While most amateur gold prospectors are looking for placer gold, it doesn't hurt to be aware of the physical properties of gold ore. As prospectors wander the desert landscape in search of placer, they observe hundreds of acres of rocky mountainous country that might show signs of possible gold ore.

Finding old coins with a metal detector is a bit more challenging than finding modern coins that are often buried right below the surface. Check out my tips to help you find more old coins for your collection.

Digging holes responsibly when metal detecting is respectful to both the property owner and the hobby itself. Learn how to recover objects from the ground without ruining grass and making a mess.

Using the right digging tools for metal detecting makes cutting open dirt plugs a lot easier. Check out my recommendations for the best metal detecting digging tools that I personally use.

While you should always check your local laws before you go metal detecting anywhere, there are several places you can typically metal detect without permission.

Asking a homeowner for permission to metal detect their yard might sound scary, but it's a lot easier than you think. With most public places already being hunted out, it's a lot easier to find rare coins and relics on private property.

Old swimming holes are great places to find rare coins and antique rings. Check out my tips for finding forgotten swimming holes and recovering cool stuff from them.

The AT Pro metal detector is capable of locating deep silver coins in the ground. Check out my tips for using this machine to find those deeper coins that others have missed.

The grass between the curb and the sidewalk is a good place to go metal detecting for coins and rings. Check out my tips for metal detecting sidewalk grass.

Your metal-detecting headphones need to be waterproof if you plan to hunt for submerged targets. Check out my review of Gray Ghost Amphibian headphones to find out if they're worth it for treasure hunting in water.

Check out some of my best metal-detecting finds to date.

Are you looking for a t-handle shovel for metal detecting or gardening? Check out my review of the Lesche t-handle shovel to find out if it's worth it.

Are you looking for the best metal detecting sites to find old coins and rings? These are the places where I make my best finds.

Check out my review of the handheld Lesche digging tool for metal detecting. I discuss the product's pros, cons, and overall value.

Check out my review of the handheld Garrett Pro Pointer and find out if it's a good pinpointer for metal detecting.

Check out my review of the Garret AT Pro metal detector. I've used this machine for nearly two years, and in doing so, I've become familiar with its advantages and drawbacks.

Most amateur prospectors want a way to take the hassle out of hand-panning for gold. Many tools have been devised over time to simplify the process including miller tables, sluices, nugget buckets, and blue bowl concentrators. A spiral wheel gold panning machine is one more to consider.

One of the most popular devices for separating fine placer from black sand concentrates is the famous Blue Bowl Concentrator. It is a type of gravity dam—the black sand is washed up and over a hollow plastic cone leaving only fine gold along the base of the cone and the bottom of the bowl.

One frustrating aspect to amateur gold prospecting is the difficulty refining gold from black sand pay dirt. There are a number of devices around that make the task easier, but for my money, a Miller Table with its regulated slow water flow and attracting surface is the best.

Since time immemorial, man’s efforts have been directed at one thing: making life easier, including when it comes to developing gold-prospecting tools that eliminate much of the demanding work of mining. A Nugget Bucket reduces the gold-panning process significantly.

Metal detecting is an exciting and mentally relaxing pastime; it is truly treasure-hunting. Many new at the hobby, however, make some horrendous blunders.

What most don't realize is that you can find gold, silver and gemstones near your own home. But there are a few reasons you probably won't.

If you want to try panning for gold, you might want to practice the techniques at home in your own yard.

The sluice (usually a wood, metal or plastic channel) allows water in a running creek to pass through with the heaviest of material (gold) settling behind riffles. Here's why setup and cleaning are crucial.

So, you want to search for gold ore. How do you identify good gold prospects? If your strategy involves crushing any and every rock you come across, you'll be crushing for the rest of your life and won't find a flake. Here are some simple field tests you can perform to help you narrow your search.

Finding gold in the wild is hard. Where to to pan for gold is of paramount importance. Whether placer gold deposits or hard rock gold, you need an edge. Here are some gold geological considerations.

People using metal detectors often find dirty, unusable coins that they would like to clean up a bit. Here are some tips with photos for using a rotary rock tumbler to clean and polish coins.

Some basic gold prospecting supplies are essential for large mining companies and the recreational gold-miner. Dry washers are a type of equipment useful in the dry southwest, particularly Arizona.

Found coins are usually in too poor a state to be used unless they are cleaned up first. Even banks will not accept them. Metal detectorists all need to clean their treasures, but what are the best ways? Here we have a look at the various household liquids that can be used, as well as different rock tumbling machines and electrolysis.

Every river in the world contains gold. However, some rivers contain so little gold that one could pan and sieve for years and not find even one small flake. Learn where to pan and where not to pan.

New gold prospectors have a problem on their first gold club outing. They've heard about panning for gold, and maybe how to use recovery equipment, but on claim arrival finding a spot is a new story.