Six kids meant I parted with a lot along the way to pay of medical expenses. Needed $$$ for new firearms as I enjoyed hunting, competitive shooting (handgun) and matches when I was in law enforcement. Naturally, that called for additional ammo, too. Had to offset expenses for the trips I often took around the western states for detecting jaunts, and I didn't always get free test-sample detectors but still wanted / needed to evaluate all I could.

I certainly can't forget when we hit the high-mark give-or-take 39 years ago and silver and gold prices were at their peak, and I unloaded just about all of that I could, both coins and jewelry, which also helped move me from Oregon back to Utah and buy a vehicle. Two divorces that left me with empty pockets so I fell back on what better stuff I had at the time to keep me going and get me moved along.

OregonGregg is one of those lucky guys who is able to make it by without tapping his finds for seven years. I have other friends, much older, who also clung to all their keepers, even a couple until they passed away. It didn't do them much good except they had a lot of locks and keys and a few other things hanging on display around their home, and a lot stashed away that nobody ever saw.

I do still have some of my favorite finds, and I have been keeping a binder of the better 'keepers' since early 2016. I also have several quart jars I display with all my modern change, sorted and cleaned, as a conversation piece in my living room. Then, I also enjoy having some fun with all the 'doo-dads' from hunting ghost towns and other older sites, and a separate container of modern, urban 'stuff' such as junk jewelry, small toy cars and such.

For me, a lot of the 'fun' I enjoy is simply getting out detecting; doing research to locate new places to hunt, and learning all I can about the different detectors I own as well as some I like to evaluate. When I get enough good gold and silver jewelry I will sell it as desired. When the modern 'flash money' over-accumulates then I cash it in and invest in something I want. And I enjoy having a Yard Sale a couple of times a year when 'my' stuff is pretty much confined to a small card table and I open the treasure chests of misc. old-site junk and let folks dig through. I tell them: "You Pick-You Price" "I don't deal in Pennies and if you're not reasonable I say no."

You wouldn't believe what folks offer to pay, because to them it is interesting and they might have a use for it. They might collect certain things or what stuff for a decoupage display or who know what! At one sale my ex father-in-law couldn't sell any of his over-priced junk, but he watched with amazement when people dug through my junk box and bought stuff. One time a gal was looking through it and asked, 'you found all this out metal detecting?' and I said 'yes.' Then she spotted an old spoon, tarnished and the spoon bowl was a bit squished. She said; "This is kind of ornate. How much do you want?" I said; "You pick and you price."

Really! Well, would you take a dollar for it? I hesitated like it was an important decision and said, 'Yes.' She asked; 'For any of them' and I again said 'Yes.' She then dug through my ghost town junk and found every old and bent and squishes and occasionally half-decent knife, fork and spoon I had and paid me $28 for those 28 pieces of 'junk.' To me it was kind of fun just as it was searching for good stuff and finding unwanted things. A squished copper thimble with nothing ornate about it .... "Would you take Five Dollars?" ... Sold!

So even though I can't put in the time I used to I still get out and enjoy finding 'stuff' while mainly looking for Trade Tokens and Old Coins. I had fun finding it, and I have fun selling it as well.

Monte

"Your EYES ... the only 100% accurate form of Discrimination!"
Stinkwater Wells Trading Post
Metal Detector Evaluations and Product Reviews monte@ahrps.org ... or ... monte@stinkwaterwells.com 503-481-8147Detector Outfit: A selection of my favorite makes and models, with the best coils mounted, for the tasks I'll take on.Pinpointers: Pulse-Dive & ProPointer AT .. Headphones: 'Hornet' & 'Wasp' .. MS-3 Z-Lynk .. ML-80 .. N/M Green edition*** All working well today to make memories for tomorrow. ***