Not for me, for my Dad. Its probably the only (affordable) gadget he doesn’t yet have.
I’ve no idea what’s good and what’s not with a metal detector. On EBay, is there anything I need to look for in particular?
Also, does Dad need a license of some sort to own one? Is this expensive?
He doesn’t need a license, although in some areas that are of historic note, he would probably need somebody’s permission. Virginia, in particular, gets testy with treasure hunters. Here in Alaska, nobody gives a damn where you do it, although commercial gold mining companies would run you off.
White makes a good metal detector. I’m not even remotely competent with the thing, but it works well. Make sure you get one that can discriminate between pop tops and gold, that can tell you approximate depth, etc. The good ones have the ability to adjust to the surrounding rock and minerals.
Anecdote: A guy who works for me bought a new detector and took it out to his worksite. Gets out of the truck, turns it on to adjust it for local minerals, but can’t get the damn thing to quite shrieking like a banshee. Bangs it against the truck tire a few times, but it continues to light off. Figures, ‘what the hell’ and starts kicking at the dirt where the detector is howling and unearths a HUGE gold nugget.
Detector Electronics was the company chosen for the metal detector profiled in John Ratzenberger’s “Made in America”.
I have a White’s Spectrum. Works very well.
Wait a minute… Then why doesn’t the metal detector go off on my jewelry at the airport?
You’re just not bling enough?
Sensitivity settings. If the airport magnetometers were set to their highest sensitivity, none of us would ever get on an airplane.
Cause your wedding ring looks like THIS
