Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 Metal Detector with Two Coils and PRO-FIND 35 Pinpointer

The Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 with GM05 and GM10 coils, a Minelab PRO-FIND 35 pinpointer and a spare Minelab AA Battery Holder suits someone who wants a dedicated natural gold detector without complicated settings, a pinpointer and backup AA power. The GOLD MONSTER 1000 is a 45 kHz VLF gold detector from Minelab with Easy-Trak automatic ground balance, Auto and Auto+ sensitivity and the Gold Chance Indicator, and Minelab rates both of its coils waterproof to 1 meter (3.3 feet).

What is in the box with this Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 bundle

Minelab's standard contents for the GOLD MONSTER 1000 with GM05 coil (Minelab part 3317-0005)

• Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 detector with control box and three-piece shaft
• GM05 5 inch round Double-D search coil
• Wired headphones with 3.5 mm plug
• Minelab digging shovel
• Rod-to-coil adapter
• Two rechargeable 7.2 V, 2700 mAh lithium-ion batteries
• AA battery adapter
• Car battery charging cable
• Universal AC adapter

This Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 bundle also includes

• Minelab GM10 10 x 6 inch elliptical Double-D coil for GOLD MONSTER 1000 (Minelab part 3011-0336)
• Minelab PRO-FIND 35 pinpointer with holster, lanyard and 9V battery (Minelab part 3226-0003)
• Minelab AA Battery Holder for GOLD MONSTER 1000 (Minelab part 3011-0365)

What the add-ons in this Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 bundle do

PRO-FIND 35 pinpointer: once the GOLD MONSTER 1000 has put you over a target, a handheld pinpointer narrows it down in the hole or in loose gravel. Minelab gives the PRO-FIND 35 5 sensitivity levels, Ferrous Tone ID, vibration, an LED flashlight, a lost alarm and a 24-month warranty, rates it submersible to 3 meters (10 feet) and lists up to 20 hours on its 9V battery. See our Minelab pinpointers.

Spare AA Battery Holder: Minelab's AA Battery Holder lets you use standard, readily available AA batteries to power the GOLD MONSTER 1000. With a second holder loaded with 8 AA batteries, you carry a ready backup power source for long days on a goldfield far from a power outlet, alongside the two rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Follow Minelab's instructions for the correct battery types.

On an old goldfield full of rusty iron fragments, the PRO-FIND 35 earns its place once you decide to dig. After the Gold Chance Indicator and a few passes from different directions point to a promising target, the pinpointer narrows it down in the hole, and its Ferrous Tone ID gives one more hint before you dig deeper. The spare AA Battery Holder keeps backup power in the pack on remote ground.

Who the Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 suits

We like the GOLD MONSTER 1000 most for someone who wants to start hunting small natural gold without first mastering a page of detector settings. Minelab built the GOLD MONSTER 1000 around a 45 kHz VLF system with automatic ground balance, automatic noise cancel and Auto sensitivity, so a beginner can switch on, leave the automatic settings in charge and put the effort into learning where gold occurs. A gold detector does not replace that homework. Geology, historical mining records and land access rules still decide where a day is worth spending. For a straightforward small gold detector, we find it particularly appealing for a new prospector.

Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 detect modes and key settings

• Two detect modes: Gold (Iron Reject) cuts down unwanted ferrous signals on ground littered with rusty iron. Deep All-Metal lets you hear a broader range of metal responses, and on a promising, fairly clean goldfield we would consider it, because a small nugget near iron can give a complicated response. Let the amount of unwanted metal on the site decide the mode.
• Noise cancel and audio: noise cancel is automatic, volume runs from 1 to 6, and you listen through the built-in speaker or through wired headphones on the 3.5 mm socket.

Settings that matter on the GOLD MONSTER 1000

Sensitivity: Minelab gives the GOLD MONSTER 1000 ten manual sensitivity levels plus Auto and Auto+, and Minelab says Auto+ adds sensitivity while still adapting to the ground. On an unfamiliar goldfield, where you do not yet know how mineralized the ground is, we would start on Auto. Do not assume the most aggressive setting finds the most gold. In difficult ground a quieter detector is easier to read, and a faint signal that repeats stands out better against a calm threshold. Keep a slow sweep with the coil close to the ground, overlap each pass and check a signal from more than one direction.

