Perception is everything................

[Elton]

I just had to share this experience with you............

I was checking out a New Detector in a local park ..........I have hunted this park for at least 25 years........ and let me say.. It doesn't give up much Silver if any now.
Myself and 50 other people have pretty much cleaned it out........

My Story............ I was detecting along the road parking lot just in front of where you nose in and park when I noticed a guy pull in in a pickup truck..He got out and walked toward me........ as he approached me he said " Hey you all, how's it going" really loudly to me.

I said fine, just checking out this detector to see how it works... He said I got one too. I find Silver every time I come down here to the park.. WOW !! That surly got my attention..I haven't found any Silver in about 6 years in the area I was messing around in.. Not even much clad LOL......... I thought I wonder if he has a CTX3030 and they really do find stuff I have missed with ETrac ,and Se Pro and many other model detectors. He kept talking and some of the things he was saying made me think he might be a little short of a Full Happy Meal...maybe some fries missing..if you know what I mean....He said he had his detector in the back of the truck, and wanted to know if I wanted to see it... I said sure,turned mine off, and went with him to his truck.............This is the good part..
( NOT Making Fun here) .... Just explaining how it happened.............. He reached under a tarp..and pulled out a very Old Radio Shack detector..Gray and square shaped with a handle on top of the box........ I thought Oh my.... No way was he finding Silver with that detector..It was a Kids toy model..with a 4" maybe 5" black hard wired coil........ Remember, I did mention earlier about the "Happy Meal" shortage..and this kinda confirmed to me I was on the right thought process with this guy..

He then asked if I wanted to see his "SILVER" ..Huh ????......... did he find Silver with the Shack detector ????????????? He pulled the tarp back and there it was "HIS SILVER" Clad dimes, Silver colored Screw caps, and every other thing that shined like Silver........... He was so proud of his "SILVER"..He said it's a lot isn't it ??..and trust me, it was a lot. Hundreds of pieces of Screw caps that shined , some new dropped clad dimes, and quarters, along with other shiny things I had no idea what they were...........Well now I realized he was a nice guy who thought he found Silver treasure in the park............... who really had a different perception of what Silver was....... I said ..Hey you hit the jackpot there.............. That is a lot of Silver!.... I left soon after thinking how different he was.. I also thought later on..Sure wish I had that much fun in finding my "SILVER" too.. Point to story..He had a detector...found his treasures, and was a happy man....


Who's to say right or wrong .......... In a way it was a nice experience, but a funny one too for me..... I called Jim TN and was laughing about the guy..but later felt ashamed of myself for doing that. That is when I realized he was different, but sure did enjoy the Hobby... Good For Him........... I was the jerk for my initial thoughts...

 

[Ron (CA)]

This hobby can be different for us all--just depends on what each of us wants out of it. In the end it is a HOBBY (for most of us) and hobbies should be enjoyable and it seems like your "friend" was having a good time finding his "treasures" so good for him.

 

[mudpuppy]

Elton, this is one of the best posts I've ever read! I'll think about how wonderful this hobby is from now on when I find something silvery or goldy from now on.
It is both funny and something to reflect on...The guy is having a wonderful time treasure hunting and never comes home disappointed...dont be too ashamed of yourself for finding humor in this experience...its a good thing you did not telling him he was finding junk...that woulda crushed his spirit and we need more harmless and happy spirits like that out there.
Mud

 

[Elton]

I would bet he has more fun everytime out than I have ever had.... Kinda makes me jealouse !!
It also did remind me this is " A HOBBY" we all can enjoy what ever our perspective of our finds are.. Great finds are how we feel about them..
It really does not matter what anyone else thinks.. I think I'll join you Sir in that Silvery and golden finds feelings concept.

