What the "DP" Adds: Depth and Multi-Purpose Reach
"DP" stands for Deep Penetrating, and it comes down to the coil. The standard Gold Bug ships a small 5" coil that's a specialist for tiny gold in tight, hot ground; the Gold Bug DP swaps in an 11" DD elliptical waterproof coil that reaches deeper and covers far more ground per sweep. That single change turns the Gold Bug from a dedicated nugget-shooter into a genuine multi-purpose detector: strong on gold, but equally at home pulling relics and coins from open fields. You still get the full 19 kHz Gold Bug feature set: V-Break variable breakpoint tone discrimination, Ground Grab computerized ground balancing that handles heavily mineralized ground, a Ground Phase and Fe3O4 mineralization readout, VCO audio, and a static pinpoint with depth, all in an ultra-light, ultra-simple package.
Gold Bug DP vs the Rest of the Family
The Gold Bug line splits cleanly by job. The original Gold Bug with its 5" coil is the tight-ground nugget specialist. The Gold Bug DP takes the same platform and the 11" coil for depth and all-purpose coverage, the best pick if you want one Gold Bug for gold, relics, and coins. The Gold Bug Pro emphasizes precise manual ground control and is often bought as a dual-coil combo, and the Gold Bug 2 jumps to 71 kHz for maximum sensitivity to the smallest gold. If your hunting spans more than just nuggets (fields, parks, relic sites, and gold ground), the DP's big coil makes it the most versatile of the bunch.
Fisher Gold Bug DP Specs & Features
- Operating frequency: 19 kHz (single-frequency VLF)
- Coil: 11" DD elliptical waterproof (deep penetration & coverage)
- Modes: All Metal & Discrimination (2)
- Discrimination: V-Break variable breakpoint tone system
- Ground balance: Ground Grab® computerized, real-time; handles heavily mineralized ground
- Readouts: continuous ground condition, Ground Phase value, Fe3O4 mineralization graphic
- Audio: VCO in both modes; independent threshold & gain; 1/4" headphone jack
- Pinpoint: static, with depth indicator; large LCD
- Best for: gold-nugget prospecting, relic hunting, and coin shooting
- Made by Fisher; Fisher's 2-year warranty (coil waterproof; control box not submersible)
Coils & Accessories
The DP ships ready to hunt with the 11" coil, but it accepts Gold Bug and Gold Bug Pro coils (not Gold Bug 2 coils), so you can add a smaller coil for tight, trashy ground later. Browse compatible coils and accessories in the Gold Bug family collection, and pair the DP with a pinpointer to speed recovery. Comparing it against other gold machines? See our full gold detectors lineup, or our best gold detectors guide for help choosing the right machine for your ground.
Why Buy Your Gold Bug DP from Serious Detecting
We're an authorized Fisher dealer, so your Gold Bug DP is genuine stock with Fisher's 2-year warranty, and it's a machine our own staff hunts with. Orders of $99 or more ship free in the lower 48, local pickup is available out of Michigan, and thousands of verified buyers have rated us 4.9 stars. Not sure whether the DP, the standard Gold Bug, the Pro, or the Gold Bug 2 fits your hunting? Tell us where you hunt and what you're after and we'll match it.
