Where To Go Metal Detecting
GETTING STARTED
Once you’ve made the decision to buy a new metal detector and get home with it, you no doubt can’t wait to get started with some detecting. But where exactly should you start? You can take your detector with you practically anywhere – the opportunities are endless and limited only by your imagination. Finds can be made anywhere; you only need to take a look at any recent detecting magazine or website and you will see that there is an abundance of amazing finds being made. This shows there are still plenty of treasures waiting to be found, but some sites are more productive than others, so it helps to know the best type of places to go detecting. All it takes is a little bit of research to identify the most promising and productive goldfields or treasure hunting sites to detect.
There are many different types of valuable objects you can find with your new metal detector, such as rare coins, ancient relics of past civilizations, lost jewelry and gold nuggets. Nuggets are generally found in different places to where you would typically find coins, relics or jewelry, so where you go detecting depends greatly on what you would like to find. No matter where you decide to begin your metal detecting adventure, you will need some of these essential accessories to help you along the way:
Metal Detecting Accessories:
RESEARCH
Ideal sources for research are the local library or historical society, Government Department of Mines, newspaper archives, local town plans, etc. Don’t forget to talk to the local elders. They’ll often tell you about the popular swimming holes they used when growing up, the field that used to be a sports ground or perhaps a park that was used as a local market. These links to the past are all potential hot spots for you and your detector. The older the site is, the better – as your potential to find coins and relics from long ago increases. Always remember to obtain permission to enter and detect on private property.
Also, find out if there is a detecting club in your area. Joining your local club is a great way to learn tips and tricks about how to detect and where to search. You can also make new friends who are passionate about detecting too. There are also plenty of published guides on some of the best types of places where you should go metal detecting.
Where To Go Metal Detecting:
- Finding Treasure: A Field Guide by W.C. Jameson
- Metal Detecting Previously Hunted Sites Book by Vincent C. Pascucci
- In Search of Treasure Book by Dick Stout
- Researching Ghost Towns Book by Daryl Townley
- Finding Civil War Campsites in Rural Areas by David Poche
Be sure to check out the rest of our large selection of metal detecting books and guides here!
TREASURE HUNTING
When detecting for coins, relics or jewelry, use your imagination – anywhere people are likely to have left things behind – you are likely to make good finds! Also, don’t forget the places right under your feet; you never know what you might dig up even in your own backyard. To help get you started here is a list of locations that are generally more productive for finding coins, relics or jewelry:
Where To Find Treasure:
- Showgrounds and racecourses
- Picnic areas
- Battlefields
- Camping grounds
- Swimming holes
- Parks, playgrounds and school yards
- Plowed fields
- Pastures
- Woodlands
- Ghost towns and ancient town sites
- Old homes and public buildings
- Sports grounds
- Beaches
- Jetties and piers
- Rivers and streams
- Seabeds
If you’re new to metal detecting, don’t feel discouraged! There is still plenty of valuable, interesting treasure to be found all over the world! All that you need is a great metal detector to get started on your metal detecting adventures.
BEACH AND UNDERWATER METAL DETECTING
Whether you are taking a leisure metal detecting trip along the beach shorelines or hunting for treasure in the deep sea, the type of metal detector you bring along with you is important. When you are metal detecting in the water, you want to be sure you have a high quality metal detector that will withstand the elements. If you are detecting in saltwater, a metal detector that can perform well through high mineralization is crucial. Serious Detecting offers the best waterproof beach and underwater metal detectors from the top brands.
Best Beach Metal Detectors:
- Minelab CTX 3030
- Minelab Equinox 800
- Minelab Equinox 600
- Minelab Excalibur II 1000
- Garrett AT Max
- Garrett AT Pro
- Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II
- Garrett ATX
- White’s TDI BeachHunter
- White’s Surfmaster PI Dual Field
- Tesoro Sand Shark
- Tesoro Tiger Shark
- Quest Pro
GOLD PROSPECTING METAL DETECTING
Metal detecting for gold can be a lucrative endeavor that will not provide an exciting adventure but can also be a very rewarding one. Whether you are seeking to find large gold nuggets or tiny gold flakes, the type of gold metal detector you choose is very important. A higher frequency VLF metal detector or a lower frequency Pulse Induction metal detector are both very sensitive to gold. However, VLF circuits are also very sensitive to minerals contained in the soil, which may hinder the detector’s ability to discriminate. Pulse Induction metal detectors are able to accurately discriminate through some of the toughest ground mineral conditions to find large gold nuggets at great depths. Serious Detecting has a wide variety of VLF and Pulse Induction gold metal detectors that are ideal for gold prospecting.