 

[jim tn]

I got to thinking about your story after your call and thought how happy that guy seemed to you. I know some of us, and certainly me more often then I care to admit, often loose sight of the fact this hobby is designed to be fun. And it shouldn't have to be pure silver and gold finds to be fun. I hope I never get to excited, though, over a truck load of tabs, foil and bottle caps. LOL Good story Elton and serves as a good reminder. HH jim tn

 

[steve in so la]

We all have had levels of finds - happy with the first ones , moving through the years to "greater" ones. Thanks for the post, Steve in so az

 

[matthias]

Great story Elton! We should all take a step back and look at ourselves...the big picture. I believe your story transcends many aspects of our daily lives. Good luck and HH to everyone. Matt

 

[DirtAngler]

To me the real story here is that the real treasure is "your" personal enjoyment of the hobby. I really think too many of us get caught up in feeling we need to prove ourselves or justify our expenditures on our equipment and lose sight of the real picture....just enjoying the hobby. This guy might just have the right idea. Thanks for sharing this story.

 

[Elton]

To me the real story here is that the real treasure is "your" personal enjoyment of the hobby. I really think too many of us get caught up in feeling we need to prove ourselves or justify our expenditures on our equipment and lose sight of the real picture....just enjoying the hobby. This guy might just have the right idea. Thanks for sharing this story.

You certainly are correct Sir !! I remember when I truly enjoyed just going out detecting... Man..That was the fun days ... I'm going to try and get that feeling back !!

 

[DirtAngler]

I truly hope you can and do Elton. I've only been in this wonderful hobby for 3 years. I found it while looking for something to do independent of others because of my physical challenges. Maybe that's why I have not got caught up in feeling like I need to prove myself, I realize I can't compete with others. I have gone through many detectors though just because I know how important the right equipment for each individual and their conditions and sites can be. I also try to get the best equipment I can afford for a hobby I get into although as we all know, that can seem like a never ending task as the next best thing is always right around the corner. Fortunately, I enjoy this for the thrill of the hunt and recovery, just recovering something that was lost and maybe would have stayed lost if I didn't find it. Heck, I even like clad hunting, although penny after penny aftyer penny does get old after awhile. Anyway, hopefully you and others who read your post will regain the thrill of metal detecting for what it is....a hobby, and hobbies are supposed to be for enjoyment.

 

[dave5710]

In a way all of us find silver, 99% of the time. With a little recycling and turning in his clad, he might be finding a couple nice Morgans every month. He might be finding gasoline, or batteries, or health insurance. Just another way of looking at it. Think I'll go out and find a couple bucks today and buy that 1964 Rosie that I have always wanted.

 

[wasp]

Elton, your story sure puts perspective on that old addage "One man's trash is another man's treasure".

 

[Jim West Pa]

n/t

 

[au79]

I guess I'm one of the lucky hunters. I've been detecting since 1988 and I still feel like a child on Xmas morning with every hole I decide to dig. This IS a great story as I am sure this "silver" hunter is excited every time he gets a signal! Also sounds like the "silver hunter" is doing well at cleaning up
and for him it's treasure. I hope, some day, he finds a bundle!

 

[Sailorman]

You know this just got me thinking about it. My wife and I hunt as a team and the mere fact that we can is a miracle in itself. You see we've been to deaths door three times with her, seen her in a wheelchair, mute and on a liquid diet for a decade. For us every hunt is a good time. We even enjoy finding clad, even pennies. Sure we all want to find the old coins and the precious metals but I see so many "snob" hunters, for lack of a better word, who just don't seem to have as much fun as we do. They are so worried about impressing club members and others with their finds, etc, etc. Kind of sad really.

We've come to an understanding that just being outdoors together is a blessing to be enjoyed. Whatever we find is icing on the cake. I hope this guy continues to have a ball with his machine and his silver. He's probably enjoying himself more then some folks with thousands of dollars in the hobby. Trust me, life can take an unexpected turn in an instant. Enjoy the things you have and the people in your life instead of always wishing for something greater constantly. I suspect this guy is.

 

[WIHawker]

This is a great thread. Thx guys.

 

[edjcox]

My old Radio Shack detector hangs in the basement on a peg, my Bounty Hunter hangs down there as well. My Safari is in my truck in it's Minelab bag ready to rock.

Back in 1974 near Bucksport, Maine a buddy who had a detector and me with my RS went to an old stone fort. We knew people picnicked there so we were searching for coins. My old RS detector led me to find a gold ring with a rather large ruby stone in it...

Of all my detectors, that ring was the most valuable item I ever found...

So laugh all you want. I had a lot of fun with it and so did the guy you talked to. In the end, fun is what counts....

He taught you a lesson and now your richer and wiser for it...