Get real answers from outdoor explorers and our product experts. Browse questions about performance, features, and setup — or ask your own to make sure this gear fits your next adventure.
The Fisher F19 is a 19 kHz VLF metal detector built for relic hunters and gold prospectors who work iron-infested sites and mineralized ground. Its single-frequency platform is tuned for low-conductivity targets like small relics, gold nuggets, and colonial-era coins, and its headline feature is an industry-leading 40-point iron discrimination scale that gives you finer control over trash rejection than most detectors near this price. Paired with FeTone adjustable iron audio and V-Break tone discrimination, it lets you separate keepers from iron falsing without constantly digging bottle caps. It is a precise, lightweight relic and treasure detector at an intermediate price.
What's included
- Fisher F19 detector with 10 x 5 inch DD elliptical waterproof coil
- 9V alkaline battery (confirm inclusion, see spec note)
- Two-year Fisher manufacturer warranty

Why relic hunters choose the F19
- 40-point iron discrimination. The ferrous spectrum is broken into finer segments than typical 10 or 20-point scales, so you can notch out a specific iron range like square nails while keeping brass buckles and lead in the accept zone.
- FeTone and V-Break audio. A volume slider for ferrous targets plus an adjustable audio breakpoint let you isolate mid-conductors from iron and foil by ear.
- 19 kHz for small and low-conductive targets. Higher than most general-purpose VLFs, so it is more sensitive to small gold and thin rings a 7 kHz machine can miss.
- Ground Grab plus manual balance. Lock to the soil in one trigger pull, and fine-tune manually when you cross from red clay to black loam or hit hot rocks. The Fe3O4 bar graph shows mineralization spikes.
- Light and simple. 2.75 lbs, adjustable S-rod, backlight for dawn and dusk, and 15 to 20 hours on a single 9V battery.

Where the F19 performs best
Old homesteads and farm fields
In iron-dense fields with plow scars and horseshoes, V-Break tone discrimination sets an audio breakpoint so low targets get a low tone and higher conductors get a high tone, and you can shift that breakpoint to isolate Indian heads and large cents from iron and foil. Ground Grab locks to the soil in one trigger pull, and the Fe3O4 bar graph warns you before mineralization starts falsing.
Gold prospecting in mineralized ground
The 19 kHz frequency is sensitive to small, low-conductivity gold, and manual ground balance handles hot soil. Many hunters pair the F19 with the optional 5-inch DD coil for the smallest nuggets. See more gold prospecting detectors to compare.
Dry-sand beach
The coil is waterproof, but the control box is not, so use a rain cover in wet conditions. On dry sand the F19 handles moderate mineralization and its higher frequency helps on small gold chains and thin rings. For wet salt sand or surf you need a dedicated beach machine, since the F19 does not ground balance to conductive salt.
Specifications
- Operating frequency: 19 kHz (VLF)
- Coil: 10 x 5 inch DD elliptical waterproof search coil
- Operating modes: 2 (All Metal, Discrimination)
- Ground balance: Manual and Computerized Ground Grab
- Target ID: 2-digit numeric (1 to 99)
- Iron discrimination: 40-point iron ID scale, FeTone adjustable iron audio, V-Break tone breakpoint
- Audio: Multiple tones with VCO in All Metal and Discrimination modes
- Display: Digital with adjustable backlight (levels 0 to 5) and Fe3O4 mineralization bar graph
- Pinpoint: Non-motion pinpoint with depth indicator and signal-strength bars
- Weight: 2.75 lbs (1.25 kg)
- Battery: 1 x 9V (15 to 20 hours, alkaline recommended)
- Water resistance: Coil waterproof, control box not waterproof (rain cover recommended)
- Headphone jack: 1/4 inch
- Country of manufacture: USA (El Paso, Texas)
- Warranty: Two years
Why buy from Serious Detecting
As an authorized Fisher dealer, your F19 ships with an authentic serial number and the full two-year Fisher warranty backed by Fisher's US support. Our team runs Fisher metal detectors in the field, including the F19 in Virginia farm fields and Carolina dry sand, so we can answer setup and settings questions from real experience. Free shipping, 30-day returns, and a price-match guarantee on the same SKU.
Customer Questions & Expert Answers
Customer Reviews & Field Feedback
See what real detectorists and prospectors are saying. Read authentic experiences from the field, discover what users love most, and learn how this product performs in real-world conditions. Share your own review to help fellow explorers choose with confidence.
Recently Viewed Gear
Last products you explored