just noth of Pgh...

 

[ronfin]

I'm in the Philly area.

 

[Andrew Kalinowski]

"Only one prize per month will be awarded for the best success story submitted as judged by a panel of Minelab team members."

So, looks like the judges decided that in March 2012

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/family-heirloom-returned

was a better story than

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/i-love-this-e-trac

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with that - it's not the contest for the best find but a contest for the best story.

 

[ronfin]

"Only one prize per month will be awarded for the best success story submitted as judged by a panel of Minelab team members."

So, looks like the judges decided that in March 2012

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/family-heirloom-returned

was a better story than

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/i-love-this-e-trac

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with that - it's not the contest for the best find but a contest for the best story.

A 30 year-old ring returned to the "possible" heir, not definitive when I read that article and watched the video. Seems kind of weak, but I'm not a judge, and I'm biased as to which one was a better "find" for the month of March. That ring doesn't beat the class ring I found that was not only lost by a kid that went to my highschool, he lost it 20 years ago, and the day I found it had it returned using social media within 3 hours. You guessed it. KEYCHAIN! Wont be submitting any future stories to Minelab since I'm all out of keys. lol

 

[Andrew Kalinowski]

"Only one prize per month will be awarded for the best success story submitted as judged by a panel of Minelab team members."

So, looks like the judges decided that in March 2012

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/family-heirloom-returned

was a better story than

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/i-love-this-e-trac

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with that - it's not the contest for the best find but a contest for the best story.

A 30 year-old ring returned to the "possible" heir, not definitive when I read that article and watched the video. Seems kind of weak, but I'm not a judge, and I'm biased as to which one was a better "find" for the month of March. That ring doesn't beat the class ring I found that was not only lost by a kid that went to my highschool, he lost it 20 years ago, and the day I found it had it returned using social media within 3 hours. You guessed it. KEYCHAIN! Wont be submitting any future stories to Minelab since I'm all out of keys. lol

Looks like you totally missed my point. Heck, you missed two points:
1. The contest is NOT for a better find but for a better story
2. Have you submitted your find / story in March 2012? If not than compare it to the winning story from the month you submitted yours.

 

[ronfin]

"Only one prize per month will be awarded for the best success story submitted as judged by a panel of Minelab team members."

So, looks like the judges decided that in March 2012

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/family-heirloom-returned

was a better story than

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/i-love-this-e-trac

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with that - it's not the contest for the best find but a contest for the best story.

A 30 year-old ring returned to the "possible" heir, not definitive when I read that article and watched the video. Seems kind of weak, but I'm not a judge, and I'm biased as to which one was a better "find" for the month of March. That ring doesn't beat the class ring I found that was not only lost by a kid that went to my highschool, he lost it 20 years ago, and the day I found it had it returned using social media within 3 hours. You guessed it. KEYCHAIN! Wont be submitting any future stories to Minelab since I'm all out of keys. lol

Looks like you totally missed my point. Heck, you missed two points:
1. The contest is NOT for a better find but for a better story
2. Have you submitted your find / story in March 2012? If not than compare it to the winning story from the month you submitted yours.

I didn't miss either point you were trying to make. I was stating my own in reply. Let me make it easier for you. I read the story of the winner, and thought it was kind-of weak IMO. [He] didn't return a lost ring to an owner. He returned a "supposed" lost ring to the owners of the home where he was hunting, where coincidentally their Grandfather had lived. They didn't say "Oh yeah, he lost a ring..." It was assumed that it was, and if they're making judgements based off of assumptions than I, me, personally, stating my opinion for yet another time hence forth and witnessed by many yet again, think that was lame. The End. Thank you for the .02 clad donation. -Moi

PS, I thought it was funny to convey this non-important story in a post that others would enjoy, whereas my own feelings were never actually hurt, or anger expressed. It's funny. Das ist es. Alles ist gut. Capiche?

 

[Andrew Kalinowski]

"Only one prize per month will be awarded for the best success story submitted as judged by a panel of Minelab team members."

So, looks like the judges decided that in March 2012

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/family-heirloom-returned

was a better story than

http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/i-love-this-e-trac

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with that - it's not the contest for the best find but a contest for the best story.

A 30 year-old ring returned to the "possible" heir, not definitive when I read that article and watched the video. Seems kind of weak, but I'm not a judge, and I'm biased as to which one was a better "find" for the month of March. That ring doesn't beat the class ring I found that was not only lost by a kid that went to my highschool, he lost it 20 years ago, and the day I found it had it returned using social media within 3 hours. You guessed it. KEYCHAIN! Wont be submitting any future stories to Minelab since I'm all out of keys. lol

Looks like you totally missed my point. Heck, you missed two points:
1. The contest is NOT for a better find but for a better story
2. Have you submitted your find / story in March 2012? If not than compare it to the winning story from the month you submitted yours.

I didn't miss either point you were trying to make. I was stating my own in reply. Let me make it easier for you. I read the story of the winner, and thought it was kind-of weak IMO. [He] didn't return a lost ring to an owner. He returned a "supposed" lost ring to the owners of the home where he was hunting, where coincidentally their Grandfather had lived. They didn't say "Oh yeah, he lost a ring..." It was assumed that it was, and if they're making judgements based off of assumptions than I, me, personally, stating my opinion for yet another time hence forth and witnessed by many yet again, think that was lame. The End. Thank you for the .02 clad donation. -Moi

PS, I thought it was funny to convey this non-important story in a post that others would enjoy, whereas my own feelings were never actually hurt, or anger expressed. It's funny. Das ist es. Alles ist gut. Capiche?

Capiche. You are right. The winning story was lame when compared to yours. Than again, your story is kind of lame when compared to http://www.minelab.com/usa/consumer/success-stories/spectacular-find-happy-ending so, be happy that now you have keychains for all your keys.
Thanks for accepting my $.02 donation. Sorry but I'm reluctant to offer you a penny.... more. Comprende?

 

["Dr.Tones"]

The December winner's story was written in broken English. Just sayin