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How much has this hobby cost you?

Pilikia

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2011
Messages
375
Location
The gathering place
Its a rare time when its too cold to go in the water here... but todays that day.
So I thought I'd add up how much I've spent on my rig(s).

I remember 2 years ago when I started ... thinking my TOP budget was $1000 including everything! :laughing:

This hobby sucks you in!

I never anticipated NEEDING more than one rig...
Or multiple wetsuites, booties, masks, etc.

In the two years that I've been at this here's what I've spent (and gotten back after selling stuff that didn't fit my needs)

I'm only including $ spent exclusively for MDing. I don't count dive gear I already owned, batteries or gas and I'm not counting what I've MADE against the total outlay :D
(mainly because its too small a number so far)

$621 AT Pro
$95 Underwater headphones for AT Pro
-$50 SOLD H20 headphones on ebay
-$595 RETURNED AT Pro

$800 Whites DF
$60 SS Scoop
$60 RTG Scoop
$210 Stealth Scoop w/ lift & handle

$120 Xcel Wetsuit

$100 New Bounty Hunter Tracker VI

$200 Used Whites Used PI
$225 Repair + ship

-$175 SOLD Stealth Scoop

-$600 SOLD Whites DF

$30 Weights & Belt

$55 Booties (2 Pair)

$180 Mask/snorkel

$75 2nd mask

$60 2nd Wetsuit

$50 Wetsuit Jacket (.... its getting COLD here!)

$185 STAVR Scoop
$5 Dowel

$1250 Excal II

$125 Anderson CF straight shaft

$150 Diver's Float/flag
$80 SCUBA tubing & Misc parts

$150 Vibra Tektor
$105 Vibra Probe
$50 Lesche Digging tool

Grand Total $3621

I'm ever-so-slowly building up against that number in finds ... one penny at a time.

Its in my nature to examine the costs of things and compare them. I'm a typical Malcolm Gladwell Maven.

I'm curious what others have spent.
 
Let's see:

$200 for Bounty Hunter 202
$450 for White's MXT
$500 for AT Pro-traded off
$850 for Fisher CZ-21
$200 for 790i scoop
$100 for finds bag and smaller scoop
$45 for Lesche
$100 for Garrett PP
$15 for Harbor Freight PP

Total: $1960.

I think that may be it. Just don't tell my wife.
 
Tesoro Cibola $360
Treasure Wise digger $20
Garrett Propointer $100
sand scoop bought at yard sale $1

that's it...so $481 and worth EVERY penny!
 
I haven't kept track, nor do I really want to. Whatever the cost is/was, it is still less then what we've gotten in return if you count clad, silver, gold, and the enjoyment of doing something fun together. : ) Just having this forum to come to and share the fun is worth every penny spent!
 
This ought to be interesting.... 2 1/2 years....in order of purchase:
2011
Garrett 350 $200 Sold later in the year
Sand Shark $600 Still own
Sovereign GT $1000 still own (might be for sale due to lack of use)
CZ-21 $1000 sold 2013
RTG Scoop $80 still own
Ebay special Scoop $125 gave away
Pro Pointer $140 still own

2012
Excal $1100 bought with sold gold Still own
Gold Bug Pro $500 bought with sold gold Still own

2013
CTX $1900 Bought with sold gold still own
TRex scoop $165 still own
ATX $2000 Sold CZ and difference paid with sold gold still own
Stavr scoop $160 still own
SEF 10x12 coil for GT $200 still own (might be for sale due to lack of use)
Tornado 8" coil for GT or Excal $160 still own

Rough total approx. $9000 and it doesn't count wet suits, weights, snorkel and mask, scoop handles, three pair of headphones and other small misc items.

