It was my mother's she is 83 years old. I once took her to where her childhood home was at and dug an old toy car that was her brother's from the 1930's. Well my mother made some comment to my sister about wanting a detector. So my sister bought ma a detector and said when you die I get it back (I thought that was pretty tacky at the time). Well anyway ma never used the machine but maybe once, she thought it would find nightcrawlers for fishing. Apparently when I dug that old toy car there was some worms dug up that ma noticed. So anyway it sat in a closet and my sister took it back before ma died. Then one day my sister offered it to me, so I hauled it back with me to Montana. As far as I know it works, just doesn't find fishing bait.