Ground balance: Easy-Trak adjusts the ground balance automatically as you walk. Cross a hillside where the soil changes from mild to highly mineralized and the detector keeps up, so a beginner can watch for targets instead of chasing settings. Automatic ground balance does not silence every hot rock, so learn how the hot rocks on your own ground sound.

GM05 and GM10 coils on the Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000

The GM05 5 inch round Double-D coil is easier to work into small crevices, exposed bedrock and the gaps between rocks on a rocky hillside, and its smaller detection footprint helps with small targets close to mineralized rocks or other metal. The GM10 10 x 6 inch elliptical Double-D coil covers more ground with each sweep on a broad, open hillside with few obstacles, and it may have an edge on some larger or deeper targets in favorable conditions. Neither coil is better everywhere: move into a rocky creek bed with narrow gaps and the GM05 is easier to maneuver again, so we would choose the coil by the terrain. Minelab rates both coils waterproof to 1 meter (3.3 feet).

Using the Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 around water

Minelab rates the GOLD MONSTER 1000 GM05 and GM10 coils waterproof to 1 meter (3.3 feet) and the control box splash and rain proof. Along a shallow creek where gold-bearing gravel collects around exposed bedrock, you can put the coil into the water within that rating while you keep the control box above the waterline.

Where the GOLD MONSTER 1000 works well, and where it does not

At 45 kHz the GOLD MONSTER 1000 runs a relatively high frequency for a metal detector, and high frequencies favor small, low-conductivity targets. Picture a dry creek bed where tiny nuggets may be present. Pieces too small to answer a coin detector strongly are what Minelab designed the GOLD MONSTER 1000 for. A high frequency does not guarantee every tiny nugget, though. Target size, shape, depth and mineralization still matter.

It is still a VLF detector. On an old goldfield with severe iron mineralization, a pulse induction detector such as the Minelab GPX 6000 or the Minelab SDC 2300 may be the more appropriate tool. Where a VLF system can work well, it remains an appealing choice for small gold. For parks, coins, jewelry and wet saltwater beaches, we would point you to a detector built for those jobs.

Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 battery, weight and build

Minelab lists the GOLD MONSTER 1000 at 1.33 kg (2.94 lb), and the three-piece shaft collapses to 94.4 cm (37.2 inches) and extends to 138.2 cm (54.4 inches), which helps on a hike into a remote gold-bearing area. Power comes from removable rechargeable 7.2 V, 2700 mAh lithium-ion batteries, two of them in the box, and the AA battery adapter runs the detector on 8 standard AA batteries when you are far from a power outlet. Use the battery types and charging equipment Minelab specifies.

One mistake to avoid with the GOLD MONSTER 1000

The mistake we warn new owners about most is treating every positive Gold Chance reading as gold. Minelab describes the Gold Chance Indicator as a gauge that shifts right for valuable metals like gold and left for ferrous trash or hot rocks. It cannot tell an object's chemical composition. Lead, aluminum and other non-ferrous metals can give the same gold-like response, so a promising reading on an old goldfield that turns out to be a piece of lead is normal. Use the gauge to judge questionable targets among rusty iron, then recover the promising ones rather than trusting the display alone.

Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000, GOLD MONSTER 2000 or GPX 6000

The Minelab GOLD MONSTER 2000 is a separate, newer model that Minelab describes as a Multi-Au hybrid SMF-PI detector, with Echo Wave audio and a numeric Target ID. For difficult mineralized ground those extras may be worth considering, but we would not spend more simply because it is newer. The Minelab GPX 6000 is a more specialized detector for demanding goldfields and a substantially different investment; for someone starting out, the GOLD MONSTER 1000 is the more approachable first step.

Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 specifications

Minelab covers the GOLD MONSTER 1000 control box and coil with a 2-year limited warranty in the USA.

Serious Detecting bundle (added free at checkout):

• Lil' Digger Double Serrated Shovel
• Serious Detecting Finds Bag with 42 inch Waist Belt
• Serious Detecting Carry Bag
• Serious Detecting Cap
• Double Serrated Hand Digger with Belt Holster

For our full GOLD MONSTER 1000 guide, settings advice and comparisons, see the Minelab GOLD MONSTER 1000 collection.