Which Metal Detector To Purchase
There are many very good manufacturers of metal detectors on the market today. Leading manufacturers are: Bounty Hunter, Fisher, Garrett, Tesoro and Whites, among others. It is difficult to say which metal detector is right for you without considering where you're searching, how long and how often you'll be metal detecting, and what kind of treasure you are searching for specifically.
As a beginner, your first concern is price. It's probably wise to learn the hobby with a lower price model until you can determine what features are important factors in choosing your higher priced detector. Some things to consider:
The weight of the metal detector. This can be a big factor if you're likely to be on the beach or in the park for several hours at a time.
Comfort. Make sure the metal detector has a padded rest for your arm, to avoid fatique and to add support while you're searching.
Features. Consider your likely treasure hunting locations. If near a beach, you may want to consider a sturdy detector highly rated for shallow water searches. If you live near gold mines, a detector with nugget searching capabilities may be very important.
Many manufacturer's websites can assist you in choosing your appropriate model with their buying guide questionnaires.
Where to Search
You'll soon find that metal detecting on beaches is the easiest form of metal detecting. But you can also find treasure in parks, along river banks, in your own backyard.
The first rule of metal detecting is: "Leave no Trace" of your visit. This means digging the smallest hole you need, then restoring that hole, including any sod cap, to its original condition.
Also, it should go without mentioning that you need to be certain that it's legal to be metal detecting where you're searching.
Many beaches in Florida do not permit this activity. Metal detecting on any Federal land is prohibited. State parks vary in their policies - best to check individually. Many private property owners are happy to give permission to search on their land, and if you have a fabulous find, it's appropriate to share your bounty with the landowner.
What Metal Detectors Do
Metal detectors magnetically scan the ground for density signals from different metals with technology similar to radar. Each type of metal returns a different signal, and the metal detector then 'beeps' in different tones to indicate which type of metal was found.
Good metal detectors also have a visual readout of this information on their display screens, which includes the approximate depth of the metal located. Most metal detector displays are already geared for finding coins and show categories of penny, nickel, dime, quarter, silver dollar and dollar, as well as gold.
Very often, an object is found that falls inbetween categories on the display - this may be jewelry or a combined metal of some type, or may represent two or three different coins together. Most good metal detectors also have features for detecting silently, or include earphones and have designated settings for beach or ground searches. "Discriminate" is also a key feature.
This setting allows you to set the detector to turn off or ignore signals from pop tops, bottlecaps and aluminum cans. As with any tool, the more you pay, the higher the quality. Higher priced metal detectors have more discerning features which can greatly increase your chances of finding older coins and other buried relics.
What You're Likely to Find
We've all seen the treasure hunting shows depicting glorious caches of gold coins and jewelry.
The truth of metal detecting for beginners is a tad more realistic. You're certain to find lost coins and jewelry, but finding a $10K diamond ring or solid gold watch isn't the norm. As a beginner, don't expect to be making money from metal detecting - it should be just for fun. It's wonderful exercise too.
Consider any treasure to be good treasure. Some of our unusual finds have been: matchbox cars, license plates, a hood ornament from a Honda. Our real finds have been: a gold lighter, jewelry, an expensive watch, many old coins, a plaque buried under a statue in a park.
Oddly enough, you'll find that many avid hobbyists don't cash in their treasure at all. We keep all of our finds in a 'booty box', showing our box off to friends and family like a badge of pride.
When to Search
Sunday evenings at the beach are a perfect time for treasure hunting. The crowds have gone, and you're sure to find lost coins at the very least. Beaches are also a great place to search after a storm.
This time is especially good if you have a metal detector that can search in shallow water and you don't mind getting wet while you search the shallows. If you enjoy meeting people, metal detecting on a crowded beach can be good fun.
Many people will be curious about your hobby and children will follow you and celebrate your finds with as much thrill as you experience. Don't forget city parks after a festival. On July 5th, the local park is loaded with goodies.
When Your Hobby Grows
When you realize that you're addicted, you'll also be yearning to find locations where no treasure hunter has gone before. Research will be the key to your success.
Your research will lead you to search for locations that were popular 75 to 200 years ago. These will be old school yards, old churches that held Sunday Socials, old band-stand locations, farmsteads, and ghost towns. You might be surprised to find that there are probably pioneer ghost towns in nearby areas.
Old maps can give you great insight into ghost towns and popular gathering sites from eras gone by. Your local Historical Society is another resource for a wealth of information.