Honestly who's in profit.

[Flatlander]

my prospecting approach changes though the year sometimes it for a 2 month stint, its for profit ,then other it just time in the bush with the missus , but has anyone seen a rich prospector but missus and i ,for the last few month sat outside the van looking at the word go around on our satilite tv and realise how rich we r ps getting married in 5 weeks we went propecting and i burried the ring in the ground and the rest was priceless

 

[Adrian ss]

Very far from breaking even on gold finds.
If I cashed in all of my coin relic and jewellery finds I might break even.
Am well in front on the peace and serenity that I have enjoyed in the bush. You just cannot beat it. It is where we are all supposed to be, not cooped up in cities and controlled by all manner of insane laws that prevent us from enjoying true freedom.

 

[OzzieAu]

Flatlander..... that was a genius way of proposing mate, to detect ur own ring.... what a hoot :trophy:

 

[Rockhunter62]

Going bush and enjoying that atmosphere is profit enough.

Cheers

Doug

 

[Greenhornet_au]

LOL

:lol: :lol:

I KNOW Kato is well infront.

She has not spent a coin on equipment, fuel, vehicles, accommodation etc

Has had some amasing finds, learnt about identification, research and history.

Made some friends on here, and in the field, although she is not that communicative she does try to keep up, just a busy Miss 16yrs.

Her detecting passion has been fully funded by the bank of Dad, since the age of 2, and I think that is a grand thing, what else provides
the opportunities she has before her, from a hobby.

Mystery, treasure, history, challenges, outdoors, passion and even the chances of employment.

Back to work at the State Records later this month, she loves it, and back to work at school too. (top 7 student)

NB - every time she finds a tent peg, she owes me a carton of beer, I think we are up to 68 now with another 2 pegs last weekend.
She also found a shilling 1915, a 1954 penny, a 1946 thrip-pence and a few other relics that arvo.

ME ? I think I am well in-front too. O :Y:

All for love, not money.

However she does have a lot of spendables, she never asks for money when going out.

 

[Upside]

^^ sounds like a great dad above! Priceless, not just in front.

 

[Guest]

G'day

When you are working out if you are in front or not in this game, I would not consider food and personal use items as cost as you would have them anyway even if you were at home, as far as accommodation goes for the most part we stay in the bush and would only do a one nighter at a caravan park from time to time to meet up with someone or just to have a meal in the pub so that too is a choice and I would not consider that to be a necessity either, so would not consider that a regular cost of the trip.

If you consider your detecting gear there is of course the purchase price of the detector/s and accessories but as I tend to hang on to the good gear I get a lot of use from it all, all the detectors I own have paid for themselves over again, and most of my coils have also paid for themselves many times over, so as far as I can say these things are not a cost anymore, its only is something craps itself that I would call it a direct cost.

Other things like my vehicle servicing and repairs I would consider as costs, as my vehicle is pretty much only used for prospecting trips and taken out for the odd run to keep everything working, it does not get used as my daily drive so then also the rego and insurance I would consider to be a direct cost, and the biggest cost of all is fuel as we are some 600 klms from the nearest gold areas

Some other cost are minimal like replacing your detecting boots when you consider that you get a couple of seasons out of them, consumables like batteries for uhf radios and gps can be replaced with rechargeables so you can get a couple or seasons or more out of them so the cost there is minimal after your initial purchase, clothes for prospecting are usually daggy stuff not fit for home anymore so no real costs there.

Most seasons I have come out ahead as far as my costs have been, but some years repairs and upkeep of vehicles has cost more that I would have liked and made me go backwards profit wise, but some years have been good with minimal outlay, only one trip last year was in the red gold wise but as I only went for a few days and mainly was interested in hunting town sites for coins I didn't do very much gold detecting at all, most trips the costs have been covered or at worst break even, but in the days I used to fish I would easily say that there was far more outlay in that game than their is in this one.

It is definitely harder to do well on the gold and to find places to go, but all in all I would have to say that even though I will probably never get rich doing it I will also never go broke from doing it either :Y:

cheers

stayyerAU

 

[Bush]

Nice report stayyerAU.
Yep ! It`s much like fishing.
Years ago nearly always come home with at least 4 or 5 Catch of the day.
Now at best 1 or 2 for the dinner plate `i` guess it`s the same in Prospecting now days.
So far i`ve only drawn a blank relative to the Yellow Rock.
but All in All great tobe out doors exploring. :Y:

 

[Danny13]

For me you split detecting/prospecting into 2 areas , . Treasure detecting and gold prospecting .

In front with the treasure detecting/ coin shooting as I live close to where I tend to go , so not much expense getting there . However as Bush said , each year finds have been less , but the reason I got into detecting was more of a health issue , getting out away from work stress and putting the headphones on blocking the rest of the world out , clearing my mind . Every-time I detect Im happy for a week afterwards . You cant put a price on that , so either way Im in front I reckon.

Ive met some foreign detectorists and been fortunate to have detected in their countries which was great . Its the experiences that make this hobby really profitable , not talking in monitory terms.

Gold prospecting is a different kettle of fish as everyone knows . Of all the times Ive had a crack Ive only come across 2 patches that made things worth while . Did cashing in the gold cover the expenses for the those 2 trips , yes . Did they cover the expenses for the many trips where I found nothing . Not even close . But the experiences have been worth it and if you put a monitory value on that , then your in front .

Happy hunting everyone