10 Star Trek Toys That Sucked

6. Star Trek Metal Detection Probe

Star Trek Metal Detection Probe
Jetco/Paramount Pictures

Why?

The genesis of this toy takes a little mental gymnastics to understand. In 1841, the instrument that would come to be known as the metal detector was invented by Professor Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. It effectively worked by giving the Professor a shock when a piece of metal was placed in one of the tubes connected to the coils.

As you can imagine, it became the must-have Christmas gift that year!

Alright, hardly. Yet, over the century and a half since the initial conception, metal detecting has become a widespread hobby among many folks. It has also been refined to the point where various states have laws against the use of metal detectors, so having a piece of tie-in merchandising seems...odd.

There's nothing particularly Star Trek about this toy, bar the logo. Still, if it helped any aspiring Trek metal enthusiast discover Georgi's VISOR buried in the sand, then why not?

We might even wear out Spock Helmets while we're searching.

 
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Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"