Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 Overview
The Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 metal detector is a dedicated gold detector running a 45 kHz VLF frequency and a 24-bit processor, which boost sensitivity to gold and give clearer signals. Easy-Trak ground balance adjusts to changing ground on its own, noise cancel runs at start-up, and the Gold Chance Indicator gives a real-time gauge of how likely a target is gold or iron. You choose between two detect modes, Gold (iron reject) and Deep All Metal, and set sensitivity to Manual 1 to 10, Auto or Auto+.
The GOLD MONSTER 1000 with GM05 5 inch coil ships with the GM05 5 inch round Double-D coil, wired headphones, a rod-to-coil adapter, rechargeable 7.2 V 2700 mAh lithium-ion power, an AA battery adapter for 8 x AA cells, a car battery charging cable, a universal AC adapter and a Minelab digging shovel. Two-coil packages add the GM10 10 x 6 inch Double-D coil. Both coils are waterproof to 1 m (3.3 ft), while the control box is splash and rain proof. The detector weighs 2.94 lb (1.33 kg) with the GM10 coil, excluding battery, collapses to 94.4 cm (37.2 inch) and extends to 138.2 cm (54.4 inch). Minelab covers the control box and coil for 2 years.
GOLD MONSTER 1000 vs GOLD MONSTER 2000: Which Should You Buy?
Both GOLD MONSTER models are tuned for small gold and balance to the ground automatically. The GOLD MONSTER 1000 is the simpler machine: one 45 kHz frequency, two modes and the Gold Chance Indicator. The GOLD MONSTER 2000 runs Minelab's Multi-Au simultaneous multi-frequency engine from 12 to 76 kHz with Pulse Induction soil handling, adds a 0 to 99 numeric Target ID, three ground settings (Normal, Benign and Difficult), Echo Wave audio, manual Quick-Trak ground balance and a telescopic shaft that collapses to 65 cm (25.6 inch).
We recommend the GOLD MONSTER 1000 when your ground is mild to moderate, you are chasing small gold in creeks, washes, bedrock and old workings, and you want the easiest learning curve in a lower price band. Step up to the GOLD MONSTER 2000 if you regularly hunt ironstone, hot rocks, black sand or variable mineralized ground, or trashy sites where a target number helps. The two models use different coils, so coils from one do not fit the other.
GOLD MONSTER 1000, Best For:
- First-time gold prospectors who want two modes and almost no setup
- Small gold in mild to moderately mineralized creeks, washes and bedrock
- Remote trips where running on 8 x AA batteries is a useful backup
- Prospectors who want both a 5 inch and a 10 x 6 inch coil in one package
GOLD MONSTER 2000, Best For:
- Heavily mineralized ground, hot rocks and black sand
- Trashy old camps and tailings where a 0 to 99 Target ID helps
- Hunters who want a detector that collapses to 65 cm (25.6 inch)
- Prospectors who want manual Quick-Trak ground balance as well as automatic
Key Features That Matter in the Field
Most coin and relic detectors run at lower frequencies that suit silver and copper. Small gold is a low-conductivity target, and higher VLF frequencies respond to it more strongly; the GOLD MONSTER 1000 runs at 45 kHz for that job. A high frequency VLF also hears more of the ground, so Easy-Trak tracks it continuously; there is no manual ground balance to set.
The Gold Chance Indicator shows whether a target leans gold or iron. We treat it as extra information rather than a dig or no-dig display: a faint, repeatable response is usually worth checking even when the gauge is not convincing, because small gold gives subtle signals and the ground shapes what the screen shows. We also recommend not running sensitivity at maximum by reflex. In mineralized ground, backing it off a step makes the detector calmer, and a quiet threshold makes a faint target easier to hear.
Where the GOLD MONSTER 1000 Works Best and Its Limits
The GOLD MONSTER 1000 makes the most sense where the priority is small gold and simple operation: dry washes, creek beds, exposed bedrock, tailings and old workings, worked slowly. The GM05 5 inch coil gets between rocks and into cracks a larger coil cannot reach, and the GM10 10 x 6 inch coil covers open washes and hillsides faster. Because the coils are waterproof to 1 m (3.3 ft) and the control box is splash and rain proof, you can sweep gravel bars and stream edges as long as the control box stays out of the water.
