Detecting popularity now vs the last 20 or 30 years

2108silver1 said:

I also wonder was silver easy to find then as clad now

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I stated detecting in 1983 when silver was more plentiful and easier to find than it is now, but clad finds still outnumbered the silver finds by a large margin. You'd have to go back to the 1960's to have silver finds be on a par with clad.

diggin4clad said:

.... You'd have to go back to the 1960's to have silver finds be on a par with clad.

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As glamorous as it may sound, it wasn't that easy. Although I didn't start till the mid 1970s, yet I started with a circa late 1960s used detector (a 66TR). And talked with guys who, at that time, had started in the 1960s.

The trouble was that the depth was poor (3 or 4" max on coins). And no form of discrimination (except small iron perhaps, via audio clues). In other words, foil and tabs and silver dollars all sounded the same.

I'm sure there was exceptions. Like: The first guys to detect under the tilt-a-whirl upside-down carnival rides. Or at the base of snackstands, etc.... Sure. But the average hunter , even in the 1960s, at the average sand box or school yard was doing good to get a half dozen silver coins.

And it sort of depended on how precocious and forward thinking the hunter was. And what machine he had. Some of them were HORRIBLE at that time. But if a guy had the Metrotech (which was out by the mid 1960s), then yes, every dime and quarter he found would have been silver. But a lot of guys had much lousier machines. And simply didn't think outside the box enough to get exotic. (Eg.: virgin ghost towns and forts, etc....).

In my opinion, the real easy-pickens times was when the 6000d (and/or Red Baron SPD) hit the market in about 1978. That made parks "come alive".

Tom_In_CA stated "However, when we began to see their silver tallies at the monthly club meetings, we quietly and humbly went out and bought our own motion discriminators. Doh !"

Saw the same happen when the Nox came out in 2018. Quite a few Nox bashers on all the forums. today you see those same bashers swinging a Nox.

maxxkatt said:

....

Saw the same happen when the Nox came out in 2018. Quite a few Nox bashers on all the forums. today you see those same bashers swinging a Nox.

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I will deny that I EVER bashed the Nox. Tsk tsk. Don't go starting trouble maxxkatt !!

I have been detecting pretty hard since 2017. I don't find much at all so I'm sure the detectorists of the past have pretty much cleaned up on all the good stuff.

I started detecting around 1991 (with a few years off and on) and I dont recall seeing many detectorists, maybe 5 total.
The last time I saw another one was about 4 years ago at Santa Monica beach, we chatted and then he went on with his new Equinox, while I had my old, old MXT....... LOL.
I would say its gained popularity recently because of advertising, new technology and and curiosity factor.

From 70’s to now

My very first detector was a Whites brand(pictured below) that was given to Me by Our neighbor 2 houses down, who was a friend of my parents and a very avid coin collector that worked for
Coka-Cola. 1984-85?
He told Me that he had buried an 1892 Columbus Half Dollar out by their barn and horse corals. He said if I could find it that I could have it. No I never found it, but the treasure bug was instilled in Me from then on. Even after digging tons of junk and nails.
Skipping ahead to 1989, I finally decided to try My luck again in the hobby and bought a GTA-1000 by Garrett. I found My first CW bullet with this and quite a few Silvers. I used this machine for 3-4 years and then fell out of the hobby again for awhile.
Skipping ahead to 2010, I was messaging Gary Drayton with interest of getting back into the hobby on FB. I told him what I had to spend and he said he’d recommend the CTX. Yep, I bought one Super Pricy!! I hunted with this for 6 years. Found some killer CW Relics, Silvers, and a 21.83 Gram solid 14kt Gold Ring that I traded a dealer I know in Springfield Mo. for the new Equinox 800.
I’ve been very blessed being able to use the technology that I have! I’ve found way more stuff than I thought I ever would. So all My local areas kind of dried up a bit and I was seeing the pitch of the New Deus 2.
In the beginning of 2022 I made the plunge. Now Every now and then I’ll get the Minelab’s out, but not very often. They’re all Great detectors! Hope that’s better. Technology today is pretty amazing and I know it’s gonna just keep getting better.
Until the next CTX comes out or something else.
And about that 1892 Columbus Half Dollar. I used Silver and bought one!!!!
Such a Cool Coin. Happy Hunting All!!!

Saw the same happen when the Nox came out in 2018. Quite a few Nox bashers on all the forums. today you see those same bashers swinging a Nox.

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Here we go, another "my detector is better than your detector" spitting contest. Next we'll have the Deus 2 guys bragging about how their detector has reinvented metal detecting. You guys just don't get it. Location will always trump the latest and greatest metal detector. If it ain't there in the first place, you ain't going to find it, period.

FreeBirdTim said:

Here we go, another "my detector is better than your detector" spitting contest. .....

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aaahhh c'mon FBT, yer no fun !

FreeBirdTim said:

.... You guys just don't get it. Location will always trump the latest and greatest metal detector. .....

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Yes, 98% of my good finds were a result of location location location + timing timing timing + balls balls balls. HOWEVER, I wouldn't trade my "latest greatest" detector for nothin' !