The wife knows....but she likes her trinkets

Cliff
 
Cost

Like everything in life, if you wanna hear the tune you gotta pay the fiddler! If Treasure Hunting is a business to you, You need to do your Books! If it's a hobby, enjoyment and health benefits should over ride Thoughts of cost. I would rather hunt than cipher... GL & HH.....Pat
 
Hmmm,interesting so lets see:also started about 2 1/2 years as well,
Mxt Pro-$750
Whites DF-$850
CZ21-$1000
Shipping for CZ21 & Repair-$160
Excal II 800-$825
2 Stealth scoopers-$420
one scooper from Hawaii-$110
batteries and gas,lunch,misc items as well
Finds,Priceless
Returns-Priceless
Friendships-Priceless
Hobby-Love it:D
 
Just added up what I can remember:

Tracker 4
F5
F75 SE
At Gold
Avio Wireless Headphones
Killer B headphones
Grey Ghost Ultimates
Grey Ghost Amphibians
Lesche
Bomb Sheath
2 Garret Pinpointers (one was an absolute steal)
Sampson T-Handle Shovel
Boots
Treasure Pouch (x2)
Neoprene Waders
Headlamp
Backpack
total is about $3167 based on what I remember everything cost.

Throw in batteries, gloves, books, coin holders, coin albums, display cases, thank you gifts for owners of great sites, stuff to make a sifter box, and the time to research and travel...... I can't even begin to tell you. I'm sure i'm over $4,000 if you added everything up.
Add gas cost and it's through the roof.

Not in it to get rich and even though there is no way I have made that much back in finds. It has been some of the best money I have spent.
 
Less than I spent on Audio gear in the 80s, less then I spent on Scuba equipment in the 80s. Less than I spent on Ski equipment in the 90s, less then I has spent on HT gear in the 2000s, less than I have spent on Gardening 201x. So far about $500 but I have only been doing it 2 months! :lol:
 
Safari + Case + ProPointer + Digger + Headphones + Shovel + Batteries = $999
NEL Coil 5x9 - $135
Rechargeable Batteries - $40
Total: $1174
 
Havent really kept track but it started in the early 90's with a $100 Radio Shack model.

But for the last 2 years

Used Minelab Explorer XS - $400
New Fisher F75 w/ 6in coil - $950
New/Factory Certified Whites V3i with Pro Star headphones and backpack- $1050
V3i coil cover - $12
2 New pair of Gray Ghost Original $180ish
I also bought a New Garrett 150 and 250 for gifts for my cousin and uncle so $150 & $210

Grand total for 2 years = $2952 but add in some odds and ends I'm in over the $3k mark for the past 24 months or so. My lifetime investment probably 3 times that.

Well worth it IMO and I never once regretted spending any of it on detecting,
 
I've spent probably about $5,000 on metal detectors and scoops... thankfully I've found a few nice diamond rings that have more than paid that back.
 
If it's a hobby, enjoyment and health benefits should over ride Thoughts of cost. I would rather hunt than cipher
Amen

A lot more than my wife thinks it did!
:lol::lol::lol:


Almost Ready
 

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I can't do a piece by piece breakdown - but with my detector, diggers, find pouches, permits, headphones etc.. I am probably in the $400 range.

I just started in July of last year so I don't have years of stuff accumulated - yet!!!
 
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Hey OBN, can I come up and borrow a detector? :LOL:

Sure, I have a couple here now that need to be taken out and tested.....I need someone close whom I could trust and knows what they are doing to give me feed back on what is wrong when the detector comes in and to test before I ship back out after the repair.......
 
Do I even want to add it up? NOT

10 scuba tanks

1 Fisher CZ-21

1 Fisher CZ-20

Regulator

BC

4 wetsuits

2 masks and snorkels

24' Four Winns Candia

18' Chris Craft Cavilier

17' Aluminum canoe

Stealth Scoop

Waders and gloves

All the gas gas gas and more gas

All the air fills at 5.00 each per tank

10 visuals every year at 15.00 each

Tank hydro every 5 years at 25.00 each

goodie bags, dive floats, and other misc equipment.

I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!!!
 
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Sure, I have a couple here now that need to be taken out and tested.....I need someone close whom I could trust and knows what they are doing to give me feed back on what is wrong when the detector comes in and to test before I ship back out after the repair.......



is someone Planning on finding that buried gold off the island of 395 South ? lol
 
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