The GOLD MONSTER 1000 is a single-frequency VLF, so in ironstone, black sand and hot rock fields it will false more and lose more depth than the multi-frequency GOLD MONSTER 2000. We don't recommend it for wet salt sand beaches. For depth on larger nuggets in extreme ground, Minelab's pulse induction GPX 6000 is the step up. If you want one detector for coins, relics and beaches as well as gold, compare the Minelab EQUINOX 900. For a single-frequency gold detector from another brand, see the Fisher Gold Bug Pro, and browse all gold detectors and gold prospecting equipment for the rest of the kit.
Coils and Accessories That Fit the GOLD MONSTER 1000
We carry two coils for the GOLD MONSTER 1000: the GM05 5 inch round DD and the GM10 10 x 6 inch DD. Both are waterproof to 1 m (3.3 ft), and each Minelab coil comes with its coil cover. GOLD MONSTER 2000 coils do not fit the GOLD MONSTER 1000, so check that a coil listing names the GOLD MONSTER 1000 before you buy. All coils that fit are in the GOLD MONSTER 1000 coils filter.
For power, this collection holds the GOLD MONSTER 1000 Li-ion battery (3011-0359), the AA battery holder, the universal AC charger and the car battery charger lead. It also holds replacement coil covers, shaft and armrest parts, and wired 3.5 mm headphones. Pair the detector with a pinpointer for recovering small targets from rock and gravel.
GOLD MONSTER 1000 vs GOLD MONSTER 2000: Spec Comparison
Both GOLD MONSTER models are dedicated small-gold detectors with automatic ground balance, the Gold Chance Indicator, a 5 inch round Double-D coil as standard, a coil waterproof to 1 m (3.3 ft) and a 2 year warranty on the control box and coil. The differences sit in the detection engine, target ID, ground settings, audio, pack size and batteries.
| Feature | GOLD MONSTER 1000 | GOLD MONSTER 2000 |
|---|
| Technology | VLF, single frequency 45 kHz | Multi-Au simultaneous multi-frequency, 12 to 76 kHz |
| Search Modes | Gold, Deep All Metal | Normal, Benign, Difficult |
| Target ID | Gold Chance Indicator (no numeric ID) | 0 to 99 numeric ID plus Gold Chance Indicator |
| Discrimination Segments | 50 | 25 |
| Sensitivity | Manual 1 to 10, Auto, Auto+ | Manual 1 to 10, Auto 1, Auto 2 |
| Ground Balance | Automatic (Easy-Trak) | Automatic (Easy-Trak) plus manual Quick-Trak |
| Audio | Continuous tone | Echo Wave: high tones for gold, low tones for hot rocks and iron |
| Wireless Audio | No (wired 3.5 mm headphones) | No (wired 3.5 mm earbuds) |
| Standard Coil | GM05 5 inch round DD (two-coil packs add the GM10 10 x 6 inch DD) | GM2000-05 5 inch round DD |
| Coils Interchangeable | No, GOLD MONSTER 1000 coils only | No, GOLD MONSTER 2000 coils only |
| Waterproof | Coil to 1 m (3.3 ft); control box splash and rain proof | Coil to 1 m (3.3 ft); IP55 control pod (rainproof) |
| Weight | 1.33 kg (2.94 lb) with GM10 coil, excluding battery | 1.25 kg (2.75 lb) including battery |
| Length | 94.4 to 138.2 cm (37.2 to 54.4 inch) | 65 to 138.2 cm (25.6 to 54.4 inch), telescopic |
| Battery | Removable 7.2 V 2700 mAh Li-ion, or 8 x AA in the AA battery adapter | Two removable 2700 mAh Li-ion batteries |
| Warranty | 2 years control box and coil | 2 years control box and coil |
Read our GOLD MONSTER 1000 vs 2000 comparison for how the two models behave in mild, mineralized and trashy ground, and which one we would buy for each.
Why Buy the Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 from Serious Detecting?
- Free Shipping on Orders Over $99: Your Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 ships at no extra cost across the continental US.
- Authorized Minelab Dealer: Showroom in Ypsilanti, Michigan, full 2-year manufacturer warranty and product registration support.
- Help Before and After You Buy: Our staff answer setup, coil and GOLD MONSTER 1000 questions by phone or email.
